“They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way.” (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr; 196, p. 1) This is how the people of US of the year 2081 live in Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s story “Harrison Bergeron”. A reality where everyone is equal in every which way by handicapping the talented and driven down to the level of mediocrity. The only exception to the rule is those who are willing and trusted to uphold this equality, being those agents of the United States Handicapper General who is in charge of making sure that people wear their handicaps. The future society presented in this story that treasures equality above all else differs greatly from society in the US today, which strives to be unique or special in any way its members can think of.
Some examples of how modern members of society try to differentiate themselves from others include cosmetic differences like dyeing their hair flashy colors, painting their nails in beautiful eye-catching designs, fashion or even just makeup in order to stand out in a positive light. Some separate themselves into factions whether it be based on the ideology of political parties, minority groups, sexual identities or with those of the same place of origin. There is no shortage of young Americans that want to distinguish themselves from the rest calling attention to themselves for clicks and views as influencers. Gianna Melillo explains that 39% of Gen Z members wish to become influencers in the future (2022). In the story, all of these things are a threat to the equality of the system put in place and maintained by the Handicapper General. It is a system where things like popularity, status, or even self-improvement don’t belong, especially for those who are already gifted in the first place.
All of this does not mean that there aren’t attempts at equality in today’s society. These attempts are limited to financial help, discrimination laws, and academic opportunities. They are handled in a completely opposite way to how the handicapping general tries to, rather than bringing those at the top down to their level, they attempt to give those at the bottom a way to climb up. Some examples of these could be the extra time given to those with special needs, enlarged exam letters for the visually impaired and food stamps among other opportunities. The only downside this carries, is the fact that it does not actually help that much if those benefiting from it don’t use it as a platform to better themselves.
In a society as equal as the one in the story, the only social structures left are the general public and the members of the government with those of the handicapper general able to live with ought handicaps for the sake of being able to keep others under their influence. They are the very symbol of equality even if it means forsaking the freedom of others in order to accomplish it. Ironically, in an attempt to make everyone equal they end up discriminating against the talented and gifted, adding one inconvenience after another and in the case of those who resist like Harrison Bergeron, they are sentenced to imprisonment and even death.
The reality of “Harrison Bergeron” is a complete polar opposite of the values of modern society today. As the US now values individual identity and self-improvement, I cannot see how it could ever transition into the reality presented by the story with ought significant changes in the future concerning our sense of morality. Ultimately the key difference between the two is one drags you down while the other helps you rise up for yourself.
References
Melillo, G. (2022, August 24). 1 in 4 Gen Z-ers plan to become Social Media
influencers. The Hill. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/changing-
america/enrichment/arts-culture/3614182-1-in-4-gen-z-ers-plan-to-
become-social-media-influencers/
Vonnegut Jr, K. (1991). Harrison Bergeron. Ark. L. Rev., 44, 927.
