Would you want to live in the society described in Thomas More's Utopia? Why or why not? Does it meet your expectations of a utopia? Why or why not? Be sure to include and discuss at least 1 quote of More's to make your point. (see Materials - Unit 1 for documents/ quotes from class)
1 paragraph. Be sure to include your first name, last initial, and block number
I would want to live in Thomas More's Utopia because of the fair yet free aspect of the city. "And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights.", More is saying that if money is not used, people will be less stressed and the general public will be happier. I agree with More, and I have always thought that money is really just another thing to get worried about. Although many things are the same fore everyone, I do not think Utopia will be boring. More does say Utopians will be making discoveres in medicine and science to please God, so things wont me too boring as far a new things go. I thing Utopia would be a wonderful place to live.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Kahwaty 5A
I would not want to live in Thomas More's utopia because it doesn't seem much like a utopia to me. My ideal utopia would include uniqueness for everyone, they will be able to dress however they like, no fighting- all peace, a stable fair government, and everyone has equal opportunity to pick what they want. What I mean by this is that people will be able to choose what kind of house they want to live in, who they want to live with, amount of kids, and other things like that. More's utopia is too much of a everyone is the same type of place. Everyone has to wear one thing and that's how it is. Everyone also owns the same materials which isn’t how I would like to live. For example, I do agree that people are” silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs” although, I don’t agree that everyone should be given the same pieces of material to clear up this problem. I feel that it would be better for everyone to just understand that we all have equal chances to receive these materials since money wouldn’t exist and everything would be free so this way everyone can receive it.
ReplyDeleteCourtney L. A5
I would like to live in Thomas Mores utopia. This is becuase it seems more reasonable than the way life is now. The things he says are true about society are true today and they are unfair . The way things are now don't make sense to be the way they are and he says that it would be fixed in his utopia. One example of this is when he says “To tell you the truth…I don’t see how you can ever get any real justice or prosperity, so long as…everything’s judged in terms of money – unless you consider it just for the worst sort of people to have the best living conditions, or unless you’re prepared to call a country prosperous, in which all the wealth is owned by a tiny minority – who aren't entirely happy even so, while everyone else is simply miserable.” He says that a small minority has all of the wealth and this is true and is wrong. This does meet my expectations for a utopia. This is because he includes how the economy should be. I feel that without a strong economy you have all other problems ruining the utopia concept any way.
ReplyDeleteAustin C 5A
I would be perfectly happy living in a place like the utopia that was described by More. First off, no one would be able to judge anyone else by the clothes that they wear because everybody would be wearing the same thing. Yes, it would limit the people’s ability to express themselves through clothing, but people can express themselves in other ways through the way that they act, for example. “...or how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs.” stated More. To continue there would be a less amount of crime committed then in the society that we live in today because instead of just punishing the person for breaking the law, they would eliminate the problem so that citizens would not have to resort to going against the government. More explains this concept when he said, “This method [the death penalty] of dealing with thieves is both unjust and socially undesirable. As a punishment it’s too severe, and as a deterrent it’s quite ineffective. Petty larceny isn’t bad enough to deserve the death penalty, and no penalty on earth will stop people from stealing, if it’s their only way of getting food.” My ideal utopia would be something similar to the one that More described, but his does have some flaw. For instance, life there would be boring and everybody would do the same exact thing every day. Second, because everybody is equal, a person who is doing the minimum and another person who is working hard would get the same amount of money.
ReplyDeleteKara K. 5A
I would like to live in More’s utopia because it allows people to be more equal. I believe a utopia is a place where everyone is treated equally, no social ranks, no famish and poverty, and just plain ol’ peace. “To tell you the truth…I don’t see how you can ever get any real justice or prosperity, so long as…everything’s judged in terms of money…” Money is a very big problem that causes people to starve, commit crimes, have health issues etc. If money was taken away, there would be more of a peaceful life for the people. Even though the people wouldn’t be able to have much physical diversity with clothing and such, they still have their personalities and they can make the best of it. Having a utopia like the one described by More will allow people to not know what bullying is and make people more comfortable in their own skin because they won’t be judged. Additionally, utopias focus mostly on science and religion so evolution and the advancement of the people will become top priority instead of what celebrities ate for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteDanielle C. 2B
Even though there are many benefits in living in Thomas More’s Utopia I wouldn't want to live in his utopia because life would be dull. One quote from Thomas More is “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour – the natural colour of wool…So whereas in other countries you won’t find anyone satisfied with less than five or six suits and as many silk shirts, while dressy types want over ten of each, your Utopian is content with a single piece of clothing every two years. For why should he want more? They wouldn’t make him any warmer – or any better looking….“The Utopians fail to understand…how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep.” This quote explains that in Thomas More’s Utopia everybody would wear the exact same clothing. Since everybody would wear the same clothing people wouldn't get a chance to express themselves and if everything would always be the same, people living in his utopia may lose their own individualism. They would become more like robots than people. Not only will that but, life without any changes quickly become uninteresting and boring. Finally, some ideas for a utopia from Thomas More does meet my expectations of a utopia but, in my utopia instead of forcing everyone to wear the same thing I would allow the people to wear anything they want so they can express their themselves as an individual.
