There are many aspects under equality such as social equality, gender equality, economic equality and civil equality. These types of equality, for me, have a positive effect on our society. However, the equality that is being portrayed in Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" is total equality which, I believe, is very dangerous. Due to the insistence of the Handicapper General on total equality, the citizens are forced to dumb themselves down and hide their special capacities just to achieve mental and physical equality among everyone which results to a society of stupid people. Total equality, in the story, is achieved but freedom and individual achievement suffered.
Competition, on the other hand, also has its own branches like biological, social and economical competitions among individuals. It pushes the people to strive harder in order to succeed against other competitors in their own fields. People will have the perspective of improving themselves in the process of winning the competition, thus, creating more efficient citizens and workers. Despite all of these, competition can still harm our society if people try to gain advantage by hostile actions and contemptible methods. These can undermine the potential of competition on having positive effects in the society.
Though competition also has its own disadvantages, I still think that it is better for our society than total equality.
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