The ones who walk away from Omelas

[johnofgwent]

If that's your reading if it then fair enough.

Ah but that's the point.... there is no explanation, no outward reasoning.. it's a literary equivalent of those ink blot tests.

[Nalaar]

I did. As I said, forcall we know, those who walk away lea e to a place where even greater injustice, hedonism and the like are rife. Edwardian England for example...

If that's your reading if it then fair enough.

[johnofgwent]

It is not explicitly stated.

You are welcome to present another meaning if you prefer it.

I did. As I said, forcall we know, those who walk away lea e to a place where even greater injustice, hedonism and the like are rife. Edwardian England for example...

[Nalaar]

Interesting, where does it say that ?

It is not explicitly stated.

You are welcome to present another meaning if you prefer it.

[johnofgwent]

You leave when you die.

Interesting, where does it say that ?

[Nalaar]

Well, I know certain sports companies have a habit of abusing child labour but I dont buy theirs because the price is ridiculous. Do you know if tesco buys from exploited child labour ? Do they say they do ? And what about asda ? Because I dont buy branded goods. And orange juice is something you need to be a bit politically aware about ..

I do not know, if someone has interest they can look into it, apparently I have no such interest.

But again, apart from understanding that companies will pull all sort of stunts, i DONT actively, knowingly, hand my money to child abusers. Again i point to the fictional tale you set as a beacon of virtue having the entire population fully aware their hedonism comes at the price of child abuse.



And all are happy to continue enjoying their hedonism at the expense if one abused child.



That is why I say this tale is irrelevant bullshit. Unless you can show me one documented example of someone knowingly enjoying themselves at someone else's example,you fail.

The defence by ignorance is uncompelling, but probably the best defence there is.

And while I think on, what motive have those who leave to leave ? The audience-loathing author of this crap does not tell us. Who is to say they are not leaving for a more hedonistic, more materialistic , more opulent lifestyle funded from child prostitution, ritual slaughter or organ harvesting for the black market ?.?

You leave when you die.

[Borchester]

My main concern reading the short story was for the mental state of the writer.

 :thup:

[T00ts]

Well, I know certain sports companies have a habit of abusing child labour but I dont buy theirs because the price is ridiculous. Do you know if tesco buys from exploited child labour ? Do they say they do ? And what about asda ? Because I dont buy branded goods.

Sadly I would think it is more than likely from price alone, but I haven't checked if Google knows.

[johnofgwent]

Yes it is harsh, and someone may rather not consider themselves responsible.

It's not so much as judging others, as judging ourselves that I think is appropriate.

Well, I know certain sports companies have a habit of abusing child labour but I dont buy theirs because the price is ridiculous. Do you know if tesco buys from exploited child labour ? Do they say they do ? And what about asda ? Because I dont buy branded goods. And orange juice is something you need to be a bit politically aware about ..



But again, apart from understanding that companies will pull all sort of stunts, i DONT actively, knowingly, hand my money to child abusers. Again i point to the fictional tale you set as a beacon of virtue having the entire population fully aware their hedonism comes at the price of child abuse.



And all are happy to continue enjoying their hedonism at the expense if one abused child.



That is why I say this tale is irrelevant bullshit. Unless you can show me one documented example of someone knowingly enjoying themselves at someone else's example,you fail.



And while I think on, what motive have those who leave to leave ? The audience-loathing author of this crap does not tell us. Who is to say they are not leaving for a more hedonistic, more materialistic , more opulent lifestyle funded from child prostitution, ritual slaughter or organ harvesting for the black market ?.?

[T00ts]

Yes it is harsh, and someone may rather not consider themselves responsible.

It's not so much as judging others, as judging ourselves that I think is appropriate.

On that I think we can agree.

[Nalaar]

I think that is harsh. We can all say that things should be better, but cheap clothes for example suit those with less cash. Utopia at this time is unreachable. We should not put ourselves into a position to judge others. I believe everyone does what they can limited by, not just their knowledge, but understanding too.

Yes it is harsh, and someone may rather not consider themselves responsible.

It's not so much as judging others, as judging ourselves that I think is appropriate.

[T00ts]

I would say the person on the street is responsible for their retail decisions, and should be aware of them.

I think that is harsh. We can all say that things should be better, but cheap clothes for example suit those with less cash. Utopia at this time is unreachable. We should not put ourselves into a position to judge others. I believe everyone does what they can limited by, not just their knowledge, but understanding too.

[Nalaar]

I try not to buy those kind of clothes anyway so for me it's a bit theoretical. I would rather buy less often but good quality. I am not so sure that we can totally blame the man/woman in the street so much as those who get the massive mark ups down the line from maker to seller.

I would say the person on the street is responsible for their retail decisions, and should be aware of them.

[Nalaar]

Actually I dispute that. MOST of my choices, like my deliberate choice to stick with my diesel car, and my choices of what food I buy, ARE in fact representative of a wish not to prop up the sort of societies i wish to see eradicated.

I have no doubt you think that.

But go extensively enough through your choices and you will find contradictions, hypocrisies and so on. I don't say  this as a slight, i say it as a beacon, to draw self reflections to areas otherwise so easy to neglect.

[T00ts]

Another alternative would be buying them at a much higher cost, but this is unpopular.

I try not to buy those kind of clothes anyway so for me it's a bit theoretical. I would rather buy less often but good quality. I am not so sure that we can totally blame the man/woman in the street so much as those who get the massive mark ups down the line from maker to seller.