ReplyDeleteCaroline O B2
I don't think I would want to live in Thomas More's utopia because of the individuality. If everybody wore the same clothes and had the followed the same religion, life would get boring. The reason I love living in a place like America is because I can be whatever religion I want, and I can wear what I want, (to a certain extent.) I agree that we idolize people because of their fame and stature, but without those things, there would be no way to differentiate people. There would be no way to move up in the world.
ReplyDeleteKaleb B. 5A
I would like living in Thomas More's Utopia because it gives complete equality. Everyone has the same job and importance which doesn't cause laziness or greed. The workers work 6 hours a day and receive free meals and clothing. More's utopia was not how I imagined it would be. When I think of a utopia I picture everyone in nice clothing with plenty of money for themselves. In Utopia everyone has the same bland clothes for a few years and no one has money because it is seen as a cause of stress.“What sort of justice do you call this? People like aristocrats, goldsmiths, or money-lenders, who either do no work at all, or do work that’s not really essential, are rewarded for their laziness…by a splendid life of luxury. But laborers, coachmen, carpenters, and farmhands, who never stop working like cart-horses, as jobs so essential that if they did stop working, they’d bring the country to a standstill within twelve months – what happens to them?
ReplyDeleteJules B. 2B
I would like to live in Thomas More’s Utopia. Everything in it is equal and no one has more power over another person. Everyone has the same job and same work hours (6 hours). They do not get paid because there is no money in More’s Utopia. There is no money because it is seen as a cause of stress and anxiety. Also, everyone has the same, bland clothing as each other for a few years because More sees no need for many fancy and unnecessary outfits. “What sort of justice do you call this? People like aristocrats, goldsmiths, or money-lenders, who either do no work at all, or do work that’s not really essential, are rewarded for their laziness…by a splendid life of luxury. But laborers, coachmen, carpenters, and farmhands, who never stop working like cart-horses, as jobs so essential that if they did stop working, they’d bring the
ReplyDeletecountry to a standstill within twelve months – what happens to them?”
Jules B. 2B
I would want to live in Thomas More's Utopia because it has many benefits. “For obviously the end of money means the end of all those types of criminal behavior which daily punishments are powerless to check: fraud, theft, burglary, brawls, riots, disputes, rebellion, murder, treason, and black magic. And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights. Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear if money ceased to exist.”
ReplyDelete(p.111-2) In Utopia money has no value. I completely agree with Thomas More that without the money all of the crime and stress would automatically disappear. It's great that this Utopia is not based off of money. Also, the government in Utopia provides for the people. An example of that is the free hospitals for the citizens. There is no private property in utopia so everyone shares it. The people of Utopia have the freedom to practice any religion they would like. everyone in Utopia rotates their jobs every week or so. This way everyone gets an equal opportunity to do every job. The citizens are all equal because there are so social classes, however there is one ruler and that ruler rules for life unless they commit a crime. In that case they immediately get ousted from their position of authority. Life in Utopia is very simple and everyone learns to appreciate the little things in life.
I would not want to live in the society described in Thomas More's Utopia. I feel this way because there is little self-expression and individuality. One example of this is Thomas More's quote, “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour – the natural colour of wool…So whereas in other countries you won’t find anyone satisfied with less than five or six suits and as many silk shirts, while dressy types want over ten of each, your Utopian is content with a single piece of clothing every two years. For why should he want more? They wouldn’t make him any warmer – or any better looking….“The Utopians fail to understand…how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep.” What he is stating in this quote is that a person's clothing does not define who he is nor has any real benefits. In addition, he explained that everyone should wear the same, plain clothes in order to maintain equality. Though I understand how this would have positive effects, it does not meet my expectations of a utopia because one cannot express who they are on the outside. In my opinion, people should have a choice of what they want to wear and have the option to dress differently than others.
ReplyDeleteJane U. 4B
I would not want to live in the society described in Thomas More’s Utopia. One quote More states is, “And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork and sleepless nights. Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear is money ceased to exist.” More says without money, most of the problems in our society today would simply vanish. However money is the reason people are working nowadays. Without money everyone would simply sit at home and our world would be a dump. More also says if there is money, everyone should be paid equally and all the money should be shared. People might not put in the same amount of effort as they had before since they know they will be paid and all of the community’s wealth will be distributed. I personally believe money is what it holding our society together.
ReplyDeleteNeha T.
