"It's a Good Life"

"It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby is a science fiction short story ab0ut a town "in" Ohio. The scarcely populated, 46 people, town of Peaksville, Ohio is home to a young boy, Anthony, with immense telepathic and -kinetic powers. Being barely through the toddler years, at the age of 3, the teaching of good morals and values has not had time to take place. Whatever Anthony thinks or feels, happens. The other townspeople, including Anothony's family, have to be very careful about what they are thinking, too strong of an emotion will capture Anthony's attention. Whether he likes you or not, his solutions to your problems are not something you want to happen. Thinking jumbled thoughts or mumbling is the only way to deter the young boy from paying attention to you. There is no possible for the people of Peaksville to leave and get away.
When Anthony was born, the doctor screamed and tried to kill him but the newborn wailed and the rest of the world was gone, either the town moved or the rest of the world was destroyed. The members of Peaksville are forced into coming over for dinner and watching "television" because it is what Anthony wants. If somebody is openly unhappy with Anthony or think "bad" thoughts around him, they are never seen again.



Fact or Science Fiction?...

I definitely would never want events or fiction details of this story to become fact. The first time I read this story, I remember thinking how awful it would be to have to live in such an oppressive society where thinking the wrong thing or acting just a little out of line could silence you forever. It takes the idea of a dictatorship just a bit further where not even your mind is safe from being probed.

No one else probably thinks about science fiction as much I do but one of the first things I think of is "what would I do if this actually happened?". I think of the pros and cons and just dwell on it for awhile. Like if someone could create anything with his mind, he could solve so many problems! There would be no shortages, of anything. He could think away disease and illness. He could think up more finite resources such as crude oil and fossil fuels such as carbon. I wouldn't have to worry about paying high gas prices. But who would regulate or control this person. What if, one day he just decides to do what he wants and at that point, there is nothing we could do about it. The good things really don't outweigh the bad in this.

This shorty story was also made into a Twilight Zone episode in the 60's. You can watch it here ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGWvexg90w&feature=related