I think the idea is that the benefits do end at the border, but it's all open to interpretation. They would prefer to reject the benefits of the utopia rather than live with the understanding of what it costs. One could argue that they could/should take some sort of action, but I don't find it so obvious.
Eh, I just reread it and still pretty much hold that view. She talks about people from up and down the coast coming to the festival. Plus, it's LeGuin, and she's no stranger to politics. The child could easily be the marginalized, the global South, etc, etc. Unless they're going into the mountains to start a protracted people's war, I'm still seeing them as
I think the idea is that the benefits do end at the border, but it's all open to interpretation. They would prefer to reject the benefits of the utopia rather than live with the understanding of what it costs. One could argue that they could/should take some sort of action, but I don't find it so obvious.
Eh, I just reread it and still pretty much hold that view. She talks about people from up and down the coast coming to the festival. Plus, it's LeGuin, and she's no stranger to politics. The child could easily be the marginalized, the global South, etc, etc. Unless they're going into the mountains to start a protracted people's war, I'm still seeing them as