#but the critique is not that ‘’this is america under sjw tyranny / ‘Communism’ ‘’

[grendelsmilf]

I'm sure I'll come off as stupid here, but what is Harrison Bergeron satirizing, do you think? I haven't revisited it since high school but I thought it was pretty libertarian, like "equality makes people stupid!"

that is literally what he is satirizing, yes

#ask #anon #okay I mean it’s more complicated than that #because it is simultaneously a parody of conservative hack spec fic #and also does present genuine critique of society #but the critique is not that ‘’this is america under sjw tyranny / ‘Communism’ ‘’ #but understanding how the facade of equality is maintained by those in power by making the quality of life WORSE for everyone #instead of better #also harrison bergeron as the perfect ubermensch #is simultaneously a joke about how his resistance against his conditions is only because he’s oppressed by society #and not because he isn’t a tyrannical fascist himself #but also a representation of how atrocities could be televised and the people even most directly affected still wouldn’t care #like it’s a complicated story bc on one hand it can easily read like vonnegut is ‘owning the libs’ #and on the other hand he very much IS owning the libs #but like. in a leftist way. because he was a socialist