How Does Greed Play In The Cat's Cradle

“You should have gone for the head” (Russo, 02:17:02 – 02:17:32). This was Thano’s famous line before he wiped out half of the universe, believing that he was the savior that the universe needed. He believed that the only way to solve the inner power struggle for resources was by eliminating half the population to solve the existential problem of starvation and poverty resulting from overpopulation. Similar to Marvel’s giant purple alien monster from Avengers: Infinity War, Kurt Vonnegut explores the world of the Atomic Age, where competition and desires for personal advancement drive ethical tensions in The Cat’s Cradle’s fictional society. Vonnegut argues that greed influences one’s views on what is best for society, which often leads to devastating destruction (Vonnegut 75). Thus, how are the needs of a society …show more content…

It can be argued that ethical concerns will arise as a result of these new human interpretations of what society needs. Thus, in The Cat’s Cradle, Vonnegut portrays the idea of utilizing knowledge to push one’s personal agenda of power and greed by illustrating the role that humans play in the destruction of society, through exploring the ethical concerns associated with scientific progress. In The Cat’s Cradle, Vonnegut argues through his fictional narrative that humans approach the usage of new technological developments incredibly differently – exploring the themes of destruction and societal reconstruction through diving into the ethical concerns associated with scientific progress. Specifically, The Cat’s Cradle is “an apocalyptic story of scientific research gone awry following its divorce from ethics” (Weiner) due to individuals’ beliefs and desires. The narrator from Vonnegut’s The Cat’s Cradle, Jonah, explores the risks and ethical implications of discovery and creation, as well as expressions of belief and