Monday, April 4, 2011

Being Different is a Gift

Imagine being that person that has to be held back from their dreams because they’re too smart, they’re above an average person, and they’re the people that others want to be. In the short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut jr., a perfect of example of injustice is found; it's unfair for people in power to take advantage of others.
Taking someone’s rights away is wrong. In this short story, people who were smarter had to have a device in there ear that made a noise every 20 seconds to interrupt their train of thought. This was done so that all people would be the same and be able to all think the same. When they did this it was so wrong in so many ways; they are trying to hold someone back from their dreams. Besides the fact that the Handicapper General was a lot smarter than the average person and what did she not have? An ear piece. She thinks that she does not need one because she is the leader.
When having this much unjust treatment, the world becomes a boring place because everyone is the same; nothing new or interesting comes through this way of life. It is just human nature to strive to be a better person; however this story is taking that out of the picture. In some ways schools do this to kids that are smarter than the rest. The kids get board in class because they already know what they are learning so they shout out the answers and make a scene. Then the teachers send they out and the kind gets in trouble.

It’s unfair to take the gifted and try to make them normal, unfair to take away their rights that they have as humans, and unfair to take away the power of their dreams. Dreams are what make us strive to be better people and that should never ever be taken away from anyone.