Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

The needs or ideals of society should outweigh the realities of individuals when the leading party deems there is an essential matter on the line. When the needs of society outweigh the realities of individuals, they are making a sacrifice, doing what needs to be done for the greater “good” in their eyes. In the short story, Harrison Bergeron, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr, the leading party, the United States Handicapper General decides that creating everyone equally in every way would benefit society, and should be required to create Handicapper General’s version of an “ideal life.” Although conformity restricts individuals’ freedom, the needs of society take priority to create their “ideal life”, so everyone is now equal without anyone stronger,

Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates, and in exchange for this, the needs of society outweigh the realities and human rights of individuals. Although caning people for a revocable crime is inhumane, in the eyes of Singapore’s leader, removing crimes from Singapore is deemed an essential matter. “There is a basic difference too in the way the law treats a suspect. ‘In Britain and in America, they keep very strongly to the presumption of innocence,’ says Walter Woon, associate professor of law at the National University of Singapore and a nominated MP. ‘The prosecution must prove that you are guilty. And even if the judge may feel that you are guilty, he cannot convict you unless the prosecution has proven it. So in some cases, it becomes a game between the defense and the prosecuting counsel. We would rather convict even if it doesn't accord with the purist’s traditions of the presumption of innocence.’” This paragraph explains the difference between Britain's and America’s laws and Singapore’s laws. Singapore highly values its low crime rate, and this paragraph is saying that Singapore would convict an innocent person because it will benefit their “ideal world” with no crime. While many of these governments or controlling parties may make questionable decisions for their country and nation, such as conformity, strict rules about reproduction, and cruel and unusual punishment, each nation can justify it. Because of the Michael Fay case punishment, if another American teenager thought it would be smart to vandalize Singapore as Michael Fay did, he wouldn’t because of the harsh punishment that Singapore enforces. There is no true “important matter” similar to how “easy is different for everyone” since each individual always values one thing more than another. Ultimately, these texts are a great representative for displaying how individuals from different cultures all have