Re:Ursula Le Guin has died
by tunesmith on Tuesday January 23, 2018 @05:51PM
(#16218649)
Anyone remember the source of the essay about the town where everyone was happy, and how it feels unbelievable until you find it has a horrible secret, which somehow makes it more believable? I think that is her writing.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
That is a short story called "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas"
Yes, a story that has haunted me ever since I read it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ones_Who_Walk_Away_from_Om...
The EarthSea Trilogy has stuck with me too.
Earthsea was a trilogy from '72 to '90, but it's now five novels and a bunch of short stories. They're all good.
I think I have it in "The Winds 12 Quarters"
Salem O backwards
Re:Ursula Le Guin has died
by BerislavLopac on Wednesday January 24, 2018 @05:46AM
(#16221762)
"People ask me 'Where do you get your ideas from, Ms. Le Guin?' From forgetting Dostoyevsky and reading road signs backwards, naturally. Where else?"
Re:Ursula Le Guin has died
by ACow_Adonis on Tuesday January 23, 2018 @05:55PM
(#16218676)
It's "the ones who walk away from Omelas".
Short read and available online:https://www.utilitarianism.com/nu/omelas.pdf
It's basically taken almost verbatim from a dialogue between two characters in The Brothers Karamazov. She later said she didn't remember the dialogue at the time but it was stuck in the back of her head and was definitely an influence.
The core idea is the same, but "almost verbatim" is a gross misrepresentation.
Re:Ursula Le Guin has died
by FelipeCortez on Thursday January 25, 2018 @08:56AM
(#16230753)
Great artists steal.
Re:Ursula Le Guin has died
by bolasanibk on Tuesday January 23, 2018 @07:04PM
(#16219124)
That story always makes me question what decision I will make if in a similar situation.
After reading the story I immediately thought that the point was that most of us live in Omelas. I don't think I have it in me to walk away.
I wondered the same thing.
But then I wondered "Why did they walk away? Why not comfort the child and end it?"
In the story she says a single kind word to the child would end it. I can understand living there, but I don't understand walking away.
By walking away you are not helping the child. So what does it matter that you are not benefiting?
To help the child and end it means to deprive many others of happiness as well. It is also likely to be wasted, as she writes in the story, the kid may be so far gone beyond consolation.