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Utilitarianism in Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”

The poignant story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Le Guin explores the

utilitarianism theory by raising insightful questions concerning the moral implications of

sacrificing an individual for the collective happiness of society. Utilitarianism is an influential

ethical framework that proclaims that the moral worth of an action is determined and evaluated

by its capability to exploit collective happiness or pleasure and reduce the suffering of the largest

population (Abumere). This paper explores the implications of Le Guin’s narrative (The Ones

Who Walk Away from Omelas) on utilitarianism, elucidate the critical utilitarianism tenets,

besides providing my perspective on the matter, and, with concrete examples, critically evaluates

the merits and inadequacies of utilitarianism theory.

Le Guin’s narrative provides a frightening perception of a utopian city (Omelas) where

prosperity, harmony, and happiness abound. While utilitarianism advocates for actions that give

happiness to the bigger population, the story unveils a harrowing secret at the city's core. It

presents the city as dependent on the unfathomable suffering and misery of a single innocent

child locked in the basement, and as narrated, “One of them may come in and kick the child to

make it stand up.” (LeGuin). The narrator describes the city as serene, harmonious, with

happiness and abundance flourishing. While it clearly portrays a utilitarian society where the

society’s happiness is subjected to and prioritized over the individual’s suffering. Additionally, it
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prompts philosophical interrogations of utilitarianism by raising unsettling moral dilemmas while

compelling readers to question the ethical consequences of pursuing collective happiness at the

cost of an individual’s well-being.

While utilitarianism argues that an action’s morality should be gauged against the

happiness it generates and the number of people it affects, it supports the consequentialist

approach that the results of actions are paramount in determining ethical value. This provokes

the utilitarian calculus to weigh the pleasure and pain caused by an action to determine its moral

worth. In every social aspect and interaction, every member has their rights and is subjected to

justice while in pursuit of happiness, and therefore, in the quest for collective social happiness

where utilitarianism is applied, like in Omelas city, this stands no chance to be applicable. As the

narrator asserts, “Please let me out. I will be good!” They never answer.” (LeGuin). Thus, by

evaluating various implications of the narrative on the ethical theory, we gain insights into the

consequentialist’s theory of moral complexities and its implications for personal rights, justice,

and the quest for happiness.

In my perspective, the narrative “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” presents

utilitarianism deeply troublingly. Despite acknowledging the essence and appeal to capitalize on

collective happiness, sacrificing an individual’s life for that sake is a fundamental flaw and is

morally objectionable. The narrator diverts the reader’s attention from perceiving the immorality

in the city to confronting the chilling and serene reality in his descriptions and portraying the city

as prosperous and harmonious, which have been established on prolonged and unfathomable

suffering and torment of one helpless child. The blatant portrayal raises profound ethical

questions concerning the inherent value of life and the vitality of respecting human rights,

besides the quest for justice in a morally considered society. As the narrator presents it as a
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joyous, prosperous, and harmonious city, it contradicts the act of sacrificing one’s life for the

same social aspects, which should exist without any human influence through sacrifices.

In solidarity with the individual rights and human dignity proponents,’ I cannot endorse

or promote a moral framework that demands gross violation of these basic principles. The

narrative depicts utilitarianism in prioritizing the abstract notion of overall happiness over a

person’s primary rights and well-being. It reveals its susceptibility to disregard human life

sanctity and perpetuate moral injustices in the name of consequentialist perspective. The

interactionist theory claims that human behaviour and reality constructions are achieved through

social interaction. Thus, the collective happiness, harmony, and prosperity of society should not

be pegged on an individual’s suffering but should be a collective responsibility of each member.

Besides, through socialization, individuals acquire various skills, knowledge, and cultural values

crucial in shaping and constructing society. The application of utilitarianism in a society that

values human life and engages the interactionist perspective in its daily operations does not align

with the core values of human dignity.

Furthermore, the narrative prompts other concerns about the potential abuse and erosion

of moral boundaries under the utilitarian ethical theory. Accepting the premise that ends justify

any means then propels the risk of descending into moral relativism, where the actions typically

deemed immoral become justifiable in the quest of capitalizing on collective happiness and

prosperity. Ethical relativism undermines the fundamentals of a just and moral society, eroding

trust and undercutting fairness and equality principles. Additionally, utilitarianism falls short of

accountability for complexities and intrinsic values, personal experiences, aspirations, and rights

as it offers its systematic and pragmatic methodologies to decision-making. Utilitarianism’s

quantification of suffering and happiness overlooks the diverse nature of human existence and
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the human life purpose for each person besides the integral worth that cannot be reduced to mere

utility aggregation. Therefore, this prompts me to firmly object and reject the ethical implications

of utilitarianism and advocate for a more ethical framework that respects and upholds human

dignity and life by recognizing the intrinsic value of each individual.

Through the lens of “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” narrative, the merits and

weaknesses of utilitarianism can be examined alongside other real-world scenarios. Among the

credits the theory deserves is the pursuit and focus on the overall happiness of society. It places a

significant emphasis on fostering and advocating for society’s collective happiness and well-

being. The priority is on how and what would make most people happy and content, then focuses

on goals that could lead to better outcomes. In addition, it is a practical decision-making

framework that provides a logical approach to decision-making by considering the outcomes of

actions and weighing them against collective happiness. It further seeks to create a harmonious

and thriving society by pegging suffering on individuals and promoting social cohesion.

On the other hand, there are various weaknesses the theory bears and make it vulnerable

to apply in modern society to some extent. For instance, it is negligent of human rights and

overlooks the rights and dignity of an individual. For instance, sacrificing a child in the basement

(LeGuin). It lacks moral constraints and can lead to moral relativism, where an individual’s

actions that are considered immoral may become morally justifiable when they generate a

desired outcome. Thus, it raises concerns about the integrity of ethical decision-making and the

potential for abuse to vulnerable people. Moreover, it quantifies challenges and aggregates

individual outcomes to determine the net utility of an action. For instance, it quantifies the

overall happiness of society and the suffering of a child in the basement. Conversely, measuring

and comparing personal experiences of happiness and suffering is very subjective and
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complicated due to individual differences that have distinct value systems and subjective

interpretations. Hence these weaknesses are more pressing because they terminate one’s normal

way of life and subject them to burdens and suffering. Also, they do not tend to factor in the

importance and purpose of human life, especially for the young child. Just like a seedling that

needs to be nurtured and taken care of to grow and yield better produce, it is the same way the

child should be treated.

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Works Cited

Abumere, Frank Aragbonfoh. “Utilitarianism.” Press.rebus.community, Rebus Community, 9

Dec. 2019, press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-ethics/chapter/utilitarianism/.

LeGuin, Ursula. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K LeGuin -from the

Wind’s Twelve Quarters. Oct. 1973, shsdavisapes.pbworks.com/f/Omelas.pdf.