A5
Taylor R. B2
ReplyDeleteI would want to live in Thomas More's utopia. There are many reasons why I would want to live in his utopia; there is very little crime, no social classes, no inequalities, everyone works, free hospitals, and above it all, no stress, no hunger, and no greed. This is the kinda of world that we should be living in. Everyone would be happy, there would be no bad feelings. But, even though this is a " perfect world", it does not meet my expectations of a "perfect world". In his utopia, everyone dresses the same, there is freedom of religion but you cannot be an atheist, you cannot be an individual. In my utopia, people would have the freedom express themselves and be whoever they want to be, and they would not be judged by the way they look or how much money they have. “To tell you the truth…I don’t see how you can ever get any real justice or prosperity, so long as…everything’s judged in terms of money…" No, More's utopia does not meet my standards of a "perfect world", but it comes pretty close. I think the world would be a much happier and easier place to live in, if we lived in his utopia.
I wouldn't really want to live in his version of a utopia for various reasons. The main one is that everyone learns the same, no one can be taught differently, so there's no way to decipher a certian path of life. “One of the greatest problems of our time is that many are schooled but few are educated.” Meaning that you can be taught something, but you can't always learn it. You can teach children, but you can't make them choose, they pick what they must. Here, there's no individuality, so being here would be too dull and boring for my taste.
ReplyDeleteJulia S. 2B
Sumaarg Pandya - 2b
ReplyDeleteI would not like to live in Thomas More's Utopia because it eliminates choice from society. With individuality, creativity is nonexistent which stops the progress of mankind. Thomas More states, "Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years." Even clothing, which is the first indicator of your personality, is restricted in his Utopia. It would not meet my expectations as a Utopia because it goes against human nature. We naturally form opinions, ideas, and contradictions. Even though everyone is equally benefited, it might also give incentive to not work as hard. Finally, I believe that ingenuity will seize from a monotonous world. Instead, I feel a true Utopia is the world we are living in now, without conflict. There will still be opinions, but less violent, forceful solutions.
I would not want to live in Thomas More's Utopia because his utopia isn't really a utopia. Primarily, not utopia should have people that can't express their individuality. Everyone is entitled to wear whatever they want, and choose their job of interest. “And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights..." Thomas More believes that if money is eliminated then poverty will be eliminated too. This may be a benefit but if one really thinks it has some problems. For example, if everyone works a job and then at the end they're payment is food then a person who only works in the field which requires little knowledge and a person who is working to save lives will both receive an equal payment even though the one who is saving lives is working harder. In addition, the same routine everyday gets boring especially when people can't choose what job occupation they would like to hold. Also, everyone's uniqueness is robbed because all people have to wear the same clothes, live in the same kind of house and there is no distinction between people. Even though this eliminates judging that's always going to be a part of life and if one keeps trying to avoid being judged he is living a hollow life. Clearly, Thomas More's idea of a perfect world isn't so perfect.
ReplyDeleteYoshi A A5
I would not want to live in Thomas More's Utopia because his utopia isn't really a utopia. Primarily, not utopia should have people that can't express their individuality. Everyone is entitled to wear whatever they want, and choose their job of interest. “And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights..." Thomas More believes that if money is eliminated then poverty will be eliminated too. This may be a benefit but if one really thinks it has some problems. For example, if everyone works a job and then at the end they're payment is food then a person who only works in the field which requires little knowledge and a person who is working to save lives will both receive an equal payment even though the one who is saving lives is working harder. In addition, the same routine everyday gets boring especially when people can't choose what job occupation they would like to hold. Also, everyone's uniqueness is robbed because all people have to wear the same clothes, live in the same kind of house and there is no distinction between people. Even though this eliminates judging that's always going to be a part of life and if one keeps trying to avoid being judged he is living a hollow life. Clearly, Thomas More's idea of a perfect world isn't so perfect.
ReplyDeleteYoshi A A5
I would want to live in Thomas More’s utopia because of this quote; “Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear if money ceased to exist.” More states that if there’s no more money, then people wouldn’t be poor, or be in poverty. I feel that this is a very good factor to be considered in a utopia. If there were no money, then most of the world’s problems would be gone. No more poverty, no more owing money, and no more problems with taking care of your family. There are a lot of cases that spouses cannot take care of their families because of a lack of money, so they turn to stealing which is another major world problem that would be fixed in More’s Utopia. Even though this one factor doesn’t meet my standards for my utopia, it is a good start!
ReplyDeleteAmber A.
Block 2B
I would enjoy living in the society described in Thomas More's Utopia. One benefit is that everyone dresses the same. This saves many people from being judged because they cannot insult someones outfit if it is the same thing they are wearing. Another benefit of More's Utopian society is that there is little crime and very rarely will they go to war. There is no such thing as private property in Utopia instead everything is shared which makes them a more united community. Money and riches are not important to the people of Utopian societies. Thomas More expresses, "And the moment money goes, you can also say goodbye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights." They believe that money can only cause problems and choose to live without it.
