The City Of Omelas: A Utilitarian Compromise | Video Essay

A video essay in which I dive into the meaning of Ursula K. Le Guin's short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas". In this video I briefly explain the origins of the classic Utilitarian model of ethical philosophy and how it fits in the description of Omelas.
Is it right for an entire city's happiness to be predicated on the suffering of a single innocent child? I attempt to answer this question and consider its moral and ethical implications through viewing things from a broader perspective.
Le Guin's short tale of Omelas proves to be an excellent, relatable example that highlights some of the fundamental concepts of Utilitarianism.
Subscribe for more: bit.ly/3en6lzA
Join the Thought Space! (aka the Tim Thoughts Discord server):
/ discord
Companion video, narration of "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas":
• Video
Short Stories Playlist:
• Tim's Reading Corner
The Lottery By Shirley Jackson:
• The Lottery [Audiobook...
--------------------
Music:
• Fragments
AERØHEAD - Fragments
• Shizuka
AERØHEAD - Shizuka
• Video
gny - rest in peace nujabes (No Copyright Music) lofi hip hop chill
Overload Necessary [No Copyright Music]
--------------------
Stock Footage:
Kiril Dobrev, stockfootage from www.videvo.net

[@vrgoes1306]

this is so namjoon to recommend armys this book.. thank you for summing this so well there's so much to grasp from this

[@TimThoughts]

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@umchinagirard1800]

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Characters The child is Omelas's scapegoat. The Child The identified patient - also called the "symptom-bearer" or "presenting problem" - family scapegoat may display emotional or physical symptoms, of the dysfunctional family system. and is often the first person to seek help. The child is presented as the victim of a horrible fate. They is addressed in the story as "it" because they are treated like an object. They are chained up in a tool room: naked, isolated, gawked at, and treated inhumanely. The child is denied their life, family, free will, and any human interaction-even a conversation. While the child used to cry out for help, they have since come to understand that no one will rescue them; instead, they babble and groan, idly passing the time in misery. This child is the quintessential scapegoat, someone who is falsely made to suffer for the "good" of the majority. In the field of psychology, the scapegoat in a dysfunctional family dynamic results in one child being singled out. This child does not deserve the false blame, abuse, and general dehumanization they experience at the hands of their family members but will be treated that way by parents and siblings alike in order to sustain a false unity and corrupt sense of loyalty among the other members. This is precisely what the child in the story symbolizes: a scapegoat whose reduced dignity and dehumanization is used to sustain the unity, power, and structure of Omelas as a society. Thank you for your interesting analysis.., . I am sure it can be a helpful tool in schools to help start a discussion about this difficult topic. There is a lot of research done on scapegoating mechanisms but there is little one can do to prevent it from happening. I do believe making victims aware that there is nothing wrong with them as helpful. Unfortunately scapegoating is often a way for families or communities to hide problems that they feel cannot face. In adulthood, scapegoating became a way for adult children to hide the fact of family history of abuse by blaming everything on one member who seemed vulnerable for attack (and/or talks about it). Often the scapegoat is targeted by the siblings who were treated more favorably. In that way, the less favored sibling(s) becomes the punchingbag for everything that is wrong in the family. Family therapy can help but only rarely are the culprits and less affected family members willing to take part. So my focus would be on empowering the scapegoat(s). TYPES OF ABUSIVE YOUTH BEHAVIORS Empathy Deficits in Siblings of Severely Scapegoated Children A Conceptual Model Jane Hollingsworth , Joanne Glass & Kurt W. Heisler Empathy is a crucial concept in understanding not only child maltreatment, but its intergenerational transmission. One form of maltreatment, often involving both physical and emotional abuse, targets one child in the family, referred to as the “scapegoat.” Historically, the scapegoat has been regarded as the only abuse victim; clinical experience demonstrates otherwise. In many families, siblings identify with the parent, joining in blaming the victim for the caretaker's abuse of that child. They demonstrate empathy deficits, which may protect them from the effects of witnessing the process. This paper proposes a conceptual model that examines factors contributing to the development of empathy deficits. Ten elements are identified and a unifying model is proposed; the implications are examined. Thank you for your brilliant analysis . I am sure it can be a helpful tool in schools to help start a discussion about this difficult topic. There is a lot of research done on scapegoating mechanisms but there is little one can do to prevent it from happening. I do believe making victims aware that there is nothing wrong with them as helpful. Unfortunately scapegoating is often a way for families or communities to hide problems that they feel cannot face. In adulthood, scapegoating became a way for adult children to hide the fact of family history of abuse by blaming everything on one member who seemed vulnerable for attack (and/or talks about it). Often the scapegoat is targeted by the siblings who were treated more favorably. In that way, the less favored sibling(s) becomes the punchingbag for everything that is wrong in the family. Family therapy can help but only rarely are the culprits and less affected family members willing to take part. So my focus would be on empowering the scapegoat(s). With kind regards,

[@kill3008]

i finally read the piece bc it's part of the paper i study and i regret not reading it earlier when joon recc it

[@shwethadharmalingam8931]

I read this because of namjoons recommendation and it has me think. You are right here is a lot to grasp and ponder about.

