This site will serve as the online home of our utopia-themed English 30 class for the Fall of 2007. Please familiarize yourself with what the site has to offer and prepare yourself to contribute early and often.
April 29, 2007 at 4:32 pm (course info)
This site will serve as the online home of our utopia-themed English 30 class for the Fall of 2007. Please familiarize yourself with what the site has to offer and prepare yourself to contribute early and often.
eat151 said,
August 27, 2007 at 6:04 pm
On The Elements of Reasoning:
This thought grabbed my attention from the introduction of this book:
1. That we as reasoning human beings tend to hold onto our “facts” based on tradition and history: i.e.- Pluto is a planet because it has always been a planet.-
In following this theory, it becomes blatently obvious why we as a society choose several streams of thought, beliefs, and political persuasions and tend not to change them over the years. Not only do we not change them,(which can lead to the loss of more discovery and deeper understanding) but we argue to no conclusion to persuade others that their opinions, etc. are no good unless they adopt ours. So, in understanding this, why is it that more of our own governing bodies (for example presidential candidates) choose to continue to pursuede others into their beliefs rather than apply the concepts mentioned in this chapter, and come up with a solution that most can agree upon? Why can’t we make “utopia “a reality?
2. On The Utopia Reader,
One rather under appreciated and what I see as obvious communitarianism that is tangible in our lifetime and comparable to many Utpoian-esque theories is the United States Military–follow me on this one– As a member of the military, you are given training, a stable job with guarantee of promotion and pay, and a pleathora of benefits not available to the outside world, so long as you act, think, speak, and obey according to the established rules of the community (or base.)…to which you probably entered into the commune thinking you would indeed fit in with their beliefs and ideals. Yet there are many pitfalls to the governments ideal of a fully self sufficient and productive military, based simply on the fact that we all practice rhetoric.
dodge2 said,
August 27, 2007 at 6:44 pm
In Response to On the Elements of Reasoning:
It would be very difficult to make a utopia a reality in even small town or city. As eat151 said, humans, for the most part, are resistant to change and believe that we are infallible. To make a utopia a reality, every citizen would have to be on board. That would mean persuading a person’s individual beliefs, which are not easily compromised. It would take something extraordinary for a utopia to become reality.
swjackson said,
August 27, 2007 at 9:46 pm
Extending what both Dodge and and Eat have said, I’m of the opinion that a Utopia, while good and benefical in theory, can never be used in practical applications. Utopias are built on the fundamental values of an entire group believing the same values. While initially, minor resistence may succumb to the majority, as those who resist gain a stronger voice, the “Utopia” crumbles.
The fairy tale of all people “all living happily together” has little merit because people within a society have such different perceptions of happiness and contentment. As noted earlier, as soon as enough opposition arises, the Utopia is bound to fail. Human nature is buit on uniqueness, and the status of being unique is what brings failures to all Utopias.
Steve Jackson