I am not joking when I say this story turned me into a leftist.
I read it back in 2004 in a Philosophy class, and yep, you're totally right. I even remember that it was in the summer because I was getting credits at the local community college and I didn't have a job so I went to school. LeGuin is the GOAT.
Yep, it was part of our study on Utilitarianism, as an example of Utilitarianism drawn to a radical and extreme endpoint and we had a good class debate over the ending. The professor also gave us hilarious writing assignments. They had the same basic premise - we were part of an island tour group along with a bunch of philosophers, usually whichever ones we were reading, and then we had to apply their arguments to some situation at hand. In one case during a cave tour the guide gets stuck in the entrance and the flood waters are rising but Nietzsche discovers a box of dynamite and everyone has a debate about whether or not to blow up the guide to save themselves. The final assignment was our little group getting marooned on an island and having to debate how to build a new society.
I love Existential Comics because its the only media that shows Marx as a grouchy bastard who dunks on people all the time <3
Was required reading in my freshman english class. Definitely never forgot it.
Such a good short story. Pretty relevant to the world today too - hey isn’t it awesome being born in the West with cool consumer products? Just don’t think about the pillaging and oppression of the third world!
Then again in Omelas people are forced to look at the child, whereas we are allowed to remain ignorant if we want.
whereas we are allowed to remain ignorant if we want.
Not just allowed, actively encouraged through a variety of means and structures. Thinking about it a lot lately and feeling guilty ? just set up a 40$ monthly donation to your local non profit, problem solved. It's not working ? read this lengthy article about how said pillaging is in fact, a good thing, how could you ever have thought differently. And do not, under any circumstance, start to question the problem as systemic or in fact actually solvable.
I used to teach this story. Day one we discuss the story, possible meanings, etc. Day 2 we watch a doc about all the major companies that use slave labor and what it would actually mean to "walk away". Last time I did it, I had a girl throw her chocolate milk straight in the trash
Such a fantastic story. One of my favorite short works of fiction of all time, honestly. I remember reading it in school and not really understanding it, and coming back to it years later and having it just hit me hard.
I also recommend The Ones Who Stay And Fight by N. K. Jemisin, a sort of response story.
I enjoyed the N.K.Jemisin story thanks for the link. I need to finish reading the broken earth trilogy at some point.
I read the first two books! they are so heartbreakingly good.
Omelas is a powerful parable, but it isn’t applicable to our society because we are all locked in; there is no decent society to go to, no place to escape to. We cannot leave.
“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” Is An Inapplicable Parable For Our Time
Omelas is everywhere. There is no road to lead you away from it. All the alternatives get bombed to smithereens or bullied into submission by the IMF.
Omelas' prosperity is widely shared. In our world, more and more of us struggle for daily necessities.
And if there were only 1 kid being tortured, I mean, that would be a nice change.
Omelas is a paradise compared to what we have.
A very apolitical friend read this during a college class years ago and since then he’s progressively just moved further and further left.
After he read it, he was like fucked up for weeks just thinking about it.
I cry every time I read it. You are basically describing me in 2013-2015? Someone on reddit recommended it, I read it. I started supporting Bernie and reading Marx that year.
My wife used to be an adjunct professor of English lit at a wealthy private university in southern california, and used to teach this story.
All the students would say " of course I would leave Omelas." It's amazing how dumb you can be and still get an expensive education.
Critical support for Omelas worker's republic. Tell me the walk away people's secret police won't end up torturing more than just some asshole kid.