ReplyDeleteMaddie M B5
I would like to live in a utopia described by Thomas More because in a utopia, everyone is equal. It doesn't matter what sex the person was, everyone would still be treated equally. Also, you don't need money to be happy in a utopia. You can be happy with the things you have. Finally, you don't get to work a lot! Now who wouldn't like that? The two first points are shown in this quote said by More, "The Utopians fail to understand why anyone should be so fascinated by the dull gleam of a tiny bit of stone, when he has all the stars in the sky to look at - or how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn by sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep." More basically said that in a utopia, people wouldn't be excited to see a piece of gold or diamond, and that Utopians don't see why people put themselves higher than others because of what they are wearing, and I agree with what he said. This meets my expectations, and even goes beyond because everyone is equal and not working as much as others not in a utopia.
ReplyDeleteAditya O. 5A
I would not want to live in Thomas More's Utopia because his description is dull and has a lack of uniqueness. Thomas More once said “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour – the natural colour of wool…So whereas in other countries you won’t find anyone satisfied with less than five or six suits and as many silk shirts, while dressy types want over ten of each, your Utopian is content with a single piece of clothing every two years. For why should he want more? They wouldn’t make him any warmer – or any better looking….“The Utopians fail to understand…how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep.” This quote can be perceived two ways. One way would be telling people that a Utopian society is beneficial because they don't understand why someone would rank themselves higher up based on their clothes and showing that Utopians don't judge someone based on their appearance because they all look the same. The way I perceived this quote was that Thomas More was saying everyone wore the same oversized clothes, same color, same style and no one was different and that's the reason they didn't judge based on appearance because they all looked the same. To me that is taking away my individuality and freedom of expression. I wouldn't want to live in Thomas More's utopia because I wouldn't be able to wear what I want, be spontaneous and express myself. Thomas More's utopia does not meet my expectations of a utopia mainly due to its lack of individuality and privacy. Everyone moves and works together as one unit and there is no originality. There is no way to stand out in his idea of a utopia yet at the same time it takes no effort to blend it.
ReplyDeleteClaudia T. B2
Anna S 2B
ReplyDeleteMixed feelings come across me when I think of Thomas More’s image of Utopia. I have more pros than cons for this topic, and therefore I would like to live in Utopia. This Utopia is very laid back and does not have a lot of stress, which contains us as humans today. Now poverty, which affects 46.5 million Americans and the number, is still growing. The con of Utopia is not being able to expression and having a simple life, but a simple life is better. Additionally, we are all equal with no social classes so there is no reason to fight. Thomas More says,” For obviously the end of money means the end of all those types of criminal behavior.” This quote proves that since everyone is equal there is no reason to steal. To conclude, I would want to live in Utopia, because everyone has a free chance and you live a simple life with the level of equalness.
For me, I would not want to live in a Utopia. I am a very artsy person, and in a Utopia, no one is allowed to be unique, everyone is the same, and everyone owns the same things. This means, for a VPA student like myself, I wouldn’t be allowed to be unique or be myself. I would be forced to act and own things like everyone else. Life in Utopia is extremely boring, and I wouldn’t be able to survive in a boring environment. I need excitement, and fun things. Also, I wouldn’t be able to express myself. In Utopia, everyone has to own the same things, dress the same way, and for me and my life, I like to express my life in the way I dress, and in the things I own. “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at
ReplyDeleteleast seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour – the
natural colour of wool…So whereas in other countries you won’t find
anyone satisfied with less than five or six suits and as many silk shirts,
while dressy types want over ten of each, your Utopian is content with a
single piece of clothing every two years. For why should he want more?
They wouldn’t make him any warmer – or any better looking….“The
Utopians fail to understand…how anyone can be silly enough to think
himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer
woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn
by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep.”
(p. 59, 69)
Marc Anthony Minichino
World History Block 5A
Brandon H. Block 4B
ReplyDeleteI would not want to live in a society like a Utopia because it doesn’t have everything that a person wants and it doesn’t always live up to its name. It is good because everyone is equal and peaceful, but no one has that much color or entertainment. People who wear the same uniforms don’t have an opportunity to express themselves. Also, if nobody has a lot of entertainment then everything will look plain and dull. It doesn’t meet my expectations of a Utopia because of it not living up to its name. More states, “The end of money means the end of all those types of criminal behavior.” Even without money there will always be crime in some way. There are many other reasons why people murder other people. Also, people rob other things besides money. So the Utopia doesn’t live up to its name because of never ending crime no matter what you take away.