[@illusionfaderr5394]

This video is underrated as hell, so thank you so much for making it. It really did help me understand this text, which my teacher just assigned me to analyze, but that’s not even what amazed me the most. You did this is a way that me think I was watching one of my favorite KZbinrs?? Exurph1a and Pursuit of Wonder for example. I freakin loved it. Subscribed to you and that’s something I rarely do-

[@TimThoughts]

Thanks so much! The sentiment means a lot to me and I'm really glad this video resonated with you. Cheers!

[@umchinagirard1800]

Wish this was in every school. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Characters The child is Omelas's scapegoat. The Child The identified patient - also called the "symptom-bearer" or "presenting problem" - family scapegoat may display emotional or physical symptoms, of the dysfunctional family system. and is often the first person to seek help. The child is presented as the victim of a horrible fate. They is addressed in the story as "it" because they are treated like an object. They are chained up in a tool room: naked, isolated, gawked at, and treated inhumanely. The child is denied their life, family, free will, and any human interaction-even a conversation. While the child used to cry out for help, they have since come to understand that no one will rescue them; instead, they babble and groan, idly passing the time in misery. This child is the quintessential scapegoat, someone who is falsely made to suffer for the "good" of the majority. In the field of psychology, the scapegoat in a dysfunctional family dynamic results in one child being singled out. This child does not deserve the false blame, abuse, and general dehumanization they experience at the hands of their family members but will be treated that way by parents and siblings alike in order to sustain a false unity and corrupt sense of loyalty among the other members. This is precisely what the child in the story symbolizes: a scapegoat whose reduced dignity and dehumanization is used to sustain the unity, power, and structure of Omelas as a society. Thank you for your interesting analysis.., . I am sure it can be a helpful tool in schools to help start a discussion about this difficult topic. There is a lot of research done on scapegoating mechanisms but there is little one can do to prevent it from happening. I do believe making victims aware that there is nothing wrong with them as helpful. Unfortunately scapegoating is often a way for families or communities to hide problems that they feel cannot face. In adulthood, scapegoating became a way for adult children to hide the fact of family history of abuse by blaming everything on one member who seemed vulnerable for attack (and/or talks about it). Often the scapegoat is targeted by the siblings who were treated more favorably. In that way, the less favored sibling(s) becomes the punchingbag for everything that is wrong in the family. Family therapy can help but only rarely are the culprits and less affected family members willing to take part. So my focus would be on empowering the scapegoat(s). TYPES OF ABUSIVE YOUTH BEHAVIORS Empathy Deficits in Siblings of Severely Scapegoated Children A Conceptual Model Jane Hollingsworth , Joanne Glass & Kurt W. Heisler Empathy is a crucial concept in understanding not only child maltreatment, but its intergenerational transmission. One form of maltreatment, often involving both physical and emotional abuse, targets one child in the family, referred to as the “scapegoat.” Historically, the scapegoat has been regarded as the only abuse victim; clinical experience demonstrates otherwise. In many families, siblings identify with the parent, joining in blaming the victim for the caretaker's abuse of that child. They demonstrate empathy deficits, which may protect them from the effects of witnessing the process. This paper proposes a conceptual model that examines factors contributing to the development of empathy deficits. Ten elements are identified and a unifying model is proposed; the implications are examined.

[@josephiyeke8946]

Heavy video, a lot to think about. Thank you for taking the time to make it

[@TimThoughts]

Thank you for watching as well! I appreciate the time and effort you took to grapple with the heavier themes present in this densely presented short story.

[@umchinagirard1800]

Could you please perhaps see parallel to family scapegoat system or black sheep, symptom bearer or identified patient or favoured golden children archetypes

[@xHarpyx]

I have been thinking about this short story for months. Thank you for the insight.

[@bingmagpayo2236]

This moved me. This is I think how you need to decide which way is better. Be able to move forward or take a deep breath and try to look for options. It's I see how you will decide what is needed for you to live and be contented or stay where you are and suffer while you are aware that there will be someone who will suffer... Thank you I am so amazed.. Looking forward to read the full essense of the story.

[@iTechProductionsmh1]

Thank you sooo much. Your video is sooo inspiring... your video is underrated. Excellent essay !!

[@lavanyakalley7100]

I love this analysis! I especially liked your example of the trolley problem!

[@danhusband1897]

I loved this man. I'm taking an EdX course called "Justice" and went down a Bentham-Mill-Utilitarian rabbit hole that led me to "The Ones Who walk Away". And this video. Well done sir.

[@TimThoughts]

Awesome, glad you enjoyed it!

