Harrison Bergeron Essay On Equality

Is it fair that one individual can effortlessly learn a subject in an hour, while it takes another a week of strenuous work? Is it fair that a wealthy person easily gets out of jail on bail, while a poor person stays in, although both were charged for the same crime? We all want to believe that equal and fair treatment for all can exist and is possible because all humans are made equal, however, complete equality in society in any period of time is an unrealistic and impractical aim. As Nancy Gibbs once noted, “Our cherished notions of what is equal and what is fair frequently conflict. Democracy presumes that we are all created equal; competition proves we are not, or else every contest would end in a tie. We talk about a level playing field, but it is difficult to make conditions equal for everyone without being unfair to some.” I agree with Gibbs because she claims that it is hard to be completely fair and equal to everyone without being unfair to some and adds to the argument that equality is unrealistic. This is exemplified in the short story Harrison Bergeron and the impact of the Indian Caste Reservation System in my parent’s lives. …show more content…
The story is set in an egalitarian society. To make the population completely equal and be fair, the Government outlaws, or hinders, exceptional human abilities and gifts, such as intelligence, beauty and strength. In order to eliminate such abilities and execute complete equality, the Government requires that the Beautiful wear masks, the Strong carry weights, etc. This oppression of the Gifted and Talented is not fair and not equal treatment. This story also exemplifies that a Government’s perception of equality can have a huge impact on its people, which holds true for the modern