The exposition of Harrison Bergeron brings us to the year 2081, a time in which equality of wits, physical strength, and every other human trait was the premier value of society. By way of the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States it was thenceforth decreed that all Citizens of the United States were to share a same and like physical appearance, intellect, and degree of athleticism. Taking charge over this totalitarian program was an official of the United States Government by the name of Diana Moon Glampers, operating under the title of “United States Handicapper General.” Despite this program supposedly bringing about universal equality, the narrator concedes nature had remain unchanged by the works
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In this fictional dystopian era all Citizens were to be transformed into like (arguably robotic) units with equal measure of physical appearance, brilliance, and physical capability. Those who were born with great superiority in one or all of these categories were assigned by the “Handicapper General” (the fictional US Government official responsible for ensuring equity among US Citizens) a distinct handicap to impair their innate talents to the extent they became commensurate with that of their countrymen. In the case of intellectually gifted persons, a radio transmitter was installed into their ear which sent mind numbing, thought deafening tones into the heads of those who could “think too much” at preset intervals so they might not disturb intellectual equity. Those with great and extraordinary physical strength were weighed down by metal enclosed in bags hung around their necks, or in the most extreme of cases also by great heavy pieces of sheet metal attached to their bodies. The government sought to address the threat presented by the physically capable to the “total and perfect equity” of society by literally weighing them
In this fictional dystopian era all Citizens were to be transformed into like (arguably robotic) units with equal measure of physical appearance, brilliance, and physical capability. Those who were born with great superiority in one or all of these categories were assigned by the “Handicapper General” (the fictional US Government official responsible for ensuring equity among US Citizens) a distinct handicap to impair their innate talents to the extent they became commensurate with that of their countrymen. In the case of intellectually gifted persons, a radio transmitter was installed into their ear which sent mind numbing, thought deafening tones into the heads of those who could “think too much” at preset intervals so they might not disturb intellectual equity. Those with great and extraordinary physical strength were weighed down by metal enclosed in bags hung around their necks, or in the most extreme of cases also by great heavy pieces of sheet metal attached to their bodies. The government sought to address the threat presented by the physically capable to the “total and perfect equity” of society by literally weighing them