Meeting 88 - Utopia - IN-PERSON

Imagine that you could design any society you want; what would your idea of utopia look like? That is, a utopia you think might be achievable. How would we, as individuals, as a culture, and as a political system be different? Which social problems can (or should) be eliminated, and which cannot or should not? Is there a downside to utopia?

In addition, think of examples of utopias from fiction; do any of them depict a utopia that seems practicable or desirable to you? Take one famous example, Brave New World. The clear majority of people are happy in Brave New World, yet the society restricts choices to the extent that it is regarded by most readers as a mixture of utopia and dystopia, perhaps leaning to the dystopian side, depending on who you ask. What do you think?

Consider a puzzle for any proposed utopia. It seems utopia requires that people be happy and free, and that involves giving people what they desire (within limits, at least). One portrayal of this was an old Twilight Zone episode: a man died and went to Heaven, where he obtained everything he wanted and at first had a great time. Soon, though, he became dispirited; all his desires were too easily satisfied and he no longer had any struggles or challenges—at which point he was informed that he was not actually in Heaven, but in Hell.

Lastly, consider the role utopian thinking plays in our political ideas. Is a vision of utopia something we should look to, as political motivation or inspiration, or is that a counterproductive way to think about political realities?

Find the link to the reading below:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cQKV2rUzTuoOo8n0cVNOTdVvtjdsrNrpmohDwrlTVvA/edit