Based on the uniformity of Thomas Moore's idea of a utopia I don't think I could handle living in that kind of society. Mainly the lack of individuality is what draws me away from living in a utopia. Even though I wouldn't want to live in a utopia, Thomas Moore's idea of a utopia is almost exactly what I think a utopia should be. “Pride thinks its own happiness shines the brighter, by comparing it with the misfortunes of other persons; that by displaying its own wealth they may feel their poverty the more sensibly.” I think that this quote perfectly explains why I would not want to live in a utopia, because you can’t always go without material objects and just feel good about yourself without resemblance of your good doings.
ReplyDeleteSteven V. 4B
No, I would not want to live in Thomas More’s Utopia. In his Utopia, nobody can express themselves, and there are no advances. Everything stays the same. “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour – the natural colour of wool…” (p. 59, 69) In current society, there is much debate over uniforms in school. Uniforms make everyone the same, but hamper the student’s creativity. Everyone express themselves in some way, shape, or form. The clothes one wears, the music one listens to, the art one creates or enjoys, the thoughts one speaks all define who one being is and to take one of those outlets away would be far worse than what Sir More thinks of European society and money. Regardless of money which Sir More considers to create classes between citizens, Utopians would still have feelings and need an outlet. Eventually, there would be someone who wanted differently, and even if they were suppressed, they would be a spark to an unimaginable fire. It would be like the society in the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, where everyone in the “District” is of the same class for the most part, but the “Capitol” is rich and suppresses everyone. The main character Katniss, inspired a revolution, and eventually overthrows the “Capitol”. Someone in Utopian society would be Katniss, and the citizens would overthrow the idea of Utopian society, to start over again with a new society.
ReplyDeleteCori C
5A
I would live in Thomas More's Utopia. It would seem more logical to live in his Utopia, rather than our own. Thomas More says that in his Utopia, there would be a more logical way of punishing criminals. For example, he says, "This method [the death penalty] of dealing with thieves is both unjust and socially undesirable. As a punishment it’s too severe, and as a deterrent it’s quite ineffective." What Thomas More is saying is that harsh punishments to criminals is just pointless. Giving them such a harsh punishment doesn't mean they won't do whatever crime they did again. Thomas More gives an example of a person who was given a harsh punishment, "Petty Larceny isn’t bad enough to deserve the death penalty, and no penalty on earth will stop people from stealing, if it’s their only way of getting food." He is saying that no charge will stop him from getting what he wants, or committing the crime. Thomas then implements other ways to punish them. He says, "Instead of inflicting these horrible punishments, it would be far more to the point to provide everyone with some means of livelihood, so that nobody’s under the frightful necessity of becoming first a thief and then a corpse. What Thomas is saying is that he wants the criminal to experience more of a lenient punishment. He doesn't want them to be a bad person, and then have to die right after. Overall, Thomas More's idea sounds more logical than todays. I think people should receive a better and less harsh punishment for their crimes.
ReplyDeleteVictor C. B5
I would not like to live in a "Utopia" like envisioned by Sir Thomas More. Although everyone is equal and there is almost no crime, we would not have any room to grow in terms on technology, and as people. We would not create anything new as that would not fit into the Utopian way of living. We wouldn't have more than necessary like with clothing, money or food because money is almost has almost no value since everyone has the same everything. We would have no variety like not being able to own and wear different clothing. Also, since we can't make things or make discoveries, we, as individuals cannot progress. We are also not able to be ourselves if we were structured like this. More said, "The Utopians fail to understand why anyone should be so fascinated by the dull gleam of a tiny bit of stone, when he has all the stars in the sky to look at - or how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread then theirs". Something like this is odd even to society today! But, this is an opinion. You cannot change a complete society's opinion even if you tried. You could never change what someone thinks no matter how hard you try.
ReplyDeleteEmily C
Block:A5
I would not like to live in a "Utopia" like envisioned by Sir Thomas More. Although everyone is equal and there is almost no crime, we would not have any room to grow in terms on technology, and as people. We would not create anything new as that would not fit into the Utopian way of living. We wouldn't have more than necessary like with clothing, money or food because money is almost has almost no value since everyone has the same everything. We would have no variety like not being able to own and wear different clothing. Also, since we can't make things or make discoveries, we, as individuals cannot progress. We are also not able to be ourselves if we were structured like this. More said, "The Utopians fail to understand why anyone should be so fascinated by the dull gleam of a tiny bit of stone, when he has all the stars in the sky to look at - or how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread then theirs". Something like this is odd even to society today! But, this is an opinion. You cannot change a complete society's opinion even if you tried. You could never change what someone thinks no matter how hard you try.
ReplyDeleteEmily C
Block:A5
After reading some utopian books like The Giver, I wouldn’t like to live in the society described by Thomas More. The whole human way of being yourself is completely taken away. Everyone would have to wear plain gray clothing and share everything. No one owning anything would cause chaos within a few couple of minutes. He says that his society would be God’s design but, I bet if God saw the outcome of applying the Utopian way of life he would disagree with it.