[@livwantstodie4919]

Read this in AP English years ago and it changed my whole perspective on life. Came here to show my boyfriend about the book since we were discussing utopias and the idea of suffering. This is a wonderful, thoughtful essay and does a phenomenal job explaining the themes and topics for someone who didn’t read it. And for someone who did, it was very refreshing and interesting and made me want to pick it up again and reread. Love your vids man

[@TimThoughts]

Thank you, I sincerely appreciate your kind words and am glad that the video resonated with you and inspired some food for thought!

[@thedcsignal]

Love the well thought out analysis, in addition to the companion video. Thank you. Subscribed!

[@TimThoughts]

Appreciate it! Welcome to the channel, glad to have you!

[@tshalfdome7205]

Thank you so much for the information! That really helped me understand the story!

[@WoundedEgo]

What a brilliant, haunting, disturbing, challenging story And your essay was excellent, Tim. Thank you.

[@coedexter2567]

I had to read this on the first day of freshmen year. My twin sister watched funny videos. It was worth it

[@erynnw7617]

This is incredible! You've given me a lot to think about and I'm very appreciative about it. 100% Subscribed!!

[@TimThoughts]

Thank you, and welcome! Glad you were able to take something away from the video!

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Beautifully explained and wonderfully rendered in video.

[@zr5128]

Thanks, for the vid! got super bummed out after reading it and this helped process deep dinking emotions and gave some hope.

[@brendamenezes2101]

Obrigada pelo excelente vídeo e reflexão!

[@anushkayadav1302]

Thank you so much for this♥️

[@muhammadirfanzulkifli804]

Thank you very much for the detailed & clear explanation about this narrative,this helps a lot for me to prepare for my presentation to the lecturer.

[@TimThoughts]

Glad it helped!

[@Roz390]

I have to do an analysis on The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas and this helped me understand it much better. Thank you!

[@TimThoughts]

Glad you found it helpful! 🙂

[@wren3164]

thanks for this amazing video!

[@iKnowYoureBusyBut...]

I really enjoyed your thoughts

[@user-wz6yo6nr5s]

I love your voice, so calm and want to sleep 😅🙈

[@sucatad]

Wowowow!!! thank you so much for this.

[@puppyaspureasmilk3790]

Thank you for this. 😊

[@Chikov2]

Thank you very much!

[@James-yy4mn]

Excellent video

[@engineerepixlele2845]

This was really good.

[@siddharthgautam159]

we are already living this, we have always lived this.

[@nini-he8uy]

thank u dude ⚠️❤️

[@Himanshu_Upadhyay_]

Great video...👍👏

[@mooms9824]

THANK U FOR THIS VIDEO KING IM STUDYING FOR A TEST AND YOU JUST SAVED ME FROM FAILING

[@TimThoughts]

🙏

[@roxton1396]

Even as someone who tends to orbit utilitarian ideals I can still appreciate the story since its interesting in it's own way. I guess my question from an utilitarian perspective is, would this society even function with the known fact of constant suffering?. Would there not be protest, or terrorist acts to free the child? It was always weird to me that none of the people chose to free the child. We as humans need some sort of lies to comfort us to the suffering of others. If we look to the global south people will lie to themselves about things getting better or bringing opportunity, even if things are getting worse or not improving significantly. Even if the child were to die after its release, it would still mean an end to it's suffering, so I can't imagine how people would enjoy anything without the sight of the child popping in their mind. I'm not saying there would not be people who wouldn't care, but there would be serious questions asked in the political life of the city. A lot of people who disagree with it, would not just leave. They would become an active problem in society, trying constantly to undermine it. Not to mention the constant dread and guilt people would feel in their every day life since they ware made to bear witness directly. A rebuttal to the trolley problem that I remember was if a doctor could sacrifice 1 person to save 5 should he not do it? I think this misses the point. What society could operate in a medical sense, if hospitals could be execution grounds? Would anyone show up to medical centres anymore? No real utilitarian would support this since it would harm society on the whole.

[@ooferdoofer7091]

Considering the story itself is a metaphor and that “The Child” seemingly does not age and is persistent I don’t think it could really be freed like you’re talking about.

[@InChristIDelight]

Awesome video. You’re going places!

[@TimThoughts]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[@InChristIDelight]

@@TimThoughts ofc tim!

[@raffaellalisboa1350]

Excellent

[@TimThoughts]

Interested in discussing Omelas further? How about some other philosophical works or ideas? Or just casually chatting with some like minded individuals? Join the Thought Space! (aka the Tim Thoughts Discord server): discord.gg/9ngJcnXh2x If you enjoyed this video, you may also enjoy the related videos I've created, as part of my ongoing series, "Tim's Reading Corner". Below I've included links to my short stories playlist, as well as the narrated readings of "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" and "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. I hope that you found this video compelling, interesting, and somewhat educational. Thank you for watching and engaging with this piece. Have a wonderful day! The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas [Narrated Audiobook]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJ_NqnaZm8aspMU The Lottery By Shirley Jackson: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKrVYWmborqhiNk Tim's Reading Corner (Short Stories Playlist): kzbin.info/aero/PLXHvGUZq-yhHzG-ma7dC4_fxBckCgR2EC

[@aidenergy]

Solution offered: we should all take turns to live in the Omelas' basement.

