Harrison Bergeron?

[th3w01f]

Does anyone else remember the short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut?

I was talking with my wife and mother-in-law tonight and neither of them had ever heard of the story. I remember reading it in either Jr. High or High School (in Brighton, CO). Looking back I can’t imagine a school having this as part of their curriculum today unless it was to show how Harrison got what he deserved.

[cstone]

Political Correctness taken to one of it's probable conclusions?

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

[theGinsue]

Never heard of him. Care to enlighten the ignorant masss?

[th3w01f]

THE YEAR WAS 2081, and everybody 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. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General.

http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/harrison.html

[bchase75]

Great story. I read it in junior high for English class, and yeah....hard to imagine it being part of the curriculum these days. I've still got a copy of Welcome to the Monkey House lying around somewhere.

[TheBelly]

I really love that story. It motivated me to do one thing and do it well, which at the time was playing the viola and violin. I was once kicked out of a competition for proving that I was the better musician... It involved me changing my playing program to play the same piece as the guy before me on the spot.

I would wear it as a badge of honor to have the most handicaps applied to me. It's still letting people know that there is something special about me. How exactly do you handicap tenacity, force of will, and internal fortitude?

[Rucker61]

Diana Moon Glompers, Handicapper General. Hard to forget.

[Mtn.man]

Is he the brother to the dude who hosts dancing with the stars?