Harrison's Motivation For Inequality

Harrison is the perfect example of this kind of rebellion. Although he is only fourteen, “he is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous” (141). Due to his abilities, he is in prison because he is a threat to society. Harrison is aware that a new society must emerge, and he breaks out of prison, removes his handicaps, and for just a moment, shows his individuality. In the government’s eyes, Harrison is a rebel, and rebels are people that have no place in society, and must die. Diana Moon Glampers, who is the Handicapper General and represents conformity, kills Harrison and his selected mate with whom he wanted to rule a more humane America. She then threatens everyone else with force in the television station with a shotgun by “aiming it at the musicians and told them they have ten seconds to get their handicaps back on” (143). Although Harrison’s actions take place, conformity and equality still rule. In an article in Contemporary American writers, it describes Harrison’s parents after the murder, “They resume their passive, acquiescent lives; having forgotten the entire scene almost as soon as they witnessed it” (2396). This dehumanization is the result of government oppression, as well as the physical punishment that awaits if anyone tries to be rebellious like Harrison Bergeron.

The musician seemed grateful for Harrison showing him his true talent, so the musician won't stop playing. The laws of equity and equality seem to be defied yet by another person, the

Everyone in Harrison Bergeron was definitely equal, and not in a good way. A lot of people wish to have equality, but not to this extent. In Harrison Bergeron, everyone was literally and painfully equal. There was no diversity in people in Harrison Bergeron; everyone was completely the same. If I lived in this universe, I would be unbelievably depressed. Although they are completely equal, they do not have tensions between different groups and organizations, and that is a problem in today’s society. No one is created equally, but the officials in the book made equality no problem.

""I am the Emperor!" cried Harrison. "Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once!" He stamped his foot and the studio shook." "Even as I stand here" he bellowed, "crippled, hobbled, sickened - I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!" Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds." (Vonnegut)

In “Harrison Bergeron” it talked about how Harrison tried to take over the government, he took off his handicaps along with a ballerina who he claimed as his “queen” while he was the “king.” The ballerina and Harrison were shot because they were trying to make everyone different, trying to make a difference in the government and they were trying to make people follow them rather than the government.

Harrison Bergeron’s decisions throughout the story “Harrison Bergeron” end up not making an impact on the society that he had lived in before his death. After Harrison broke out of his jail cell, he proceeded to the studio where the ballet is held on television and shouts, “I am the Emperor! Everyone must do what I say at once!” (Vonnegut 5). His goal to take over the government, actually did not affect society other than striking fear into the people. Also, his hopes of gaining support from the society does not happen, mainly because everybody still has their handicaps on so they forget why he is even on the television after his escape. Also his actions are

and answer to him as emperor. “Now watch me become what I can become” (39). This

Social inequality can either be considered natural and necessary as inequalities creates incentives for individuals to work harder, or it can be considered systematic, an integral feature of social order that creates winners and losers. The former view would not consider inequality a public matter, therefore does not require governing. The latter however, would consider inequality a public issue that can only be reduced by government implementing policies to so. This essay will compare and contrast Hayek’s view of governing inequality with that of Stiglitz.

Throughout the story, Equality’s good nature and will to share his discoveries to benefit his society as a whole visibly makes him an influential character. However, when given the opportunity to impact many people by enlightening them of their corrupt society, Harrison portrays selfish tendencies. When Harrison breaks free from his handicaps and delivers a nationwide televised speech, he demands for everyone to acknowledge his superiority by exclaiming, “I am the Emperor! Do you hear? … Everyone must do what I say at once!” (3) Rather than use this opportunity to help his society follow his rebellion and free them from their handicaps, Harrison uses tyranny to broadcast himself as a haughty, snobbish leader. In addition, Harrison continually uses pompous speech by declaring that even though he is “crippled, hobbled [and] sickened”, he is a “greater ruler than any man who ever lived”, and boldly commands his audience to “watch [him] become what [he] can become”(3). Instead of wanting to better his fellow citizens, Harrison simply wants everyone listening to know that he is an exceptional human being. Unlike Harrison, Equality’s main aspiration is to share his momentous discovery of electricity with his community so that everyone would be able to benefit. Equality’s humbleness is apparent when he approaches the World Council of Scholars to reveal his invention

Criss jami said “When i look at a person ,i see a person -not a rank , not class , not a title http://likesuccess.com/topics/16684/human-equality . he does not see what is on the outside. he sees what is on the inside. What is on the inside is better because when you look at someone they can be the best looking person in the world but they have the worst attitude and they care about no one but their self. Society should not be able to put a label on someone or put them in groups based on their skills.

This is significant because when he removes the handicaps from the “empress” and musicians. “Harrison plucked the mental handicap from her ear, snapped off her physical handicaps with marvelous delicacy. Last of all he removed her mask.... The musicians scrambled back into their chairs, and Harrison stripped them of their handicaps, too. ‘Play your best,’ he told them, ‘ and I’ll make you barons and dukes and earls.” This quote shows that even people who are considered professionals are downgraded to average. The sweet idea of equality has blinded the people from what it means to put hard work into something. Working hard give joy and pride to the person who succeeded. The bitter, sour, hard work leads to the sweet enjoyment of success. If hard work does lead to enjoyment and the government handicap people who have a talent or put hard work into a skill, in order to maintain equality. Therefore, equality has a bitter reality. The musicians are forced to be downgraded as well as the ballerinas. This is taking away from the hard work that would be put in normally. Every one being at the same level, same skill, would be aggravating for many people, including myself. Knowing that all the hard work put into something and then being told it is illegal to be better than the

In his Second Treatise of Government, John Locke creates an argument that details how individuals attain private property and how some can end up with more property than others. He attempts to justify the resulting economic inequality, but is unsuccessful, failing to address many of the problematic issues that arise from his claim.

Varying viability of cultures has created differences in achievement based on demographic, which many liberals interpret as "oppression", however, the governmental system not only does not oppress, but actively tries to lift up underprivileged groups. The only argument for oppression is the inequality of demographics and the assertion that the liberal explanation for the inequality's existence must be the correct one and all others are racist. The assertion is not only intellectually dishonest, but fundamentally

In the early 18th century, the majority of the population in Europe was engaged in the land. These agrarian societies were widely isolated and uneducated, which limited their ability to gain or understand the political and economic conditions under which they lived. This changed when farming methods and technology took away their livelihood causing them to move to urban centres to work in the developing industries. This allowed for a greater opportunity for literacy in the population and dissemination of information creating new means of gaining an income and wealth. They were able to see the inequalities in the social structure.

The handicaps happened to be very heavy and everyone had them. When he entered the Ballet Show he took off all his handicaps, and left everybody shocked in fear. In the story Bergeron states "I shall now select my Empress!". Then, a ballerina rose from the ground, showing courage. After, Harrison yanked the medal handicap from her ear and removed her mask. She had a beautiful face, but due to the handicaps she had to hide her beautiful stunning face. Later on, Harrison wanted to dance with his Empress. He told the musicians to play some music. They leaned back to their chairs scared of what might happen. Since, the musicians played music for their first dance, Harrison yanked their handicaps off. Finally, they were all free from the heavy handicaps. This is another event where Harrison Bergeron showed