[@makdagirmay1188]

I loved this

[@TimThoughts]

Thank you!

[@e79905]

Thanks for the video, I really enjoyed the analysis. I'm not sure what the equivalent of leaving Omelas would be in our society. After reading the story, it kinda makes me feel powerless. Any individual action seems to not really matter in the grand scheme of things.

[@TimThoughts]

I too, am unsure what the equivalent in our society would be - if there is such a thing at all. I can certainly understand your feeling of powerlessness and hopelessness in the face of being merely a cog in a giant machine that seems built on harm and unjust cruelty. Some food for thought I may offer - one can also think of this as an opportunity to live life as you want. The (lack of) importance of any individual's actions is what frees you to be able to find what truly matters to you, and pursue it for all its worth. Perhaps if more people could intuitively understand this concept, and choose to do better in this world - it could institute lasting change to ease the suffering of the many. The fact that you engaged with the story and it left an impression on you is proof that you're an empathetic person with a lot to offer this world. I wish you well on your journey, thank you for your insights. :)

[@bladdnun3016]

To me it seems clear what those few do: They go and fight for a better world, one that isn't based on a monstrous compromise.

[@universome511]

Suicide

[@brokenvesselenthusiast6833]

Love the video, great way to represent this ideology, also just saw this at school! I recognized the song that played at 1:21, and I am curious if you could tell me it’s name? Either way, amazing video.

[@TimThoughts]

Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video! The song is Fragments by AERØHEAD Here's a link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6ncc5Swh9-kopY Cheers!

[@ooferdoofer7091]

Loved this when we read it in my L.A class. Will probably use it for my upcoming exam. Needed a refresher and wanted a different perspective on the text so thank you. Over all a very well thought out analysis. 👍 Also I don’t know what the guy with the Xbox live pfp’s problem is lol.

[@TimThoughts]

Great! So glad you found it useful, and thanks for the positive comment! This comment section can get pretty whacky sometimes... 😅 So it's greatly appreciated, have a good one! ✌️

[@jennybardoville5455]

I can't help but notice that the conundrum is more about the inner child that society requires us to hide in the basement or attic of our lives in order to join the happy gang.

[@claudiastevens5681]

I can honestly say that with the trolley problem my decision in each situation would be 100% based on bias

[@clairenecaise802]

Thank you for this! It really helped me understand what ideas the story was trying to present! Now to write that paper for Engl Comp....

[@TimThoughts]

Glad it helped, good luck on your paper!

[@LagOknenonok]

This short story is a great argument for humanitarianism and veganism.

[@umchinagirard1800]

Yes humanism and vegetarian ... humans are suffering emotional empathy deficiency and low emotional intelligence caused by family scapegoat system. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Characters The child is Omelas's scapegoat. The Child The identified patient - also called the "symptom-bearer" or "presenting problem" - family scapegoat may display emotional or physical symptoms, of the dysfunctional family system. and is often the first person to seek help. The child is presented as the victim of a horrible fate. They is addressed in the story as "it" because they are treated like an object. They are chained up in a tool room: naked, isolated, gawked at, and treated inhumanely. The child is denied their life, family, free will, and any human interaction-even a conversation. While the child used to cry out for help, they have since come to understand that no one will rescue them; instead, they babble and groan, idly passing the time in misery. This child is the quintessential scapegoat, someone who is falsely made to suffer for the "good" of the majority. In the field of psychology, the scapegoat in a dysfunctional family dynamic results in one child being singled out. This child does not deserve the false blame, abuse, and general dehumanization they experience at the hands of their family members but will be treated that way by parents and siblings alike in order to sustain a false unity and corrupt sense of loyalty among the other members. This is precisely what the child in the story symbolizes: a scapegoat whose reduced dignity and dehumanization is used to sustain the unity, power, and structure of Omelas as a society. Thank you for your interesting analysis.., . I am sure it can be a helpful tool in schools to help start a discussion about this difficult topic. There is a lot of research done on scapegoating mechanisms but there is little one can do to prevent it from happening. I do believe making victims aware that there is nothing wrong with them as helpful. Unfortunately scapegoating is often a way for families or communities to hide problems that they feel cannot face. In adulthood, scapegoating became a way for adult children to hide the fact of family history of abuse by blaming everything on one member who seemed vulnerable for attack (and/or talks about it). Often the scapegoat is targeted by the siblings who were treated more favorably. In that way, the less favored sibling(s) becomes the punchingbag for everything that is wrong in the family. Family therapy can help but only rarely are the culprits and less affected family members willing to take part. So my focus would be on empowering the scapegoat(s). TYPES OF ABUSIVE YOUTH BEHAVIORS Empathy Deficits in Siblings of Severely Scapegoated Children A Conceptual Model Jane Hollingsworth , Joanne Glass & Kurt W. Heisler Empathy is a crucial concept in understanding not only child maltreatment, but its intergenerational transmission. One form of maltreatment, often involving both physical and emotional abuse, targets one child in the family, referred to as the “scapegoat.” Historically, the scapegoat has been regarded as the only abuse victim; clinical experience demonstrates otherwise. In many families, siblings identify with the parent, joining in blaming the victim for the caretaker's abuse of that child. They demonstrate empathy deficits, which may protect them from the effects of witnessing the process. This paper proposes a conceptual model that examines factors contributing to the development of empathy deficits. Ten elements are identified and a unifying model is proposed; the implications are examined. Thank you for your brilliant analysis . I am sure it can be a helpful tool in schools to help start a discussion about this difficult topic. There is a lot of research done on scapegoating mechanisms but there is little one can do to prevent it from happening. I do believe making victims aware that there is nothing wrong with them as helpful. Unfortunately scapegoating is often a way for families or communities to hide problems that they feel cannot face. In adulthood, scapegoating became a way for adult children to hide the fact of family history of abuse by blaming everything on one member who seemed vulnerable for attack (and/or talks about it). Often the scapegoat is targeted by the siblings who were treated more favorably. In that way, the less favored sibling(s) becomes the punchingbag for everything that is wrong in the family. Family therapy can help but only rarely are the culprits and less affected family members willing to take part. So my focus would be on empowering the scapegoat(s). With kind regards,

