Crystal Palace Utilitarianism

Sticking One’s Tongue out at the Crystal Palace

A Discussion of the differing Utilitarianism thought and Philosophies inspired by The Crystal Palace Utilitarianism was a popular philosophy in the nineteenth century that was popularized by such philosophers as Nikolai Chernyshevsky and Jeremy Bentham. Utilitarianism was optimistic and progressive way of thinking that asserted that if the right and moral thing is done, then the best and most good outcome was the result, and furthermore the promotion of overall wellbeing was important as well. According to Dr. Julia Driver about Jeremy Bentham and hedonism, in her editorial “The History of Utilitarianism” at The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy website, “The one intrinsic good is pleasure, the bad is pain. We are to promote pleasure and act to reduce pain” (Driver). Nikolai Chernyshevsky furthered this utilitarian thought in his novel What To Do? or also translated as What is to be done?, by presenting a reformed utopian society. Fyodor Dostoyevsky countered this idealistic way of thinking by creating his Underground Man in Notes from the Underground, who is and educated and enlightened member of society, yet scoffs at the idea of an irrational utopia.

Utilitarian views involve ethics and doing what is right, which will produce the most good. As Dr. Driver

The building was to represent modernity and the wonderful things that humankind can accomplish. It was a beautiful jewel in the crown of the Industrial Revolution. Dostoyevsky stuck his tongue out at this modernist thinking and pointed out that such a place can never exist, man would destroy it out of boredom. Whereas Bentham and Chernyshevsky sought out the good and wellbeing of humankind, Dostoyevsky saw the opposite and destructive side of