R. Fuller once stated “Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons.” In the some dystopian short stories, technological control runs the society. Although towns are controlled the same way, the technology affects the citizens of the town very differently. The use of technology to control citizens can put lives at risk, make people feel isolated, and can force equality. Although it can affect people's lives in different ways, it overall shows technological control destroys freedom.
In the short story, “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” by Harlan Ellison, the society is run by the Master Timekeeper, a man who uses technology to threaten the lives of citizens and destroy their freedom. He controls the society …show more content…
Leonard Mead, which creates a wall between him from the community and leads to his freedom being destroyed. Mr. Mead walks every night and does not have a television in his house, which is expected of everyone. His behavior is seemed to be threatening even though he is not hurting anyone, the powers in charge do not approve of his determination to walk every night. He is seen as different from the start. The police stop him one night and ask why he is walking instead of watching television like the rest of his society. Instead of considering Mr. Meads explanation they automatically believe he is crazy and take him to a mental hospital. They believe if he chooses not to do what everyone else does he is an outcast. He does not feel welcome in the death-like environment from the start and feels “all alone in [the] world.” (Bradbury 1) Although Mr. Meads town is full of hundreds of people he is metaphorically alone in his beliefs, thoughts, and actions. He is not socially accepted because unlike the rest of the community, he finds no interest in the television. Mr. Mead is the only person who walks at night and his “shadow [moves] like the shadow of a hawk” (Bradbury 1). Bradbury further develops the idea of Mr. Meads desire to be free to do a simple activity by comparing his movements to those of a hawk through imagery. He is compared to a free-spirited bird …show more content…
Nobody is smarter, faster, prettier, or more talented than anyone else. People are restricted from having freedom and being unique by being forced to wear handicaps that hide everyones inner and outer beauty. Citizens are tortured by total equality, they are forced to hide their special attributes that make them individual. George Bergeron, being above average intelligence, must wear a “little mental handicap radio” in his ear so he does not take an unfair advantage of his bran. (Bradbury 2) The government's goal is to use the radio to handicap Georges mentality rate so he cannot use his intelligence to think of creative ideas. The government believes that if people are equal there will be no war or reason to rebel. Along with that idea, ballerinas are performing on the television in front of George, they were burdened with “bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked.” (Bradbury 2) The government is taking away their freedom of being individual with technology that hides who everyone actually is. The dancers cannot use their natural grace, even though it is their job as ballerinas. No one realizes the absurdity of allowing technology to progress too far without human oversight. The outcome of this journey for equality is disastrous, the government murders the extremely gifted with no fear of retaliation. To sum it up, by not allowing people to express who they are and by controlling them with