ReplyDeleteBrett Boon A5
After reading some utopian books like The Giver, I wouldn’t like to live in the society described by Thomas More. The whole human way of being yourself is completely taken away. Everyone would have to wear plain gray clothing and share everything. No one owning anything would cause chaos within a few couple of minutes. He says that his society would be God’s design but, I bet if God saw the outcome of applying the Utopian way of life he would disagree with it.
ReplyDeleteBrett Boon A5
No, I would not like to live in a utopia that was described by Thomas More. There is many reasons behind this. Thomas More once said “The end of money means the end of all those types of criminal behavior.” This may be true, but how will we get things without some sort of payment? We will have to trade goods like in the past. People will still steal, but they will steal different things. Also, a “perfect” world is no fun. Everyone dresses the same, acts the same, and has no personal flare. A world without creativity is a world I don’t want to live in.
ReplyDeleteKristin Biamonte 2B
I would not like to live the Utopian society depicted by Thomas Moore because there is no originality in anything that was done. Everyone wore the same simple grey clothes for years and did the routine day after day. No one could own anything and would need to share their belongings with all their neighbors. You also did not have full freedom of religion, especially if you were an atheist. This does not meet my expectations of a utopia because my definition would be a clean and pure environment that houses a diverse population of different shapes, sizes, races, religions, beliefs, and traditions. That way everyone can learn from one another about different people and cultures. Also a place where nobody would be judged for what they wear, say, do, or believe. Everybody would be able to express their individuality and not be discriminated for the way they are. Moore's final words were, "The King's good servant, but God's first." I believe that his perfect society embedded what would be a very religious place. With everyone being the same and no discrimination between the people, it is an ideal living situation for living with the Bible. God encourages a very simple life and that embodies what the Bible preaches: being simple in all material possessions, sharing everything you own, helping others, focusing on religion, and not judging. This depiction of a utopia is not very modern, but embodies in what a religious pilgrim might do to return to the time of the Bible.
ReplyDeleteJamie T.
B4
Thomas More states: “Pride thinks its own happiness shines the brighter, by comparing it with the misfortunes of other persons; that by displaying its own wealth they may feel their poverty the more sensibly.” I feel that this quote properly summarizes some of the major issues of More’s society - although, it was supposed to be perceived in a positive light. To paraphrase this quote, it basically states that being self-fulfilled is inferior to kindness. I would not want to live in Thomas More’s Utopia. I feel that it is annoyingly lazy and un-achieving. In a world where all humans are equal no matter what, do they ever live or achieve anything? What is their motivation? What is the point of living a lifetime if it isn’t to be fulfilling? It only consists of pleasantness, and this can never be able to satisfy all human needs and functions. I would easily rather live in an unpleasant society and face struggles than be a pleasure-filled zombie in More’s Utopian society.
ReplyDeleteSarah Carlson 2B
I would not wish to live in the Utopia described by Thomas More because it has no privacy, the ruler is chosen by a secret ballot, and everyone must dress the same. In this Utopia, the land would be shared by everyone and no one would have privacy or private property, others could roam on the land of others without a thought. The ruler would be chosen by a secret ballot and would rule for life. Someone might cheat and the community would have a bad ruler for life, then some may result to killing him and end up starting a war. Finally there would be no difference between the ways people dress. “Their working clothes are just too loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour- the natural colour of wool… So whereas in other countries you won’t find anyone satisfied with less than five or six suits and as many silk shirts, while dressy types want over ten of each, your Utopian is content with a single piece of clothing every two years… ” If the world were to live in this society the way Thomas More wants us to live there would be no individualism and no personal value. We would all be zombies roaming a land thinking that we were happy. Truthfully, we would not be.
ReplyDeleteFaith Hoos :) 2B
I, personally, would like to live in Thomas More’s utopian society. This is because there is no starvation or poverty. Right now, in our world, there are many people unable to make money and put food on the table. In More’s utopian society, people do not need to die because of starvation. Also, people are relaxed and not stressed out. This will make people a lot happier and less grouchy. Even though there is no individualism, people can live stress free lives in Thomas More’s utopian society.
ReplyDeleteVandana V.
Block 2B
Personally, I would not want to live in Thomas Moore's Utopia. I wouldn't want to because you have very little freedom and I would feel like I had none there. I also like choosing what to wear, especially since I get cold very easily, I wouldn't want just the one article to wear for 2+ years. I also feel like there would be very little or no privacy in that community, and I like having some privacy. I would not want to eat a meal with the whole community every night too.
ReplyDeleteWhen he said, “[how can anyone] be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep.”
He is saying that he means that it doesn't matter what clothes you are wearing because they were all made from the same thread.
