Interesting question. In this great story, Vonnegut
identifies a worrying tendency that is occurring in our society today and takes it to an
extreme, illustrating what would happen if our world took equality to its logical
conclusion. The first paragraph of this tale makes it clear what has happened in this
world we are introduced to:
The year was 2081, and everyone was finally
equal. They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way.
Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else.
Nobody was stronger or quicker
than anybody else.
In our
society today, talk of political correctness and equality illustrates this tendency.
There is a danger that such a focus will attempt to erase differences rather than
celebrate them in an effort not do discriminate. Although we are a far cry away from
placing hindrances or weights on people to make them less agile or talented, or putting
implants in their ears to reduce their intelligence, still one could argue that there
are signs that society is moving towards this kind of equality.
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