In essence, “The Dispossessed” by Ursula Le Guin discusses alienation as a way to acquire and maintain power over other people. According to the author, alienation is a violent way of taking power because one does not care or consider what other people would think about his or her move. They totally disregard the will of the people. Notably, alienation involves identifying individuals who differ with the person taking power and portraying them in the bad light so that they could be discriminated against (LeGuin 73). As a result, the individual uses that opportunity to seize power.
For instance, in America, these groups of people include the African Americans, Native Americans, LGBT, Muslims, and women. The book states that the alienation of different individuals is brought about by the structures in the society, including social, economic, and political systems. People want to develop and succeed at the expense of others. Therefore, they alienate other people so that they could get the chance to rule.
The work addresses issues in the modern society. I think that the author is factual because, in most societies that are made up of many groups of people, leaders use alienation to gain power. In essence, the composition and mentality of the society contribute a lot to the division. People have created the mindset of self-centeredness and no longer have time to care about other individuals. I support the views expressed by Le Guin because certain people have always benefitted by alienating others. When they gain advantage and get the power, they use it for all the wrong reasons (LeGuin 42). Some use it to intimidate their opponents and oppress the minority. Furthermore, some of these individuals are usually spokespersons of powerful people who want to control things. Afterward, they are rewarded with positions of power.
Work Cited
LeGuin, Ursula K. The Dispossessed. Hachette HarperCollins Publisher, 2015.
