Harrison Bergeron Theme Of Equality

“Harrison Bergeron” is an extreme critique of equality that aims to warn against oppressive government control and the danger of total equality. To achieve equality, people handicap the extraordinary instead of augmenting and improving those who are naturally handicapped. Vonnegut is trying to suggest that an enforced equality that suppresses individualism and a diverse range of perspectives can often hinder progress and, even worse, operate as a pretense for oppressive government control. In this world, no one is allowed to be different. However, it is ironic because our differences allow us to work together and help and support each other. Though only momentarily, Harrison’s rebellion represents the way that individualism can never truly

They were equal every which way” (Vonnegut). There are no advantages; no one can improve their situation for the sake of preventing anyone’s situation to get worse. The word “finally” in this passage suggests that our current society is on track to this end. He tried to call attention to the difference between the vision of equality and the current ideal of equal opportunity. The Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal,” but it does not imply that all men should live equal. It simply cements the ideal that no person is born more or less important than another. In “Harrison Bergeron,” everyone is born equal, and then forced to remain so in every way; resulting in poor quality of life. There is no entertainment because excellence and creativity are squashed for the sake of ‘fairness.’ For example, the news anchor stutters through his greeting, “…like all announcers, [he] had a serious speech impediment” (Vonnegut). The news anchor was ironically picked because of his stutter even though clear speech is a critical part of anchoring the news.

This is a perfect example of “tall poppy syndrome.” This is the concept that the tallest poppies, the most talented and capable people, are torn down and rejected to make the shorter ones look better. This, however, is not in the common interest in the group. The entire crop of poppies would be able to be taller if they weren't cut whenever they reached a certain height. Like poppies, people naturally grow and improve. It is impossible to advance society as a whole if a policy of mediocrity is enforced. Vonnegut writes the character of Harrison Bergeron as the ideal human, the tallest poppy, the largest threat to his own perverse