Why Utopias Fail By Marc Hoodak

After reading through many articles about many different religious groups in “America’s Communal Utopias”, I have observed many different communities grow using both similar and different ways to find their own success. Two societies in particular, that struck me in their techniques to survive were, the Shakers and the Mormons. Both of these religious groups today are still successful. Both groups used methods of economics, gender roles, and their relationship to the outside world to find their own success in the religious community.

A utopia is a place of ideal perfection. However, according to the Merriam-Webster, it is also an impractical scheme for social improvement. Though dating back to the earliest days of U.S. history, utopian communities became a part of American thought by the 1840s. Various groups that were struggling because of urbanization and industrialization, challenged the traditional norms of American society with a desire to create a world without capitalism, immigration, and the tension between communities. However, these attempts failed due to individualism, materialism, the lack of growth, and little balance.

can never achieve a utopian society without restricting the rights of people, the opinions of

Thomas More’s book, Utopia, was constructed to criticize aspects of European life during the 1500s. One issue that More evaluates is the subject of politics and war. War during this time was used to gain territory or increase the ruler’s power. The Utopians are a peaceful group of citizens that rarely have any altercations occurring upon their island. They have a strict daily schedule that provides a minute amount of time for leisure, resulting in a low rate of problems. So why does More bring up the issue of war, if the people of Utopia infrequently misbehave? More analyzes this issue to exemplify how war was implemented in Europe under the reign of King Henry VIII. In addition, more describes the Utopians’ preparations when they engage in war. More wrote Utopia to provide the citizens of Europe with a source of hope for a new outlook on life.

Utopia is an imaginary place or state in which everything is perfect. The characteristics of this society of perfection, some people want to live up to, they strive to live this perfect life, this imagined place. People see this society as a place to escape, to live the perfect life, and to be able to live in peace. These perfect societies pop up and stay around for a little bit, people join and enjoy the lifestyle. Although people enjoy these so called perfect societies, they do have some flaws in them and these flaws would be a deal breaker for almost everyone, including myself. These two specific problems are that utopian worlds are vegetarians and that might affect one’s well-being and the other reason is that not using the correct medicines could lead to a sickness or injury getting worse.

A utopia is what everyone is aiming for, but is that really what they are getting? With the hopes of a perfect society, we the people are rushing for a drastic change in the way things work without giving too much care in which direction things are changing, and that can and will cause definite issues. In the hopes to rush into a perfect world, too many people are treating government like a roulette wheel and hoping for the best, even though all odds are against them. In doing so, they are setting themselves up for a more controlled tomorrow.

Countless writers have crafted utopian worlds for the reader to consider and explore and many of those novelists don't deem the modern-day world as the "good place"(Hermon, Holman) but rather one of the indescribable atrocities of war, disease, hunger etc… A utopian world is a difficult, if not impossible, one to

H. G. Wells’ book, A Modern Utopia was published in 1905. This book seems to be unique for two reasons. As Wells tells us, it is told from the point of view of "a whitish plump man" that he calls the "Voice" (1). This allows the book to be what Wells calls, "a sort of shot-silk texture between philosophical discussion on the one hand and imaginative narrative on the other" because the Utopia that we visit in the story is the one inside the mind of the "Voice" or the narrator (ix). He (the Voice) is talking to a friend, a botanist that continues with him on his journeys, about utopian thought when suddenly these two men have been transported past Sirius to Utopia, the Voice’s ideal planet

Although comparing one society to another does not require them to be different in government or human behavior, it does necessarily weight one’s faults against its victories to render it better or worse than the other. This comparative structure, found between Thomas More’s two books of Utopia, poses the country of Utopia opposite the broader communities of world civilization. Despite the comparison of Utopia as distinct from and morally better than widespread society, in truth Utopia is, at best, an extension.

The next day as I walk through the school doors, I see Hunter glaring at me. Remembering what my mom said, I continue walking to class. I go to my first two periods and I read the book Utopia by Thomas Moore through both my classes. When the lunch bell rings, I jump up from my seat and head to the cafeteria where I sit down at my usual table alone. I start eating my peanut butter and jelly sandwich as Hunter and a bunch of his friends enter the cafeteria. I freeze in fear and I start to become enraged. My hands start to shake and my face turns bright red with anger. Without thinking about it, I stand up towering over Hunter. Hunter’s friends begin to laugh at my idiotic decision. I become even more enraged as I hold my hands up in front

A utopia sounds like a wonderful thing. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “utopia” as an “imagined or hypothetical place, system, or state of existence in which everything is perfect, esp. in respect of social structure, laws, and politics.” (OED, 2015, entry 2) But what happens when someone tries to bring this imagined land of perfection into reality? Both in fictional literature and in real life applications, utopian dreams destroy societies.

Since humanity, a perfect place has always been imagined and tried. Although there have been many places that have attempted this type of community, none have ever been close to a Utopia. Nevertheless, my group will defeat this challenge and simulate the flawless country. Echo will be like nothing ever seen before. It will be a place where people will have the freedom of a democracy, the order of a dictatorship, the understanding of a direct democracy, and the equality of communism. Arcadia will thrive with advanced understanding of science, technology, and mathematics. Countries will face us with awe and desire of our technology, and concern of the world. Our country will be the place where philosophers, scientists, and other

     Sir Thomas More writes, in his book Utopia, about a society that is perfect in practically ever sense. The people all work an equal amount and everything they need for survival is provided. Most importantly is that everyone living in this perfect society is happy and content with their everyday lives. In this society everybody supports everyone. The community is only as strong as its weakest link. For society to progress everyone must work together. Opponents of the Utopian system, however, feel that the strong should not have to look after the weak. Progress would be maximized if all the resources are spent on the people most qualified to help society. A Utopian society, as perfect as the one

In our lives today, we take advantage of all the luxuries that are presented daily. Freedom alone is one of the greatest luxuries we possess as an American nation. In Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs and Utopia by Thomas Moore, we are presented two life styles, which some might consider very similar in various ways. Both authors focus on a peaceful living lifestyle, to better the people of the nation. Although some of their specific details are different, I believe that Jacobs would definitely approve of the features that More develops in Utopia.

Earth has been around for 4.6 billion years while the Utopian communities have been around for an appropriately short time. The utopian communities are a better place to live. One reason that life is better in the Utopian communities is that life is perfect in the Utopian communities. As well, there is no lying lie in the community. Of course that not everyone holds the memories.