The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

1973 • 19 pages

Ratings160

Average rating4.3

15

The fact that this short story does more in 30 pages or so than an average book would take in about 10 times as many pages is not to be ignored.

Went into this having no idea where it would go. In the beginning, it seemed to be going in the direction of a social commentary on a blissful utopia, UNTIL the question posed towards the end.

You would like to think you'd be the one person that cannot accept the suffering of 1 citizen in exchange for the happiness of everyone else. But in reality, isn't that exactly what we do? Go through life ignoring the suffering of those select few that don't affect our daily lives. And in return, are we really rewarded with sincere happiness of Omelas? This is a downward spiral I don't think we're prepared to face.

February 9, 2025