So I really enjoyed Book One of Utopia, honestly I think I'm just happy not to be reading Middle English. It is amazing how contemporary these issues discussed in book One sill are. I agree with much of what Hythloday and Raphael say to the cardinal. The way the veterans are treated in is the same way veterans today are treated. Its really telling. So far book one of Utopia is a little bit marxist, and I’m really into that. Everything I’m reading in class right now and talking about with my peers is how alienating labor under capitalism is and how depressed and empty we feel having to find a role in society. This book also seems to play upon those themes. I don’t agree with Raphael’s system of punishment either. Why not just create a world in which people don’t have to steal? I’m really sick of hearing that that's “idealistic” and “goes against human nature” because we are a product of our environments. “Human Nature” has nothing to do with it. I’m curious about what everyone else’s idea of Utopia is? One of my favorite books in the world is called Woman on the Edge of Time and it's about a Utopia in which there is no private property, humans value the environment, it's genderless (there is no gender binary), and most people are polyamorous.
Also in this book the family unit has been abolished and everyone has three moms. That is my idea of Utopia. It is a society based on love and respect for humans, animals, and the environment. That probably sounds extremist and scary to many of you but that's my actual idea of Utopia. I want to know what yours are so put them in the comments!
Hey Charlotte!
ReplyDeleteTo touch on your comment on "why not just create a world in which people don't have to steal?": I think, in part, thievery comes as a result of both the environment and the fact that, yes, we are human. For as long as there have been humans, there has been crime in some way or another. Even in biblical times, one brother covets what another brother has by birthright and seeks to steal it. The environment thousands and thousands of years ago is not what it is now, and it could even be said that it was a much more simple time without all of the laws that "society" governs us by. So, in my opinion, it doesn't matter if humans are given what we need. There will always be a subconcious nature to acquire more than what we are given or what we earned. I'm not taking into account poverty here but even if poverty was eliminated, someone is always going to want more and there are some people who will steal to get it.
I do agree with your veterans observation though! As a veteran myself, I am definitely more aware of the opportunities available and denied to other former servicemembers. I think it is interesting that More touched upon the topic of veterans and even more so that what he said about them is definitely relevant to today's world!
It is very interesting that in our discussion of Utopia, we didn't agree with the punitive systems Raphael described. While he used that story to make a bigger point about counseling kings, it's crazy how much class time we spent breaking his opinions down. It's also eerie how close the system he describes sounds like what we would consider jail these days. in regard to your comment about making the world so people don't have to steal, I have to agree. I mean...this is a possible utopia we're talking about, or at least a society that Rapheal is using to illustrate s point about the utopia, and certain conditions I thought would be present are not present. Again...sounds like jail.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting that in our discussion of Utopia, we didn't agree with the punitive systems Raphael described. While he used that story to make a bigger point about counseling kings, it's crazy how much class time we spent breaking his opinions down. It's also eerie how close the system he describes sounds like what we would consider jail these days. in regard to your comment about making the world so people don't have to steal, I have to agree. I mean...this is a possible utopia we're talking about, or at least a society that Rapheal is using to illustrate s point about the utopia, and certain conditions I thought would be present are not present. Again...sounds like jail.
ReplyDelete