Homework 9/29

The opening statement implies that now every one is the same. No one person has any advantage over the other in any way unless of course you work for the government. The government achieved this by letting all the dumb people stay dumb and by hadicapping all the smart and/or athletic people. The smart people have little radios in their brains that don't let them think and the athletic people are forced to carry around heavy bags so they move slowly. Apparently, capitalism is dead since capitalism is founded on competition between businesses and people and democracy must be dead because there is no way people can be choosing their leaders freely since all the people are all really dumb or handicapped by the government therefore controlled by the government. Eliminating competition and free thought ensures that who ever is in control, the government most likely by some tyrannical leader, will stay in control as long as the people are kept as mindless zombies.
This is impossible under capitalism and democracy for many reasons. Capitalism is founded on businesses competing with each other to provide the best goods possible. Democracy is founded on the principle of natural rights. These rights being that every person should have life, liberty and property. Obviously taking away the ability for one to think for themselves is taking away their life and their liberty since they have no freedom to think and are forced to live a life controlled by government. I highly doubt that this would be the result of a progressive middle class since historically the middle class has been against uprisings of a socialist nature. For example, America as founded by mostly middle class Englishmen. These men made a fair amount of money, but were no where close to the wealthiest. They all felt they had a lot in common since they all made about the same and were generally happy wittheir wealth. Many historians and political scientists point to that fact as to why there was never a huge outcry for socialism or communism to be spread in America. Now if one were to ask if this were more likely to happen because of a progreesive lower class, then I would change my answer. People without anything want to have some land or money and become somewhat equal. So the idea of making every one equal really appeals to them. The French Revolution, for example, was led by the poor, lower class. They were tired of the rich staying in power and of having king's family stay in power for years just because of birth right. I believe grade inflation is silly and not fair. If someone gets a grade, that should be their grade. Giving a higher letter grade to someone just because they tried hard does not make that person smarter, but when that person is applying for college or any institution where greades are carefulyl looked at, then that person with the inflated grade looks smarter even though he is not. Then the less smart person gets more opportunities just because they have inflated grades. That is how this society in "Harrison Bergeron" probably comes to be because less smart people come into power and do not want to be questioned but just rule over people, so they handicap everyone. However, I believe that not keeping score in childrens' sports activities is far less harmless. It is just encouraging kids to keep active in sports and not necessarily worry about the outcome. This does not occur in competitive sports or any sporting activities having to do with schools and it hopefully never will. Then there would be no point in competition.
The U.S. Handicappers go around and make sure that everyone who is better in someone has that advantage handicapped so every one can be equal. The only way this would happen in America is if we gave some one absolute power for some reason, war maybe, and they took extreme advantage of it. This is enforced by the Handicappers and achieved by putting radios in people's ears or making them wear heavy bags.
Vonnegut could be talking about a number of things. He could be talking about civil rights acts or the womens movement during the late 40's and 50's. Most likely he is talking about affirmative action or something of that nature that 'equals' the playing field for those who are less priveleged or whose people have been previously oppressed. Laws like this come about because people feel they are not being looked at in the same light as others and want to have equal opportunities for everyone.
Hearing that a former Senator would say that is appauling to me. He is saying that the best and brightest should not be chosen just because the entire population of those that person is supposed to represent is not the best and brightest. I cannot believe that someone would not want the smartest and most qualified person for any job. This is the exact thing Vonnegut as talking about in his short story.
George and Hazel represent your typical, everyday person. They go to work and come home and sit by the television. Vonnegut, I believe, is saying that if people just sit around and let the televison rule our lives then we will be forced to succomb to the fate Vonegut has described. What happens when everyone watches T.V. is that they learn to just listen to the television and not think of anything for themselves and also they are not excersising their mind in any way. Go read a book.
Harrison is a teenager who is a threat to everyone becuase he has above average intelligence and he is extremely athletic. He has so many things on him to handicap him it looks like he is wearing a halloween costume. When Harrison gets on television and exclaims that he is the emperor, I do not believe he is talking about ruling government. I believe he is trying to ge the message out to the people that they are all emperors of themselves and that they have the power to not only rule themselves but to think for themselves. Therefore, they do not need the government to handicap them and tell them what to do because they are fine just they way they are. I do not believe there is any correlation between Harrison and Sammie. Harrison is actually saving people, albeit briefly, while Sammy could not even save his own job. Sammy was just trying to look cool in front of some girls, while Harrison is trying to save the world by rebelling and getting on television to try and save everyone. The only similarity is that both attempts fall on deaf ears. The singing and beauty of the girl and music are all meant to symbolize individualism. Every piece of music can beautiful to some and not others but it certainly wont sound like the last piece. And every person looks different and some people have better looking facial features than others, such as the ballerina Harrison saves.