[@boysteacher3818]

Negative Utilitarianism is the best normative moral theory.

[@tad4663]

Antinatalism as well

[@Kakothree]

Wow nice video Can you talk about Um-Helat also, it is a story written in response to this by NK Jemisin

[@AlexRider589]

So, it's like a narrative drama version of the trolley problem.

[@amandapower7249]

Thank you for making this! I'm using this as a follow-up to make sure my students understand the story. If anyone from my class sees this comment,- like it :)

[@umchinagirard1800]

Children’s picture book Scapegoat by Ava Keyes distillation of the moral

[@rlfolder5437]

If you have burdens, how can you be “happy?” The ones who leave have a conscious but, just as important, they aren’t “happy” and you need to be happy in Utopia, for it to be a Utopia, right? . But they could be seen as a cowardly since they don’t free the child. Or they fear for themselves….wow this story is good! I don’t love her style, tbh, it was a bit dry-I like dialogue and some literal action-but it’s a good mind worker,

[@danielramsey6141]

The Trolley Problem isn’t really a Problem! It’s only a problem because it isn’t taking anything into account accept for the Selfishness of the Majority.

[@filmfilms9579]

I just watched the audio book for it but i don't understand how that one child's pain would cause happiness for everyone else? How?

[@TimThoughts]

Good question! Unfortunately, I'm not sure you'll be able to find exactly the kind of answer you seek. The way I understand this story, it is a fabricated reality with a lot of already established rules and traditions that exist outside of what we would consider a normal reality. And I think this exchange of the child for the splendor of the city falls under this same category. That is, the idea that this world is constructed just so, and there is no further explanation given. I think you can come up with any reason specifically as to why this arrangement is, and whatever makes sense to you is how it is. In my opinion, Le Guin was crafting a narrative to try and encourage the reader to challenge their own preconceived notions of morality and what could be considered "right" and "wrong". The dilemmas presented in the story are but vehicles for these emergent questions about ourselves and the lives we live. So, in summation, who knows? How is this exchange possible? However it makes sense to you. If you find it hard to make sense of the situation, try substituting facets of the story for facets of our reality. For instance, there are millions of people who go starving every day - looking for their next meal or a roof over their head, and yet the majority of middle class and upwards people don't think about these struggling individuals at all. And yet, we are all part of the same world. Just some of us happen to be lucky enough to have been born into a better situation. This is quite similar to the child and the splendor of Omelas, no? But why is it this way? Why do some suffer in famine while others feast daily? The city Omelas is a stark reminder of this latent dichotomy ever present in the world and society at large. What can we do about it? What should we do about it? All great and daunting questions posed by Le Guin in this exceptional work. Great question! Hopefully this answer helps you on your inquiring journey. Thanks.

[@sanamohammed9478]

@@TimThoughts Amazing. ❤️ I really loved your video. Try making such more videos

[@Hershe264]

Army

[@springday__flower]

Here

[@zhibekazamat]

IS THAT IT?!

