The society that the book takes place in was once where everyone was intellectually equal. For example “Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn't think about anything except in short bursts. And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times.”(Vonnegut[page #1]). The average IQ that people had was very low in this story. Hazel was a good example of this because she had average intelligence, but she could only think in short bursts of thought. George had above average IQ, but was required to wear a handicap in his ear to prevent him from abusing his knowledge. The U.S and the rest of the world aren't too far from making this thought a reality. Now with the invention of new technologies such as the iPhone, people spend countless hours of their lives with this technology and get controlled by it in a sense. If everyone becomes addicted to technology, they will only know what their technology tells them which would make everyone the same intellectually. Another factor this society has is that good looking people “were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in.”(Vonnegut[page #2]). Nobody could look better than anyone else in this society for a reason that is not mentioned in the story. I think the reason is to eliminate competition for beauty. This again may seem like a positive factor, but this eliminated the need for beauty not only in people, but in life itself. This just gives the people of the society in this story less motivation to continue their life. This is similar to what the U.S and other countries have today. Rules state that you can do whatever you want including how you dress, but there's
The society that the book takes place in was once where everyone was intellectually equal. For example “Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn't think about anything except in short bursts. And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times.”(Vonnegut[page #1]). The average IQ that people had was very low in this story. Hazel was a good example of this because she had average intelligence, but she could only think in short bursts of thought. George had above average IQ, but was required to wear a handicap in his ear to prevent him from abusing his knowledge. The U.S and the rest of the world aren't too far from making this thought a reality. Now with the invention of new technologies such as the iPhone, people spend countless hours of their lives with this technology and get controlled by it in a sense. If everyone becomes addicted to technology, they will only know what their technology tells them which would make everyone the same intellectually. Another factor this society has is that good looking people “were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in.”(Vonnegut[page #2]). Nobody could look better than anyone else in this society for a reason that is not mentioned in the story. I think the reason is to eliminate competition for beauty. This again may seem like a positive factor, but this eliminated the need for beauty not only in people, but in life itself. This just gives the people of the society in this story less motivation to continue their life. This is similar to what the U.S and other countries have today. Rules state that you can do whatever you want including how you dress, but there's