Emotionless

One of my all time favorite books is The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I strongly recommend everyone read this book several times.  Even as I write this, I want to read it again.  This book is along the same lines as George Orwell's 1984, discussing society as if it was something that could be so completely controlled and observed.  In The Giver, you literally were numbed.  A mate, a life partner was selected for you.  Children were birthed by women who would continuously give birth for about 3 years and work hard labor the rest of their life.  Twins could not exist.  Pills were handed out to prevent emotions, arousal and other human interactions.

Here are two quotes from the book"

“I liked the feeling of love,' [Jonas] confessed. He glanced nervously at the speaker on the wall, reassuring himself that no one was listening. 'I wish we still had that,' he whispered. 'Of course,' he added quickly, 'I do understand that it wouldn't work very well. And that it's much better to be organized the way we are now. I can see that it was a dangerous way to live.'"

“What if they were allowed to choose their own mate? And chose wrong?”

Think about what these quotes are illustrating.  In the first quote, the main character, Jonas, is discussing experiencing love for the first time.  He admits to liking it (the speaker represents the every-present ears), but also admits to the impracticality of it within the society.  How love can be a dangerous way to live.  The second quote is similar to that is illustrating how controlled these character's lives are.  Their life mates, emotions, even their careers are selected for them.  There is even a big ceremony at the end of a school year to assign jobs.

In our society, we stress the importance of individuality and personal choice.  Can you imagine a world where that is taken from us...in order to protect us?  Now reflect on the world as it exists.  We are politically correct because people become offended by what we say.  But offense comes from an emotional place.  We connect what someone else says with how we feel when they say it.  This is how emotions become involved.

Think about how you many not be able to talk politics or religion with those around you.  Perhaps it is too emotionally charged for it to be a reasonable, level-headed conversation?  Perhaps you can respect someone else's opinion but doubts your conversation partner can respect yours.  I can see where emotions can be a perceived danger.  However, if we shield emotions from those around us, are we not creating a society not much different from that of the book?  This is why this culture of complacency in our world is dangerous.  If we continue to let others control what happens in our world without our voice being heard, are we not putting our way of life in danger of being destroyed?

I highly recommend, as said in the beginning of this blog, to read The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I believe I will need to find a copy again and re-read it myself.  Books like this hold a good lesson for us.  For now, enjoy a thing called "La Vie."