[@randomandy3776]

I just want to remind my fellow humans out there that history may look very dark and many of us feel like it will continue to repeat itself over and over again, that we the people, always will be slaves to the ones on top who sets the rules. Maybe I'm wrong about this but I think we're overlooking one major thing that's different in todays world, one HUGE thing actually, a relatively new weapon not of mass destruction but of mass resurrection, and that weapon is what makes it possible for me to reach out to you all who are reading this, it's called the Internet. Now I know not everyone have access to this world wide means of communication, and that there's powers out there trying to control even this space, but the adoption of this technology keeps growing and even though it's still dark out there I can see the light that this brings in the form of people coming together in a way that was totally impossible before, the Internet has just been activated, it's not much older than 30 years, it's a newborn and its powers are still maturing, we have it, WE THE PEOPLE HAVE IT! Can't you see what this means? The possibilities we have here? Remember that our police officers and military personnel also use the Internet, they read, and they see, they think and they feel, they are not ignorant, they are human like you, and like me, they are our fathers and mothers, our sisters and brothers, they are our children, they are us, we are them! We need to start living a life guided by love and respect for each other, a life where we don't seek to harm each other but give it our best to understand our fellow human and make this planet a place for every one to feel at home on, and it all starts with me and you, yes you! You who reads this, it stats with us recognizing that deep down inside, we don't want to hurt any one, we want to feel useful and we want to be respected, let's try our best to give that respect to the ones we meet daily, to our neighbors, to our colleagues, give it to every one we meet, even if they don't give it back, and I promisse, we can actually turn this ship around and create a better reality for every one! From the bottom of my heart and soul, I LOVE YOU and I RESPECT YOU! (Please copy this message and spread it, spread it all over this place!) (The original author of this message don't want to be recognized)

[@chaitrapillai4225]

FUNNY BOY by Shyam Selvadurai can you please explain this story like this thank you

[@TimThoughts]

I'll look into it, thanks for the suggestion!

[@Lucas-kx3sf]

5:27

[@nishas2745]

You are 👌

[@TimThoughts]

Right back at ya! :)

[@Mark-fc7tu]

It's interesting that many people overlook the possibility that the system was fabricated by the narrator for the sake of telling a more dramatic story.

[@shannonheinig8912]

Subtitles?

[@TimThoughts]

Added! Thanks for pointing out that they were missing, I appreciate it!

[@quantran1108]

Holy shit

[@zhibekazamat]

So what happened to the child?!

[@JOY-rl3ju]

Namjoon recommended it, so here i am

[@gojo-s_bae]

I am so much late😭

[@TimThoughts]

Better late than never! :)

[@robinthestate6548]

I wouldn't just walk away from omelas I would free the baby.

[@zhibekazamat]

WHAT DO U MEAN SION?! R U FROM OMELAS?! WHEN DID U LEAVE?

[@universome511]

I'd just take the kid out of the room and then be happy for the rest of my life laughing at all the assholes who now live in a crummy city

[@muzicrox22]

I wonder if she just wanted to examine Christian beliefs through her story. Especially when thinking of the sacrifice of God’s son. Why does anyone have to suffer alone? And wouldn’t that mean the agony of the child has to have a successor? It isn’t just one. Just thinking out loud.

[@kadenlopez1051]

If you believe yourself to be one who would walk away, consider the capitalism

[@toniarmstrong2585]

GOD IS GOOD ❤️🙏🏻 GOD loves you ❤️💕

[@____uncompetative]

The correct trolley problem metaphor is that child in the cellar is ahead of the train in place of the five innocents as there are no innocents in Omelas as they all know and are complicit in the suffering of the innocent child put in the path of the trolley. They are actually the passengers of the trolley. If they trolley (their society) didn't run on the track the child would not be crushed. The ones who walk away are just as guilty as they walk away rather than pull the lever to make the trolley avoid crushing the child and go along a track without crushing anyone. At no point does Le Guin explain why the society requires the sacrifice (i.e. abject misery) of the child. Also, this story is a rip of from the book _Ritual_ which was made into the horror movie _The Wicker Man._ There is a connection to _The Brothers Karamazov_ through explicit reference to William James, but this just exposes what a bad writer Le Guin is as she can't trust the reader to be able to pick up on her implicit intertexual allusions to extremely famous novels. A lot of people have read the following: _The Odyssey, The Holy Bible, King Lear, The Brothers Karamazov._ If the reader has not read these other texts they just miss the allusion and the extra resonance. James Joyce never titled the episodes of _Ulysses_ as "Telemachus" etc. as he wasn't pretentious, this was done by later publishers, who knew he had consciously modeled Episode 1 after Episode 1 of Homer's _Odyssey_ the clue to the inherent intertextuality of corresponding episode numbers in Joyce is that _Ulysses_ is synonymous with the _Odyssey._ If you don't realise this, perhaps because you haven't read the _Odyssey_ that is fine, it just seems to be a book about the day in the life of Leopold Bloom as he walks around Dublin. The first edition's cover was Aegean blue. Again, another allusion to Homer's Greek poem about the voyages of his hero. So, only a bad writer like Le Guin says "variations on a theme by William James" under her title. The world building is non-existant. Nothing makes sense. The narrator contradicts themselves, then is unreliable, then admits it may all be a thought experiment. Okay, why care when it may not be real even within the frame of its fiction? _The Brothers Karamazov_ is just as bad with Ivan's poem _The Grand Inquisitor_ having a Jesus that is said can't say anything as that would mean that Ivan was putting words in the mouth of God and that would be blasphemous, and yet, forgets to not follow his own rule and has Jesus speak to raise a girl from the dead. So, this miracle is then publicly witnessed and the crowd accept that this is indeed Jesus, and then the Inquisitor then backpedals during the interrogation to say that he may just be a "semblance", someone who looks like Jesus (the problem being that it is prophesised that were Jesus to ever return he would sit in final judgement on mankind at his second coming), well popping in to check on how the Spanish Inquisition is going in Seville breaks from that prophesy. Was the _Holy Bible_ wrong? Not if this isn't Jesus. So, Ivan wants to have it both ways, and Dostoevsky wants to have it both ways by making Ivan be an unreliable, bitter, cynical, atheist, accusing the Roman Catholic Church to be in league with Satan. His Jesus, who might not be Jesus, walks away, rather than stop the Spanish Inquisition, or perform more miracles, or be sacrificed again. This is out of character for Jesus as established in the Gospels. It is a mess. So, to recap... you have the Gospels (which are a contradictory mess), on which there is a model of Jesus, who is then put into a fictional poem spoken by a cynical character Ivan in _The Brothers Karamazov_ who is then written about by philosopher William James, who is then explicitly referenced by Le Guin in a ham fisted way because she doesn't trust her audience to infer the literary allusion. The concept of Jesus is one of a sacrificial lamb, which in the Old Testament was a sacrificial goat. Back then they took two goats up the mountain, one was a tribute to Yahweh, the other was banished from the settlement and bore the curses of all those living there. Therefore, the goat that escaped sacrifice was the "scapegoat". Jesus on the cross was both the sacrifice and the cursed, as it is claimed he bore all past and future human sin who choose to believe in their redemption through him. This is utter bullshit.

