KristaWitak

AdvancedEnglish10,1A
111114
TheEvolutionofRegression
ApieceofwisdombyWinstonChurchill,"Thefartherbackwardyoucanlook,the
fartherforwardyouwillsee."issumericaloftheargumentsmadebytheauthorsofthesatirical
cartoonandof
TheEuphioQuestion
.

Thesesatiricalpiecesarebotharebothimmenselydeepin
thattheybothsharethetopicofmodernchildhoodandhowthingsfrompastgenerationshave
changedinnewerones,andeachgoontodiscussdeepercausesofthesechanges.
Thesatiricalcartoondepictsanadolescentsurroundedbytechnologyandignoringthe
figurerepresentinghumaninteractionreachingouttohim.Thethoughtprovokingterm,
"connected"writtenonthewall,hasbeenskewedinpresentminds.Themediacurrentlymakes
connectedawordusedtodescribeapersonthatisacutelyawareofwhat'sgoingoneverywhere
else,yetblissfullyunawareofwhat'shappeningaroundhimorher.Themajorityofour
generation,greatlyrevolvingaroundsocialmediaandtheweekstopcrazes,nolonger
understandstheconceptofwhatitmeanstobe"connected"tothethingsandpeoplearoundus.If
weretowalkthroughthecommonsduringlunchandfindasingletablewhereeveryindividual
isactivelyparticipatinginconversation(oreating),itwouldbeararesight.Smartphonesand
theinternetareanexponentiallyacceleratingtrainthat'srunningourlivesandsocietyhasyetto
inventthebrake.Theideathatstayingconnectedcanbringindividualshappinessiswhatthe
authorofboththisandoftheshortstorycautionagainstintheirsatiricalarguments.

Muchlikeinthesatiricalcartoon,
TheEuphioQuestion
byKurtVonnegutdepictsa
similaressenceofgrowingignorancefortheoutsideworldwithamorefatalerror.Thenarrator,
asociologyprofessor,testifiestotheFederalCommunicationsCommissionagainsttheuseof
radiopersonalityLewHarrison'sinventiontoprovideinstanthappinessviatheflickofaswitch.
HistestimonyconsistsofadetailednarrationoftheEuphio'sfirsttrialsongroupsofindividuals.
HesumsLewuptobeabiggerisbetter,alwaysexpandinggogetterwholivestomakeitbig,
whilegreatlycontrastingFredBockmanisaphysicistmuchmoreconcernedwithperforming
experimentsfortherewardoftheirresultsthanwiththeirpossibleprofits.Lewactsinordinance
withthecurrenthabitsofsocietyandthetypesofmotivationspeopleactupon,whereasFredis
thefigurethatstandsforthewaysocietyshouldapproachendeavorslikefindinghappiness.The
disastrouseffectsoftheexperimentrealizedaftertheEuphioisturnedoffshowthehidden
damagethattechnologyandfalsehappinesscausesociety.theauthorshowsinthegroup'slack
ofcompassionintheirreactionstotheeventsgoingonaroundthem.Tosealthedeal,theauthor
endsthestorywithachillingchangeofemotiongivenbythenarrator,causedbyLew'srigging
oftheEuphiotoinfluencethelistenersofthehearinginhisfavor:amessagetoallmembersof
societythattechnologycaninfluenceanyone,regardlessofhowfeelaboutitspresencein
society.
Inclosing,thepurposeinbothofthesesatiricalworksistoremindsocietythatalthough
itseemslikeadvancementsarebeingmadethatwillbenefitpeopleforyearstocome,these
advancementsmayactuallybecausinggenerationstomovebackwardsbyseparatingfrom
realitytofindhappinessineverydayexperiences.Newtechnologymayprovidenewroutesof

entertainment,however,withthatcomesthelossofthebeautyandenjoymentthatcomefrom
theworldaroundus.Thisisindisputablysomethingallpeoplecouldbenefitalessonfrom.