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Group Discussion

"...Some of them understand why, and some do not, but they all understand that their happiness, the beauty of their city, the tenderness of their friendships, the health of their children, the wisdom of their scholars, the skill of their makers, even the abundance of their harvest and the kindly weathers of their skies, depend wholly on this child's abominable misery" (Le Guin 507).

A Downward Spiral

a visible divide

  • Our society cannot be perfect or utopian with such an extreme presence of social classism.
  • Not only will it be imperfect, but it will worsen if we do not become aware of the divide's consequences.

Taking the bold portions of Le Guin's text into consideration, think of one that lives a lesser value of life in order to give the greater society each of the benefits highlighted in today's society. What would happen if they didn't exist?

Which areas appear most within mass media?

Which areas are less popular or "in the dark"?

"The rich get richer, the poor get poorer."

This is the notion that creates a society that:

  • lacks unity
  • encourages selfishness
  • promotes discrimination

Sound utopian?

There will always be someone in the basement.

Ursula K. Le Guin's

EQUALITY

child in the basement

Social equality is a state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in certain respects.

Well... no.

Subjective Happiness

relative poverty scale

because things like

exist

Everyone can be happy, though. It's different things that make one happy. Everyone pursues happiness, and if all find it... All is well. So, utopia, right?

  • One's economic position compared to the living standards of the majority of society.
  • Relative poverty line adjusts as income changes throughout society.

"They all know it is there, all the people of Omelas. Some of them have come to see it, others are content merely to know it is there. They all know that it has to be there. Some of them understand why, and some do not, but they all understand that their happiness, the beauty of their city, the tenderness of their friendships, the health of their children, the wisdom of their scholars, the skill of their makers, even the abundance of their harvest and the kindly weathers of their skies, depend wholly on this child's abominable misery" (Le Guin 507).

Who is this child?

...but is it irreparable?

Social class is still in session

but what about

Social Mobility

  • The ability for one to move up or down within the ranks of social class.
  • Although this provides hope for those lower on the totem pole, this doesn't do away with the issue.

There will always be a "basement"

It will always be occupied by someone

Utopia and

sounds like something from the 7,000-year-old idea of

SOCIAL CLASSES

Hidden Imperfections

UPPER CLASS

5%

  • owners of large amounts of property or other wealth
  • major shareholders & corporation owners
  • rich celebrities and politicians
  • members of prestigious families

Group Four

MIDDLE CLASS

45%

  • college-educated managers
  • supervisors
  • executives
  • small business owners
  • professionals

45%

WORKING CLASS

35%

  • industrial and factory workers
  • office workers
  • clerks
  • farmers
  • manual laborers

35%

LOWER CLASS

"POOR"

15%

  • minimum wage employees
  • chronically unemployed
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