[@____uncompetative]

Continued... The story of Jesus was hijacked and distorted by his disciples and then used to make money for the Roman Catholic Church. Where is the Gospel according to Jesus? Well, it didn't get written as Jesus didn't believe in the word of God being written down in a form that it could have its interpretation mediated by religious scholars, such as the Pharisees. That is why Jesus was antiestablishment, and became out of favour with the synagogues. Jesus was an evangelical Baptist giving outdoor sermons. Would the message of Jesus be affected if he never performed a single miracle? Why do people need miracles to believe Jesus is the son of God and to then listen to how he says they should aspire to live their lives with forgiveness and charity and appreciation for the creations of God? I don't think Jesus needed to be resurrected. I don't think Jesus was resurrected. I think that the disciples lied about him being resurrected. I think they lied about Jesus performing miracles. What is wrong with the message of Jesus to be kind to your neighbour? Why is that not enough? I find it strange to read the gospels and it has Jesus feed a crowd of five thousand with a few loaves of bread and then they follow him around as if he is Andrew Yang and he is going to bring them a socialist utopia with Universal Basic Income in the form of nutritious Mana from Heaven. Obviously, the five thousand were five hundred at most (given the lower population back then), and there were more loaves and fish (given he had a bunch of fishermen with him and was right by the sea), so there is a consistent pattern of exaggeration in all of the gospels. However, what strikes me as odd is that Jesus gives them all the food they need, thru magic!, and then is frustrated that they don't understand that they need to seek spiritual sustanence more than this UBI miracle, and only faith in him (and the embrace of suffering in life) will get them to Heaven itself. This makes no sense. Why feed people with magic bread and then when they want more magic bread tell them they are wrong to ask for magic bread? Why give them magic bread in the first place only to say "No, not that, you should be after something more profound, something that will nourish you for all eternity!" Only that message is cryptically conveyed. Jesus is also very poor at communicating with the Pharisee Nicodemus, who is genuinely interested in learning from him and respectfully calls Jesus, "Rabbi". Jesus talks in riddles, and does not seem to want to change the synagogue from within with new teaching. Okay, fine, but why even bother speaking to this Pharisee then? Why allow the Roman Catholic Church to be founded in your name? Is the Pope going around mixing with the common person and giving direct evangelican sermons? Nope. He is in a bullet proof Popemobile or in a pulpit in Saint Marks speaking through loudspeakers like Adolf Hitler at the Nuremberg rally. What would it matter if the Pope was assassinated because he followed in the example of Jesus and mixed with ordinary people? Surely, they could find another Pope to replace that Pope, and another Pope to replace the Pope after that. Are they not giving their lives for God? Are they cowards? It is weird how Jesus tells Nicodemus about his resurrection, only to call out to God on the cross and say "Why hath thou forsaken me?" This contradiction suggests to me that Jesus is not consistently characterised across the Gospels and some Gospel writers foreshadow things whilst others report fact. It is likely that Jesus thought we were all the children of God, not that he alone was the son of God, and suffered from religious mania and believed angels would intervene to save him from being crucified otherwise why say "Why hath thou forsaken me?" when earlier he makes out that he knows he is to be sacrificed, and to others that they should eat of his body and drink of his blood, as if that isn't a heinous retroactive continuity to shoehorn the Holy Communion ceremony into the text by having Jesus speak about it (i.e. there was no Last Supper), and provide a strong reason for good God fearing Catholics to go to Mass and take their cannibalistic ritual seriously whilst funding the greater glorification of God's house (which enriched the Pope), which was antithetical to what Jesus was doing by going against synagogue worship with outdoor evangelical Baptist sermons. Basically, Jesus is saying "I can bless you by dunking you in water and you will be born again, wiped from your sin, with the aspiration to follow in my human example by doing as I do and forgiving those who trespass against me, and being charitable, and being thankful for God's creation, so the focus of worship stays on Yahweh, not on Jesus who is just there to demonstrate that the 10 commandments can be followed, it isn't that hard to be a good person, and as you will