The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas



“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” written by Ursula K LeGuin delves into a utopian world where everyone is happy without any problems. Children play and ride on horses, everything is beautiful and there's technology too if you want them. The citizens of Omelas were joyous. There were no Kings nor slaves. You can imagine Omelas to be filled with all things that make you happy. Would you choose to live in Omelas? 

But there's one secret in Omelas. A child almost 10 years old is locked up and forced to live in a basement with no sunlight or bathroom or proper food. It is naked and it's buttocks and thighs are filled with sores as it sits on it's own excrement. The kid's belly is bloated from being starved for years. The child, who has not always lived there, can remember sunlight and its mother's voice, sometimes speaks. " I will be good," it says. " Please let me out. I will be good!" They never answer. They all know it is there, all the people of omelas. They all believe their happiness depends on this child's misery. Some of them understand why and some do not. Those who do not understand try to pacify themselves with the fact that even if the child is freed now, it cannot be restored back to it's full health. 

Some times, the people who go visit the child, do not go back home. They walk out of the city of Omelas and do not come back. "The place they go towards is a place even less imaginable to most of us than the city of happiness. I cannot describe it at all. It is possible that it does not exist. But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from omelas."

Would you choose to live in Omelas? What if you had to live as the child? Would you still choose to live in Omelas? Do you believe the world we live in right now is different from Omelas? Our world has even more children suffering. Even more children starving. Even more children dying in bombs and abuse. Even more cruelty. How are we different from the people of Omelas? Is it right for a smaller group of people to suffer for the happiness of a greater amount of people? Will you choose to walk away from Omelas? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nurturing Love

Image
Recently, amidst my busy schedule of studying for upcoming exams, I took a small break to indulge in the Korean drama "Queen of Tears." Though I only managed to watch a few episodes, its poignant portrayal of relationships left a lasting impression on me. One of the lessons I learned from the series was how seemingly insignificant misunderstandings can snowball into significant rifts between partners. The drama showed the impact of lack of communication on the dynamics of love. It highlighted the importance of open communication in preventing unintended hurt and resolving conflicts before they escalate. Adding to this narrative was the idea of exclusivity in marriage. While the concept of exclusivity may initially seem comforting, over time, it breeds complacency. Partners start believing that they don't need to actively show their love or appreciation, thinking that their bond is secure by virtue of marriage alone. However, this misconception often leads to a decline of ...
Read more

The Call of the Void - Do you hear it?

Image
Many people have experienced an eerie impulse known as "l’appel du vide" or the "Call of the Void." It’s that sudden urge to jump when standing at the top of a building or to swerve off the road while driving. I first encountered this feeling during the Ranger ride at MGM. As the two arms of the Kamikaze Ranger swayed back and forth, I felt a temptation to fall. Suspended in the air, I imagined one of the arms breaking, leading to instant death. I wondered how free it would feel to plunge into the abyss. When I returned home, I googled this strange feeling and found that it's a common phenomenon. The French term "l’appel du vide" describes these intrusive thoughts. The impulse to jump off a building, drown at the beach, or even hit someone with a car is due to the Call of the Void. This happens when our brain misinterprets our fear signals, suggesting the worst possible actions. Fortunately, these remain just thoughts, dark and intrusive, because our s...
Read more

What if I don't want to be the Sun?

Image
  “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Some of us love taking the center stage, while some of us love standing in the corner, playing a minor role. We are always told to "shine like the sun". That is to become the brightest, the boldest, the best in the crowd. To be the main character. To own the center of the stage. People forget that not everyone wants to be the sun. And honestly, not everyone needs to be. Being the sun is exhausting. Every move you make will be watched, and your mistakes will be counted. There's a saying that the one who wears the crown must bear its weight. Not everyone wants to wear the crown nor bear its weight. What if we don’t want to shine all the time? What if we prefer to be a smaller light—like a firefly—that shines in its own way, freely, at its own pace? Isn't there beauty in that? Why is it that society only celebrates the brightest lights (the sun)? Isn’t a streetlight, quietly standing on the road, just...
Read more