Omelas

[cjsmith]

I was recently reminded again (thank you, minoanmiss!) of the story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.

I love that story.

It's not a comfortable story, not exactly a delight to read*, but it speaks powerfully. LeGuin was a clear thinker and very philosophical. (I own a book of her essays, written later in life, and I have that illusion that readers get, that I know her a little bit through her writings. She's on the short list of people I really wish I could have had dinner with in my lifetime.)

Anyway, the reminder made me think of how strongly that story has affected how I think about people.

Omelas poses a question that, to me, has become one of the things I sort of form guesses about as I get to know people. Would this person ever walk away from Omelas? I don't always have an answer, but if I get to know the person for a while, I form a guess.

I know, love, and trust some people who wouldn't. I treasure those who I think would, and I trust them in a much deeper way.

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* see also the difference between enjoying a book and being glad you read it

Comments

[cjsmith]

Re The Good Place: good to know, thanks!

I see multiple patterns of unknowing. One does seem to match what you're describing. Another simply refutes any reports of a problem by discrediting the reporter: that person is just trying to find something to whine about, this person over here really ought to go to therapy, if it were that bad someone would have done something, it's all in your head dear, and my personal favorite, "you're making yourself sad by thinking about that". Those folks don't seem touchy or anxious.

Ah well. Humans. I shall never understand humans. I can only try to understand myself a tiny bit better.

[amaebi]

I definitely hear lots of bland turnings-away. I'm probably more persistent in reply, though, because conversation almost immediately gets irritable and defensive on their side, from there.... And in general they're pretty cranky when not ceded conversational control.

Yeah. Humans.

I should say, though, maybe we know very different sets of people.

[cjsmith]

Ah, yes, when I'm persistent I sometimes get a cranky response. It must be terrible, the cognitive dissonance when someone who looks like me doesn't immediately admit I must be mistaken.

[amaebi]

People get irritated with me really frequently and fast, I suppose because it's so self-evidently important that I be subjugated.