already likely have sinned, here is a way through Baptism, that I can wipe that away for you to give you a clean slate to start over with." When does Jesus talk about penance, or confession, or guilt? That is all a form of control brought in by the Roman Catholic church. A church composed almost in equal parts of homosexuals and paedophiles, each keeping each other's secrets. A church forcing poor women into pregnancies that endanger their health, or backstreet abortions that kill them. A church divided against even itself, with sectarian violence in Ireland. A church seeking profit from the conquest of their arbitrarily designated Holy Land during the Crusades, who started a Jihad which justified the 9/11 attacks in the other side's minds, because they threatened the erasure of the Muslim faith rather than coexist with it. Living in the West it is hard to see beyond the lies spread by Christianity. Jesus of Nazareth wasn't the only son of God, performed no miracles, and was never resurrected. Jesus led an exemplary life in hopes that others could follow it. If he had performed miracles as part of that life then no human being could imitate that life. If he knew he would be coming back from the dead, why think himself forsaken on the cross? These aren't provocative things that you are meant to wrestle with theologically and by strengthening your faith to accept their mysteries prove yourself to be a true believer. They are just poor characterisation. Jesus is basically a rip-off from the life of Buddha, anyway, which was co-opted to found a money making repressive church of paedophiles and Nazi-sympathisers. The current Pope is involved with the World Economic Forum. Maybe Ivan Karamazov was right to say that the Roman Catholic Chuch was in league with Satan, but the point I am making here is that NONE of these stories work at ANY level. They are all undermined by their contradictions. Muhammad is illiterate. Gabriel speaks God's words to him (as Muhammad would die to hear Allah speak directly to him). Muhammed then orally recites the verses of the Quran to scribes. This text is never changed as it is the literal word of God dictated through Muhammad. This is a lot less problematic than _The New Testament._ However, it falls apart when Muhammad has two sons and they each decide to interpret the Quran their own way, forming the Shia's and Sunnis and spurring conflict between Iran and Iraq. Muhammad was just a mouthpiece for Gabriel to dictate the words of Allah to scribes. Muhammad is not the point of Islam. The Quran is the point of Islam. There is no interpretation of the Quran. The Quran is the Quran. Stop spinning it and selecting from it and deal with all of it. The inherent limitations of its origins may confer on it a historical interpretative context, but you have to accept Islamic society will inherently stagnate around the then medieval period and morality and status of equality and can't change without moving away from Allah's will. To do otherwise is to presume that Allah lacked the foresight and did not know what was best for Muslims. It could be that all Muslims need to live in the nomadic communities of Muhammad's era and it just doesn't scale to contemporary living. This is a bit like how the US Constitution says it is okay for people to bear arms, and never thought they would have anything more advanced than muskets.

[@ooferdoofer7091]

I mean...the story says that it is an “unspoken rule” that the child must suffer. Considering the symbolism I don’t think the author needs to further justify why the child is required to suffer in such a hypothetical setting.

[@____uncompetative]

@@ooferdoofer7091 The story has a subtitle: (Variations on a theme by William James) Everything about Jesus of Nazareth suffering so that others can reach Heaven is connected to that. It is a pretentious, religious, story that just seeks to be provocative, rather than profound or even entertaining.

[@tha1ne]

This has such parallels with the current abortion debate today..

[@Elisha_the_bald_headed_prophet]

They walk straight into virtue signaling, how disappointing

[@____uncompetative]

4:51 the people of Omelas are not innocents and no one is forcing them into suffering by tying them to a track. Dumb example.

[@TimThoughts]

Keep fighting the good fight, man ✊

[@Hershe264]

The people of omelas are so bad

[@channguyen8549]

The pp of Omelas, like the kid, they themselves are not free. Because one good action will cause other thousands suffer including their loved ones. Even if the child is set free, it won't be free nor happy because of how deep the scars that they left physically and mentally. Nothing can change.

[@Vegan.Veteran]

If your a utilitarian you should be vegan, If you’re a consequentialist you should be vegan.

[@seanbrister6943]

Of course some Chinese propagandist wrote this

[@raan44024]

sounds like palestine israel