"Harrison Bergeron"
by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007

Kurt Vonnegut passed away.

One of my favorite Vonnegut short stories, an easy and short read, is "Harrison Bergeron". The story begins with this line: "The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal." The premise is that the government has intervened to help all citizens achieve equality. Those gifted in one form or another must wear a handicapping device to offset their natural advantage.

The theme of equality is timely. It brings to mind the following quote from the book Joy at Work: "Fairness or justice means treating people differently" (p. 29). That's another topic for another day.

"Harrison Bergeron" is short enough for me to not spoil it here. You can find the story on the Internet. Have a read, and whet your appetite on a story from a great American author.