Western society the concept of Utopia Essay Example

communal, level. This ideal, however, is only realized through Crusoe's complete solitude on an island near Trinidad. These themes can be found in other utopian texts, as Suvin has indicated, and apply to all aspects of Robinson Crusoe except for the third element, which may have less prominent significance. Given my limited familiarity with utopian literature, I defer to Suvin and eagerly anticipate further exploration of the genre.

The term Dystopia, as its name implies, is commonly considered to be the opposite of Utopia. It is often viewed as a negatively conjoined genre, representing an imperfect and dreadful world. However, some argue that Dystopia can be categorized into various sub-genres such as cacotopia and anti-utopia. In this seminar, we will focus solely on the Dystopian genre.

According to some sources, dystopias are tales of a negative society that are not satirical in nature like those seen in utopian fiction. Dystopias share similarities with Utopias, but their objective differs. For instance, in dystopian stories: 1. The setting is secluded not to avoid outsiders' interference, but to prevent the captive individuals' escape. This is notably apparent in literary works such as Orwell's 1984, Atwood's Gilead from Handmaid's Tale, Heller's Pianosa in Catch 22, Huxley's Brave New World, and others. 2.

The concept of formal hierarchy can be perceived as a suppressive totalitarian government or an economic force, rather than a benevolent ruling system. The phrase "freedom is slavery" from 1984 is a well-known example that illustrates this point. Numerous literary works showcase similarities and differences between their society and those portrayed in them. For instance, Handmaid's Tale depicts religious fanaticism, Catch 22 highlights bureaucracy, while Animal Farm showcases communism.

It's crucial to note that both "utopia" and "dystopia" share similar themes concerning their content.

Writing utopian and dystopian stories both require creating a cohesive concept that can either entice or repel the reader, depending on the author's perspective. The problem with utopian works is how easily they can turn dystopian, as one's ideal society may not be ideal for all. Understanding the context in which a text is written is particularly crucial for this genre of writing, as values and experiences shape the reader's interpretation. Thus, modern readers of Plato or More must read with a different understanding than those who lived during their time.

The major flaw in Utopian literature is that it strives for eternal relevance and expects to be judged through that lens. However, history itself is constantly changing, which means that the criteria for evaluating Utopias always shifts based on present-day societal values. This often leads to Utopias becoming dystopias when removed from their original context.

Given this context, my primary concern is how the current values and principles of our society impact the genre and ideas of utopia. The contemporary capitalist world doesn't prioritize traditional utopian ideals like community, harmony, peace, unity, tolerance etc., deeming them unattainable and undesirable. As a result, we're gradually moving towards a dystopian future.

Many people believe that communism, which is seen as a crucial component of any utopia, is an unpleasant experience for most individuals. According to contemporary skeptics, it is much easier to conceive of frightening situations than optimistic visions of what lies ahead.

"Numerous modern literary works express suspicion towards the possibility and desirability of utopias. The core of utopian thought is the belief in

the potential for a better society, which is fading in today's capitalist Western world. This decline can be attributed to Suvin's four essential ingredients for a utopia. Firstly, an isolated setting or society removed from external influence is impossible to achieve today as humans have explored most areas of the earth. While a fictional isolated land may still be created, it is not feasible in the same way as in Thomas More's Utopia or Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. The creation of such isolation on earth is unrealistic and so are the ideas presented in the text."

It is necessary to consider the limitations of a remote location when crafting a narrative. While isolation may be fictional, the impact of globalization on our perspectives cannot be disregarded. The advantages of a global culture and its conveniences make it difficult to abandon, thwarting the establishment of a Utopia. For a Utopia to come into existence, there must be a transparent power dynamic between its inhabitants and those responsible for creating and sustaining it. However, the notion of an altruistic, honest, compassionate, and equitable political entity is no longer taken seriously. As such, More's Utopian system is often viewed as an absurd and fantastical idea that amounts to nothing more than a joke.

The author's task of conveying the difference between the reader's world and the world of the story is essential to engage them effectively. Failure to do so renders the effort futile. Post-modernism offers a concept that aids in comprehending this- a text's unity rests not in its source but its ultimate objective.

The author's intent is irrelevant as compared to the reader's interpretation of the "multiplicity of

writing" to truly understand it. Whether More had intended to suggest a Utopia, Dystopia or created it under the influence of drugs, what matters is how we as readers perceive the text. Unfortunately, our society's corrupted state has made it impossible for us to imagine a utopian world, and hence, has led to the demise of Utopian fiction.

The reason for having a positive outlook on life may be due to a mutation of a non-important DNA strand or possibly through experiencing life without constant exposure to negative phrases such as "life is not fair", "it's a dog eat dog world," "money makes the world go around," "every man for himself," and "survival of the fittest." It's also possible that humans have learned from history to see the tragic end of past attempts at creating a utopia, making it an unachievable goal. However, I am skeptical about this last possibility for clear reasons.

Although I initially made a statement that I am not completely convinced of, I would like to mention that Utopian fiction has imparted a significant portion of its DNA to the Science Fiction genre before its supposed demise. In the present day, Science Fiction is the favored arena for Utopian fiction. "Utopian fiction is both an independent aunt and a dependent daughter of SF and is not precisely its own genre but rather a socio-political sub-genre within Science Fiction," as explained by Suvin's 'four.' To comprehend this better, we must briefly look into Suvin's 'four.'

Space is comparable to the Earth in the past. It is so immense that anything can be imagined and achieved, including utopian ideas.