The Limits of Utilitarianism in Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven

An evolving government that was meant to benefit society ends up serving as a means for the ascent of a small group of strong individuals. Although it claims to be serving the public interest, the capitalist government actually works to limit individual liberty and collective agency by enacting onerous regulations that enrich the wealthy and powerful at the expense of the general populace. As a result, the gap between the rich and the poor widens, and the government, which is supposed to be working for the people, is instead working against them. When faced with a life-or-death situation, people often remain silent out of fear of powerful leaders. Famous American science fiction and fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin has explored anarchist ideas in her works. Her writings lay out the principles of anarchism that free the spirit and the body from shackles of oppression. The Lathe of Heaven, written by Ursula K. Le Guin, depicts a dystopian future in which global warming, overpopulation, racism, poverty, and war are all major problems. Le Guin contrasts the inherent contradictions between human nature and the desire to satisfy all needs through the character of Haber, a positivist doctor. By giving Orr, the draftsman, a powerful dream that can alter reality in hindsight, he hopes to transform everything into an idealistic manner. Haber challenges Orr to envision a society free of racism, where the populace is reined in and peace prevails. Orr recognizes Haber’s egotism despite Haber’s utopian ideals. He hates how Haber turned the world upside down compared to nature. Dissatisfied with Orr’s reluctance, Haber prepares to take a successful dream himself after recording George’s brain activity during hypnosis and controlled dreaming. Orr saves the world by turning off the Augmentor when his dream starts to interfere with reality, but in doing so, he mixes together fragments of other recent realities. The anarchy has driven Haber insane. Through the lens of Dr. Haber’s perspective, this paper examined the dangers and constraints of utilitarianism and presented Orr as an anarchist and embodiment of nature. Haber rejects this worldview and refuses to tamper with nature since it goes against his utilitarian ambitions, which lead him to believe that the mass of people can be defined by a quantitative measure of happiness. In this paper, we will look at how the irreconcilable mismatch between Haber’s goals and the results of his acts leads to the near-annihilation of humanity.