In the
dystopian, radically egalitarian society depicted in "," those deemed by the
government to have a natural advantage over otherssuch as physical strength or intelligenceare
forced to wear so-called handicaps to bring them down to the same level as everyone else. The 's
father, George, is physically quite strong and so is required by the state to wear forty-seven
pound weights around his neck. Inevitably, these weights slow him down, impeding his movement
considerably. This is precisely what they're intended to do, as it's considered unacceptable in
this society for anyone to be stronger than anyone else; everyone must be equal.
In addition to being physically strong, George is also a highly intelligent man. This
also makes him a danger to the state's vision of total equality. The Handicapper General doesn't
just want to control how people behave; she also wants to control how they think. To this end,
George is lumbered by a radio which emits noise into his ears every twenty seconds, preventing
any kind of sustained thought or concentration. As well as serving the government's policy of
complete equality, this specific handicap also prevents naturally intelligent people such as
George from getting any ideas about challenging the prevailing system.
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