The ones who walk away from Omelas. -Introspection

The ones who walk away from Omelas.

I find myself troubled after reading the story.
I wonder how an entire civilization can only mourn someone who is still suffering, how those leaving don't try to take the child away from the place. There is no rescue, only pity, guilt, and running away.

But I look at my own society. There is not happiness and joy everywhere, but there is a general contentment in our own lives- our own existence, even at the price of another, maybe because of the price others are paying. There is the same guilt and helpless feeling as people cry out their passion to help others on social media, but follow it up with no other action. Verbal support is great, but does nothing for those suffering. Verbal support doesn't pay bills, change laws, start social change or acceptance of an issue.

In my business, I find myself hoping others that make similar goods to me will fail, because I hope for the business they are getting. I want to do better than the others. I feel that in order to be successful, I must compare my success to theirs. I do this especially when things are going badly. When I am not selling anything, when things are tough, I look at others and wonder what I am doing wrong, what i could do differently. I find myself holding back positive praise from these others, hoping that my friends will be my customers and not others. even if we don't necessarily sell the same product.

I see the people in this society who suffer, and I see our society mourn those people while they still suffer, without offering a hand. And I think we all feel that if those people were to be lifted out of those dark places, we, or someone else would fall into those same dark places and be without help.
We are all afraid that if we give help to those in need, we will fall also.