“Harrison Bergeron” is a dystopian short story meant to show how even the best intentions can lead to horrible outcomes; in this story set in the year 2081 the dream of equality is twisted to create a world where equality is due to the limitation of its citizens both physically and mentally. This governmental form of equality, requires that everybody and anybody who is more capable than the government's approved baseline must wear a handicap tailored to their proficiency and body in order to be equal to everybody else. The hypothetical question this story poses “what if we were all equal” is a dramatized version of what people desired now and throughout all of history that leaves a horrifying image in my mind.
Imagine for a moment one day waking up from our own reality and awaking into Kurt Vonnegut’s fictitious one. Imagine what handicaps the government may impose on you; you’d most likely have a mental handicap considering how the wife from the story was a complete bag of rocks, a physical handicap possibly as well. The mental handicaps would impair any thought that you have that may be considered too intelligent and also any individuality. Take a moment to consider how this would affect our own world now, if we are all equal at a below normal mental capacity and capability all progression and innovation would completely halt; and possibly your dreams.
Medical Research and innovations with CRISPR-Cas9, Engineering of all types including my field of Aerospace Engineering, computer and processing speed increase, artificial intelligence development, these and each and every field of science requires thinking outside of the box in order to advance, with mental handicaps this continuing advancement would cease.
Every form of talent whether it be a talent in music, art, dancing, writing, coding, mathematics, comedy, public speaking, science and anything else under the sun, would be subjugated to a universal limitation. Imagine to listening the same basic crappy music all the time, actually don't even think of that, it’s too horrid to imagine.
These innovative ways of thinking that one may have and also the talents they may possess all attributes to one’s personality. If people all had a same or similar personality then socializing would become horrible. I like people who have the same interests however none of my friends are carbon copies; in the world presented in “Harrison Bergeron” it seems like you would find many like minded people.
Any world that would destroy creativity, innovation, and individuality is a world I would gladly take a hard pass on. Im happy to live now in a world that isn't completely equal in the sense of talent and personality.
As somebody from 2019, my reaction to the world found in Kurt Vonnegut’s story in the year 2081 is, “THIS AIN’T IT CHIEF”.