Although the people of Omelas are fully aware of the child's suffering, those who remain in Omelas don't seem to feel any guilt. In fact, Le Guin reinforces this in her story. Do you think it's possible to constantly feel guilty about the misery of others? Please explain and provide examples.
In the city of Omelas, people know about this suffering child, but they still remain. They have learnt to deal with the pain that they are holding, like most of our modern society is able to do today. Although people learn how to deal with their own sufferings, I am not totally convinced that people cannot feel guilty for the pain they pass onto others. But people, who feel guilty all the time, must have a horrible life, or really bad luck because most people for some reason are able to forget about the misery of others and can go on living their own lives. The Human Race is a more selfish creature than most would think, because through the hustle of their own lives they are not afraid to step on others and make them feel bad for themselves.
In Omelas, the children are told about this suffering child around the ages of eight to twelve, through their whole lives they return to see the child. No matter their understandings of its suffering, they always seem to be “shocked and sickened at the sight [of the child]”. Although they are angry, they believe that they cannot do anything for the child but if they really felt that bad for the child, I am pretty sure they could think of a way to help. Many people who actually want do something to help the child only know of one way to ease their guilt, to walk away from Omelas. But the ones who stay were taught that they need to “perceive the terrible justice of reality, and to accept it”. Most people, either in or out of Omelas, respect and live by what we are taught as young people, and going against what our teachers, parents and elders have taught us would be very disrespectful. Thus, many of the citizens of this town, stay and learn to live with the guilt, even though the discomfort they know that the child has to live with.
An example of this is, in our modern day society, is that people, walking downtown, past homeless people; they always seem to ask us for money or something they are in need of but most of us, including myself, keep on walking. Many people feel guilty as they continue walking by, but soon try to rub that feeling off and go on about their day. People, a greedy kind of species, have learned to get by in life without feeling guilty all the time. It is a good thing for people to feel guilty for some time but eventually we have to forgive ourselves and live our lives.
As asked by Patrick for the original blog; could people, if we were to form groups, to allow us to get beyond our concerns as individuals? People tend to think differently once we are placed into groups. I, personally, do not think that the question would be any different. In groups, once an idea is thrown out there, many, if not most people would normally agree because of that fear of being judged or even being wrong. But sometimes in these group settings people, who feel strongly about that subject, may be able to get past the fear and explain their thoughts. But for this question, I would hope that people would express what they think and not just agree for the sake of agreeing. However, when specifically dealing with individuals, people may not feel comfortable with going against the odds and stick up for the child. Even if they were able to stand up for the child, it may ruin their society, and people are not prepared to lose what they are comfortable with and used to.
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