"Harrison Bergeron" is a satirical dystopian science-fiction short story by American writer Kurt Vonnegut, first published in October 1961. Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, the story was republished in the author's Welcome to the Monkey House collection in 1968.

---

In Kurt Vonnegut's dystopian masterpiece, "Harrison Bergeron," the pursuit of absolute equality takes a grotesque turn, leading to a society where individuality is eradicated and human potential is stifled. Set in the year 2081, the story revolves around Harrison Bergeron, an exceptional fourteen-year-old boy who embodies the antithesis of the government's enforced mediocrity.

To suppress Harrison's remarkable intelligence, strength, and beauty, he is subjected to a series of handicaps, symbolic of the suppression of individuality in the name of equality. Harrison's brief rebellion against this oppressive system offers a glimpse of what a truly human existence could be, but his defiance is swiftly crushed, leaving a haunting reminder of the dangers of unchecked governmental control.

Vonnegut's sharp satire exposes the absurdity and danger of an extreme pursuit of equality, forcing us to question the limits of societal intervention and the implications of suppressing individuality. "Harrison Bergeron" stands as a powerful cautionary tale, reminding us that the path to true equality lies not in erasing human diversity but in embracing and celebrating it.