Omelas city is in a dilemma situation. People remain to live in misunderstanding. They feel compromised by their consciousness, they could walk away, like only a few do, or they could become like a child in the prison cell who never mature, remaining somehow faithful but trapped. They are tortured by their consciousness of the authenticity of their condition.

In the story I look at it as a metaphor for the Omelas city (family) and the abandoned child growing up, coming to question what they had previously considered beautiful and responding to the moral challenge of this. The tortured child represents the shadow of the perfect Omelas city (family). The child as well may be the family scapegoat who fails to escape order which suppresses them, unlike those who walk away and remains within the family, like a child being tortured. A utilitarian approach may sacrifice the wholeness for convenience while for Kantian deontology is concerned with what Omelas city is doing but not the consequences of their action because the child is the one who makes them find happiness.

Our duty to society mirrors our duty to ourselves. Social responsibility and good habits are essential to an integrated and happy human psyche. The allegory interpretation is the juxtaposition of the child that represents the distinction existing between the rich and poor in a capitalist society.

I would do nothing because the story is relevant to the modern human condition. We are people in Omelas city because every day we walk away from the sick, orphans and slaves. The ones who walk away are just guilty as the ones who stay. According to utilitarian and Kantian ethics philosophy, people’s happiness matters a lot over the consequences that come with bad actions.

In my view, the people in the Omelas city are leaving the city and hope to find a better place. They can do nothing because they will risk the happiness of the community. They walk away, put out of their mind and never look back though with guilt believing it is not right.

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