Willow J 2B
Thomas More's idea of a "utopia" is one that does not seem enticing to me. His ideas are not one that would lead to a utopia, but rather a dystopian society. First of all, something that strikes me as a teenager, is the fact that everyone would have to wear the same plain, grey clothing. I am a firm believer that everyone should be able to express themselves, and by taking away the freedom of expression through clothing, you are violating human rights. Though it would prevent bullying and lead to more equality, it would only be disastrous in the end.
ReplyDeleteAnother idea that I believe would lead to the demise of the society is the idea of there being no money. What is the human race without economy or trade? Though many people believe that money is the root of all evil (and fear, tension, anxiety and overwork, according to Thomas More), in reality the termination of economy would lead to overall anarchy. It is human nature to want to be greater than our peers, to succeed. Without money or opportunities to succeed, humans would drive themselves insane. Thomas More's idea of a utopia is a ridiculous, as is any utopian idea. No society can make every person perfectly happy. There will always be rebellion, war, hatred and evil in the world. These are things we cannot escape. Humans need to learn to accept that fact and try to embrace the good in the world. Rather than trying to make our societies perfect, we should accept what we have and be happy.
Catherine Leckie B4
DeleteThinking about what Thomas More's utopia is, I would hate to live in it. “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at
ReplyDeleteleast seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour – the
natural colour of wool…So whereas in other countries you won’t find anyone satisfied with less than five or six suits and as many silk shirts,
while dressy types want over ten of each, your Utopian is content with a single piece of clothing every two years. For why should he want more?
They wouldn’t make him any warmer – or any better looking….“The Utopians fail to understand…how anyone can be silly enough to think
himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn
by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep.” (p. 59, 69). In the quote it says that people have to wear the same clothings, to my i relate it to school uniforms. Thankfully our school doesn't have school uniforms, but the problem with uniforms is that people can't be origional and expressing themself. My Expectations for a utopia is a place with no crime, everything is perfect and planned and nothing goes wrong.
Derek D 4B
I would not want to live in Thomas More’s Utopia. In More’s Utopia you dont have the ability to be your own person. More says, “And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork and sleepless nights. Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear is money ceased to exist.” He is saying that without money we wouldnt have all the problems we have in life today. I disagreesp becuase without money we can do nothing in life. Money is what we need to get the things we enjoy in life what creates our ideal Utopia.
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn H 4B
I would like to live in Thomas More’s Utopia because everyone would be equal. I agree with Thomas’ quote, “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour-the natural colour of wool....The Utopians fail to understand... how anyone can be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep.” Instead of everyone being judged on what brand of clothing they wear, everyone just wears the same clothing as each other. What type of clothes someone wears does not determine who they are as a person. It does not make anyone better because they have a better quality clothing brand. Also, random people who do not do anything in life are famous and being worshiped. So many people work so hard and they get no recognition, meanwhile there are people out there famous for making fools out of themselves on the television. In Utopia, money would not matter so everyone would be treated equally and no one would be “better” then someone else because they are wealthier than others. I am definitely on Thomas’ side and I would love to live in his Utopia.
ReplyDeleteSydnie D. 4B
I personally can't decide because there are good and bad points. Some bad points are no individuality and you can not move up in social levels . On the other hand there are good points like peace and not competing for popularity in the sense of clothing. “For obviously the end of money means the end of all those types of criminal behavior which daily punishments are powerless to check: fraud, theft, burglary, brawls, riots, disputes, rebellion, murder, treason, and black magic. And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights. Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear if money ceased to exist.”. This quote says that without money there would be no crime and without crime greater peace can be achieved that is why I am leaning more towards yes.
ReplyDeleteJohn W. 4B
In some ways I would like to live in a society described in Thomas More's Utopia, and in other ways I would not. I would like to live in his Utopia because “the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork and sleepless nights." I also would like to live his Utopia because everyone would be treated equally, and nobody would get bullied or hurt by others. Another reason would be because there would be no war, fighting, and there would be a very strong leader. Also, in his utopia people have freedom of religion. Although this may seem like the "perfect place," in some ways I wouldn't like to live there. I wouldn't like to live there because you cant express yourself as an individual. Everyone would wear the same clothes, look the same, and act the same. Also because hard work and success wouldn't matter. In some ways I agree with Thomas More's ideal Utopia, and in some ways I don't.
ReplyDeleteNicole Dambra 4B
I would not want to live in the society that Thomas More describes in Utopia as it has a flawed system, and removes most joys in life. The biggest flaw in the system is the lack of money. More claims that this would put an end to most conflicts, including riots, brawls, and disputes (111-112). This philosophy makes society seem much simpler than it is. Not every dispute is caused by money. People have disagreements on preferences, sports, and many other things. Also, money is the reason why people work. The lack of it doesn’t shift people’s focus to the greater good, it just makes them feel as if there is no reason to work, as it won’t benefit themselves. In addition to the flawed system, a society like this would not be able to experience happiness, because happiness doesn’t exist if not compared to sadness. In a society like this where the goal is to eliminate sadness, happiness is eliminated in the process. People feel sad others wear more expensive clothing, so More proposes that they all wear the same clothing. Now, the satisfaction of purchasing luxury clothes no longer exists. If you found a diamond in More’s Utopia, you wouldn’t feel the excitement that you would if you found one in today’s society. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without the joys of life, especially if the potential for chaos still exists in it.
