In a short story written in 1974, Ursula LeGuin wrote about a Utopian society located in a nation called Omelas titled The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. Everything there is simply perfect. No kings, no poverty, no misery. There being no poverty, there is no need for money, for crime, it is the ideal society. Life there consists of a daily, never ending carnival celebrating the summer solstice.
Life in Omelas is perfect. In fact, there is only one flaw: In order for Omelas to remain in this condition, one child must be kept in darkness, misery, and utter despair. This fact is kept from everyone in Omelas until they reach a certain age of maturity, when they are shown this child and told the secret.
Once they are old enough to know the truth, most are initially shocked and disgusted. The person is then offered a choice:
- they can accept things the way that they are and continue their comfortable life
- they can offer to take the child’s place
- they can rescue the child, thus destroying the perfect society
- or they can leave the society and take their chances elsewhere
Most elect to stay and perpetuate the perfect society. The ones who elect to leave are never seen or heard from again. Of the ones who leave, no one knows what happens to the ones who walk away from Omelas.
This powerful story contains many parallels with today. We are watching our children being groomed for sexual predation. We are watching our wealth being stolen, wars fought with our young people and wealth. All manner of atrocities are being carried out. We are faced with a choice:
- we can allow this to continue to perpetuate our comfortable life
- we can offer to suffer pain and misery ourselves with the hope that we can change things by risking our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor
- or we can leave, but where will we go?
Indeed, no one knows what will happen if we walk away from Omelas.
7 Comments
Action Brandon Figure · October 25, 2022 at 2:01 pm
The other panel of This Is Fine shows an Omela best case scenario and the docile dog saying this is unacceptable.
Toastrider · October 25, 2022 at 8:38 pm
While I appreciate the core thrust of LeGuin’s story, I would argue that if a society requires a child to be mistreated in such a matter, it is not a ‘perfect’ society.
Better to burn the damnable thing to the ground than let it continue.
“Men are not potatoes.” –Heinlein, Starship Troopers
Divemedic · October 25, 2022 at 9:30 pm
That is kind of the point of the story. Once people find out that the society isn’t perfect, most of them are still willing to accept the mistreatment of the child if it means that they get to maintain their own happiness.
That is human nature, and we all do it. People always act in their own self interest. To assume otherwise is to accept that communism is viable. After all, you maintain your own lifestyle without donating your wealth to the poor, don’t you?
Big Ruckus D · October 25, 2022 at 9:46 pm
Well, the last time walking away was practical at any scale, it was done by Brits, Germans, and Dutch and Spaniards who went on to form an little joint called America. And look at us now. Thing is, back then (starting in the 1490’s) there was a vast, undeveloped continent that was available (well, after conquering various and sundry tribes who had the misfortune of being in the way of a bitchin’ real estate deal). So, given the resources to travel from Europe to “the new world” (which predictably turned into a shitty facsimile of the old world after a mere 4 centuries) one could, in fact, walk away to a fresh start with some reasonable expectation of success if one was willing to work hard.
Now, there is no livable undeveloped continent to which we can escape. Antarctica ain’t cutting it, and even if it could, running from the enemy has proven to be a failed long term strategy for success. Now it is time to face the enemy right where we are and shoot that fucker in the face, just as he deserves for his perfidy and tyranny. Hell, that’s exactly what the people who originally escaped to America had to do to the king’s minions just to get this place established.
Ooh, but that’s so icky and mean, whine the pussies looking for an easy way out. And naturally, the enemy will find that solution distasteful in the extreme. Well, fuck them, they are the enemy after all. Pro tip: there are no easy solutions left. We are at the end of the line of a historical supercycle of at least 500 years. We have long since been through the ascendency and peak of this cycle, and are now far into the decline and collapse.
The quest to (re)create a functional and civilized society upon the ruins of this now utterly failed one will involve terrible birth pains, just as all such previous iterations of the cycle did. Violence isn’t the answer. Violence is the question. And the answer is “fuck yeah”. Not because it’s pleasant, but because it works. Just ask the leftist punks who beat down Rubio’s campaign aide. I think you’ll find they consider violence quite an effective solution, so long as they’re the ones committing it. They need to learn about being on the receiving end now.
Seamrog · October 25, 2022 at 9:47 pm
What a great post, thank you. I’ve read it six or eight times as the reverb of it with my own state makes me pause.
The camp I’m looking for is ‘let’s do what needs to be done so our kids will have better,’ except that when we take the place of the tortured child, we either bring things with us to change the situation, or leave things behind, that will change the situation.
Status quo has not been an option for years now. We either break it now, or set it to break in the near future. The only way is through.
Grateful to God for Ryan’s progress, and continued prayers for him and your family.
JaimeInTExas · October 26, 2022 at 11:51 am
I just bought the book and will start reading it tonight. The short description reminds me of The Giver.
New Name · October 28, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Le Guin was one sick puppy. I only like my SF written by techies, preferably engineers.
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