THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS

Hello beautiful people today I am going to tell you about a brief but excellent and beautiful story, it is written by Ursula K. Le Guin who was an American author known mainly for her speculative works of fiction, she won several awards during her career, one of them the Hugo award for the best short story for “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”. 

This is a somewhat atypical tale, fundamentally descriptive and devoid of action. The first paragraph places us in an ideal-looking city, where harmony, beauty, and happiness reign. Omelas opens its doors to the Summer Festival with music, dance, and happy parades.

Its people are not simple but they are happy, they lack rules and laws, monarchy, and slavery: they are not sweet shepherds, but neither are they barbarians. Everything points, in the narrator's own appreciation, that we are in a fairytale country.

However Omelas keeps a secret, something that nobody considers a crime, but that breaks the harmony and prosperity of the city. This secret can be seen as a symbol perhaps of everything Omelas has to offer, as a constant reminder that nothing is free. Because without him and without his existence, the people of that dream city would cease to be happy. Harmony will fade, crime will break the walls, and joy will come to an end.

Reading this precious but crude story I could see myself reflected in it, I could see this society and this world reflected, because the years pass, the seasons improve but the root of the problem persists; and it makes you wonder to what extent can we allow the suffering of one, or of many, to guarantee the happiness of the rest?

In addition, you realize that everybody knows this secret and its suffering, in fact, they explain to each Omelas child that exists, his reason for being, eventually many will know him, bringing firm consequences, some may be able to continue with the daily life of their lives, but others cannot erase the gap that this vision causes within them; And so, those who are not able to continue with this see no other solution than to leave Omelas forever, leaving aside complicity, absolute happiness and the great secret that moves that city.

It is a gem that seems to me have to be read at least once in our lives, to be appreciated, and shared, it confronts us to challenge ourselves morally as individuals and as a society, helps us to reflect on who we really want to be. I know I couldn't be the same after reading it.

Here I leave the link for you to take a look and delight your mind with this piece.

XOXO Li