Reeder

David Reeder

Weaver

LNG 312

16 February 2011

Soc(I)ety

Our individual rights are in jeopardy from a variety of sources, and protecting

them, while still protecting society as a whole, should be thought of in the minds of all

individuals. In most scenarios there is always at least one person who will not conform to

equality. An example of a scenario such as this can be found in human nature. Vonnegut,

Rand, and Niccol show the problems of having a collective society where everyone is

equal and there is no competition. In these situations, a society would be affected if

competition were eliminated, given that pride would disappear, originality would

diminish, and individuals would be eradicated.

In Kurt Vonnegut's short story "Harrison Bergeron" the main point

Vonnegut tries and get across is individual rights. Vonnegut makes individual rights

important in the story by showing that without competition no one can strive to be better,

without individual rights nothing really matters, and that individualism makes people

great and better than everyone else. In the society of “Harrison Bergeron,” the

government made laws, which forbid the public display of intelligence, strength, or

beauty. Vonnegut shows that without competition no one can strive to be better than

anyone else or strive to get better. If everyone is the same then they can't compete

because there is nothing to compete with. For example, the character George Bergeron is

smarter than everyone else but he is handicapped so he cannot use his brain to think for
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himself. "Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to

keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains." Since the

transmitter sends out the sharp noise George can't use his intelligence. Due to his

environment, George cannot strive for his optimal intelligence and will be forever in

bondage with obtuseness. This is just one way that Vonnegut shows that without

competition no one can strive to be better and life is just dull. Vonnegut also tries to show

that individualism makes people great. Harrison becomes this great man compared to

everyone else. All the dancers and musicians are scared of Harrison because he is

different. "Ballerinas, technicians, musicians, and announcers cowered on their knees

before him, expecting to die." Just because Harrison was different, everyone was afraid of

him. With him being different, he claims himself the "emperor" and no one stands up to

him about it besides the Handicapper General. Harrison uses his difference against the

others. He is smarter and stronger than anyone else. Vonnegut shows that individualism

can lead to great opportunities and bring out greatness in people, but it should be up to

the people to rightfully secure their own.

In the short story, Anthem, Rand describes a society in which everyone is equal.

No one is superior to anyone else. Everyone is treated the same and has the same

opportunities as his brother. However, this society comes with a price. No one is able to

think or speak for themselves. They dare not speak freely "for they dare not speak the

thoughts of their minds. For all must agree with all, and they cannot know if their

thoughts are the thoughts of all, and so they fear to speak." (47). No one is to say the

word 'I'. Anthem is a collective society where everyone together is a whole unit. There

are no individuals and no one is to be alone because it is believed that when you are
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alone, crimes are committed. This is a great example of how the society does not allow

free will into the minds of its citizens. If someone has the opportunity to think as an

individual, they will start asking questions, questions that will jeopardize the cause of the

existence of the collective society. Therefore the word "I" is banned from all thoughts,

manuscripts, and mouths. In its place is the word "We", which is “…lime poured over

men, which sets and hardens to stone, and crushes all beneath it, and that which is white

and that which is black are lost equally in the grey of it. It is the word by which the

depraved steal the virtue of the good, by which the weak steal the might of the strong, by

which the fools steal the wisdom of the sages." (97). An example of this quote would be

when Equality 7-2521 is set before the council of vocations and told to be a street

sweeper despite his intelligence. This is society’s way of keeping their people equal as a

whole instead of allowing individuals to excel beyond their fellow brothers. The option of

free will was taken away from every individual at the time of their birth. There is no free

will for the citizens of the community because they have never known it to be. However,

Equality was the one individual who broke away from the norm of the society and would

ask questions like: "What is my life, if I am but to bow, to agree, and to obey" (97).

Questions such as these are forbid in the community. These were questions in which all

men pondered, but which no man would dare speak of. The council engraved fear into the

minds of their citizens with tails of punishment if any man was to think of such questions.

Equality was the one exception to the society. Despite what he was taught throughout his

life, he asked the questions and took it upon himself to answer them.

Vincent illustrates similar behaviors, in the film Gattaca directed by Andrew

Niccol, in a futuristic society dominated by the pursuit of genetic perfection and where
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discrimination is "down to a science." Genetic engineering is exploited by the wealthy

and is seen as the only path to perfection. Those who cannot afford it, or who are

conceived "in love" are treated as the lower caste of society. Unfortunately for Vincent he

possesses “Inferior Genes.” Vincent's dream and the eventual realization of it shows us

that it is the imperfect who are able to achieve the most. This is most evident when we

compare Vincent with "valids", people who were genetically engineered, like his brother

Anton, or with Eugene (Jerome) who claims he was not meant to be "one step down on

the podium." This explores the unforeseen possibilities and consequences of

discrimination against those that are not genetically modified. In the quote, "Consider

what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked," this example shows

that imperfections make the substance of who a person really is. Even though there are

some mistakes concerning the human body, it is not society's role to pass their limitation.

Whether people are mistakenly created with imperfections or intended to have them to

serve another purpose, intervening with a person's limitation will only lead to the

inevitable. Dreams give human beings their uniqueness. People in Gattaca celebrate their

advance in technology, using genetic engineering to produce "superior" human beings.

By screening the DNA, a baby is born genetically perfect and with design characteristics.

It is entirely plausible to assume that it is Vincent's "degenerate" status is a clear basis for

his determination to succeed. As an “in-valid” there is little expected of Vincent, society

refuses to hold him in any esteem. This spurs his determination, and from a young age

Vincent is eager to prove to himself once and for all. It is instinct for man to better

himself, this is what drives Vincent to become what he wants to be. The character of

Vincent embodies the vital theme that “There is no gene for the human spirit”.
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Vonnegut, Rand, and Niccol all revolve around the central theme that differences

make the person. In order to have a true collective society, one’s own individual rights are

taken. If one is to be like everyone else it will be hard to succeed on their own.

Competition is a part of human nature, and it is impossible to get rid of. These thoughts

should be in the minds of all individuals when social equality comes in to play.