One State Science Never Errs Analysis

Humans are conditioned in groups by training and teaching each other to believe certain ideas and concepts. Starting from a young age people are taught to believe specific ideas that connect to a group they are a part of. Regardless of what one is being told, they are likely going to believe their group’s ideas. In We, the citizens of the One State believe that the “State Science never errs” because the “One State Science asserts this” it’s leading people to confidently state that their leader is always correct (Zamyatin 14). The main character D-503 is convinced that the One State never errors because that’s what he was told. This demonstrates the idea that people in the society of the One State are taught that there aren’t flaws in the community

As humans mature they begin to stick with what they have been conditioned to believe, while the concepts they have learned are what they have been living by. The dystopian lifestyle of D-503 clearly shows that he upheld what he was taught in the One State by heavily enforcing his opinions. The unfamiliarity with the “Unorganized, savage condition” World outside of D-503’s realm is a key component to his lack of knowledge of everything outside of the One State because he has been trained to believe that “Such a way of life was truly mass murder” because it’s not the One State (Zamyatin 13). The orders that have been put into the people’s minds of the One State don’t allow humans to comprehend the idea of people living the opposite of the society they are living in, accentuating the idea that everyone needs to uphold their ideals. (transition) Kathy is concerned by Tommy because Miss Lucy told him that “It was alright not to be creative” because in Hailsham being creative was a significant part of growing up. In disbelief, Kathy explains to Tommy “That’s a funny thing for her to say” only because growing up, art and creativeness was a crucial step of life (Ishiguro 26-27). Being creative was an essential skill to have growing up and everyone was told that they needed to be creative, so Kathy upholds what she was taught growing up, which is why she finds it comical that Tommy

Developing differing ideas from the group one is associated with can hinder one’s ability to expand their own thoughts. It is challenging to “stand out against one’s group” especially when it is a “group of one’s peers” because they all have the same ideals and expect the same of the entire group. Having a contrasting opinion with someone is challenging and it may be difficult to speak up about an altered opinion. Mainly because of the thought of rising conflict or peers arguing. It’s evident that humans know what they believe but can’t find a way to express their opinions. Similar to when Kathy and Ruth have a conversation about who they are modeled after and Kathy doesn’t want Ruth to speak about it even though they “All know it, so why don’t we say it” proving that it is difficult for peers in the group to stick out (Ishiguro 166). Voicing opinions that contradict what the majority believes can put a pinpoint on that person making them feel like the target. Even though a different opinion may stand out, many “People’s opinions, they go one way, then the other” creating a sense that people’s opinions are changing. So eventually, people will learn how to cooperate with new ideas and