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An ideal society
Introduction to ideal society
Research essays on utopia
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HUMAN NATURE: ARE PEOPLE GOOD OR BAD? From the time when humanity was able to believe in it, Utopia has existed as a mere word, thought or principle. It is a place that is hoped for, and is also a society that was and is apparently deemed to be possible, or is it? The Mirriam-Webster’s dictionary defines it as “an imaginary and indefinitely remote place of ideal perfection in laws, government and social conditions.” It doesn’t exist. It cannot exist because of our nature, our practices, and our imperfections. Since the dawn of man, the world has always been in dissonance. This is because of the differences from one person to another and the uniqueness each individual possesses. For a Utopian society to exist, support and combined focus of individuals who have the same ideals are needed....
The dictionary definition of utopia is an imaginary island with perfect social & political system, social and political paradise. Waknuk is not an island, so it is deffinatly not a utopia, but Sealand has the characteristics of a utopia. It is an island, but it does not have a perfect social and political system.
Utopia is any state, condition, or place of ideal perfection. In Ursula LeGuin's short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" the city of Omelas is described as a utopia. "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" presents a challenge of conscience for anyone who chooses to live in Omelas.
Imagine a place where everything is perfect. There is a place where there is no warfare, where all. All politics, laws, customs, and traditions are respected. A place where there is sameness among all the citizens and everyone is content and happy. This place would be considered a utopia.
This serene society greatly contradicts the one we live in. Our society is furnished with hatred and warfare, yet in return, we are given freedom and the privilege of having distinctive characters. Given the nature of human beings, our society is more idealistic to live in. Utopia is an imaginary state, which consists of people who believe they are more capable of living in a group than alone. In such a community, the welfare of the group is the primary interest compared to the comfort of individuals.
The Utopia Reader defines the word utopia as “a nonexistent society described in detail and normally located in time and space.” (p.1) I would best define utopia as a fictional dream- paradise land where everything is peaceful, perfect and all runs smoothly. There is no crime disease, or pain. People are happy, kind and fair and have each other’s best
To begin, an overview of utopian history is needed. The utopian lineage is as old as the Earth itself. Specifically, it started in the Garden of Eden, which is considered the ultimate utopia. After that, the next major utopia is described in Plato’s The Republic. According to Plato, as along as the major people classes live justly with one another, the overall society will be in harmony. Next published was Thomas More’s Utopia.
The dictionary definition of utopia is “a theoretical "perfect" realm, in which everyone is content, where things get done well by people who are happy to do them, and where all the problems which have plagued our world for millennia no longer apply.” My definition of utopia is a “world” where everything is perfect and there are no issues or conflicts of any kind. Utopias also usually turn into dystopias. The dictionary definition of dystopia is “an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.” My definition of a dystopia is a “place” where there is only chaos and disorder.
“The vision of one century is often the reality of the next…” (Nelson 108). Throughout time, great minds have constructed their own visions of utopia. Through the study of utopias, one finds that these “perfect” societies have many flaws. For example, most utopias tend to have an authoritarian nature (Manuel 3). Also, another obvious imperfection found in the majority of utopias is that of a faulty social class system (Thomas 94). But one must realized that the flaws found in utopian societies serve a specific purpose. These faults are used to indicate problems in contemporary society (Eurich 5, Targowski 1). Over the years, utopian societies have been beneficial in setting improved standards for society. By pointing out the faults of society, improvement is the most likely next step. Citizens should take advantage of utopian literature in order to better future societal conditions (Nelson 104). Because it is impossible to create a perfect society in which everyone’s needs can be met, society must analyze utopias in order to improve their existing environment.
Utopia, a term that appeared in the 16th century, was invented by Sir Thomas More in 1516. Many define utopia to be an idealistic and utterly perfect society. However, theoretically, utopia has nearly perfect qualities, not exactly perfect. In history, there has not been any specific record of a utopian society existing and there has been controversy on that it will never exist. However, a utopian society is possible because a utopia does not necessarily need to be absolutely perfect, society can come together and put aside its differences, and because the people learn how to improve situations that can happen or have happened.
Our fascination with utopias stems from our attraction to and pursuit of progress within our own society. We study utopias with the hope that our society will someday evolve into one. But what often goes unnoticed is that if our society improves enough to become utopian, it won't be able to improve any longer. Hence, it will be rigid and unchanging, the complete opposite of what it was as it evolved to its elevated state. This is an awful truth for us because we place value and virtue in the ideas of desire and progress. Our reason tells us: once in an ideal land, desire cannot simply cease to be, because desire is part of our human nature. And our reason is right. An ideal society should accentuate our human nature, not suppress it. As we desire a perfect society we know that a perfect could not exist without our desire. And as long as we desire, we hope for progress. The idea that an utopia wouldn't allow such progress to occur is enough to make us stop believing in utop...
In 1516, Thomas More first coined the term “Utopia” with his novel by the same name. The word itself is derived from the Greek words ou, which means not, and topos, meaning place. Combining those two words, you create a new meaning of “no -place”. Utopia itself is a place that does not exist. Utopia is nowhere. Throughout the history of Utopian literature, Utopia’s are meant to symbolize an ideal place or society, one often very different than the author's own. Within Thomas More’s Utopia, we see characteristics that contrast greatly with 16th century Europe. However, the ideal society in More’s Utopia tends to mask the consequences of said society, and with further consideration, shares characteristics with a Dystopia.
The oxford dictionary describes as “an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. Sir Thomas More first used this word; he was born in 1478 in London, England and came to be one of the most influential figures of the early Renaissance. Not only did he work as a lawyer but he was also a well respected philosopher and historian as well as writer. In 1516, Moore wrote Utopia, a book based off of fiction and political philosophy. Utopia has been with us since the beginning of time – all religions for example has an idea of a perfect place; the Garden of Eden and paradise are examples within the Catholic religion. When Moore first created the word for a book entitles Utopia, the word itself is derived for the Greek ju meaning ‘no’ and toʊpiə meaning ‘place’ therefore the literal translation would be ‘no place.’ However, it could also mean ‘good place’ as eu(topia) means good(place). This idea of no place and good place juxtapose each other and also arise the concept of an ‘ideal’ place being elsewhere – out of the reach of human beings – or just does not exist.
Each person has their own vision of utopia. Utopia means an ideal state, a paradise, a land of enchantment. It has been a central part of the history of ideas in Western Civilization. Philosophers and writers continue to imagine and conceive plans for an ideal state even today. They use models of ideal government to express their ideas on contemporary issues and political conditions. Man has never of comparing the real and ideal, actuality and dream, and the stark facts of human condition and hypothetical versions of optimum life and government.
A Utopia is a place is a place where everything is perfect. This is a very difficult topic because the definition of perfect can be perceived in many ways. In our books we read, some people might consider that a utopia, but they do not have any individual right. Many people believe that we are getting closer to a utopia, and others believe that we are getting farther away from a utopia. I believe that we are moving farther away from a utopia politically, by violence, and by the disrespect of fellow humans.
Remember, a utopia is a style of life that makes you happy or appreciated