ReplyDeleteAbhijit B. Block 2B
I would want to live in a utopic society. “Utopians consider medicine one of the most interesting and important departments of science – and, as they see it, the scientific investigation of nature is not only a most enjoyable process, but also the best possible method of pleasing the Creator." I think a world like this would be great, where we could focus more on science than on war. I think the main argument people have is that people in a utopia wouldn't know what happiness is, but I think that it's better to live in a perfect world than to know happiness.
ReplyDeleteAlexander McWilliams 4B
I would 100% live in Sir. Thomas More's utopia. Not only is it, officiant, but everyone can just be themselves. In a way there is no judging, there is no worry. Everyone has a certain place, and its not a bad one. For example, Thomas More's mentions money, and how when its eliminated...“For obviously the end of money means the end of all those types of criminal behavior which daily punishments are powerless to check: fraud, theft, burglary, brawls, riots, disputes, rebellion, murder, treason, and black magic. And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights. Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear if money ceased to exist.” (p.111-2) that all crime is gone for good. This can be very true. While nowadays, people are robbing banks, murder, and so on. Our life can go on peacefully, and happier with the use of money. With a hard working job, and a pair of over-alls i think life would be simple. Yet perfect.
ReplyDeleteValerie A. 4B
Thomas More's utopia isn't what I would call a "perfect world". Everyone living in More's utopia would be clones of each other. Almost as if someone copy and pasted one person a couple times in order to make a population. They wear the same outfits and have the same jobs. No one posses individuality or expresses who they really are. Then again, do they even know who they really are? I've grown up in a society where gay marriage is on the verge of being approved and it's socially acceptable to die your hair neon green if you wanted to. If you walk around New York City, you'll find people with all different colored hair, tattoos that cover their body, piercings, and different types of clothing. These are all ways of expressing yourself and your opinions. To me, living in a society where you live your life thinking about being your own person instead of being one would be a living hell. My idea of Utopia is very different than anybody else's I'm sure. I would actually not want equality (at least not financially/successfully). There needs to be people that I can look up to. People that inspire me to be a better person. Without improvement, life would be boring. What would I be working towards? My ideal Utopia is also where people keep religion hidden. You are free to believe in whatever you want but making it publicly known causes problems, fights and wars. Other than that my Utopia would be the same as More's as in no war, and no discrimination. Thomas More's idea of Utopia was probably perfect to the people living in the time that he thought about it, but times have changed. We live in a generation of open-minds and individuality. Everyone wearing "working clothes that are loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years" is not ideal for this day and age.
ReplyDeleteJanelle G. 4B
I would not like to live an Utopia that Thomas More describes. Utopia's seem to be "perfect", but lack many of the necessary characteristics to our current day lives. They are drastically bland, and everyone is the same. One thing that I have gotten out of life is that everyone must be different in order to survive. One must have to be at a higher amount of knowledge to teach an undereducated man. I would never want to rule under a place where I had to believe in some form of a god, but not be able to be atheist. I can only be so loyal and up to expectations of my parents; ultimately I am my own ruler and I am in control of myself. "The Kings good servant, but God comes first." This quote by Thomas More inspires me a lot considering how I see my parents as "Royals & Rulers of me" and I see myself, in a sense, as "my own god". I make my own life choices and choose paths that will lead me to inspiring times.
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn Gilchrist
2B
Tess F. 2B
ReplyDeleteI would not want to live in Thomas More's version of a Utopia. According to him, individuality is wrong and being spontaneous is frowned upon. These two factors are a major part of first-world societies today. Also, another big issue is More's version of a Utopia includes no privacy. I, however, am one of those people who thrive on privacy. Which means I would not want to sleep in the same room as everyone in, say, Parsippany. More once said, "The King's good servant, but God's First." I disagree with this because in my opinion, religion is not always the most important thing in one's life. And I feel like More is conveying that religion would be one of the major parts of his Utopia. When I hear the word "Utopia" I generally think of something really futuristic. Everything is plastered in chrome, there are flying cars and hoverboards, and five out of every ten buildings look like the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington. Everyone has standard clothes and gets a standard education on clear iPads and have holograms for teachers. The subway doesn't exist, instead it's the monorail. But just because this is what I picture when I think of a Utopia doesn't mean I would want to live in it either. I guess it kind of meets More's Utopia in the sense that there's no real individuality and I wouldn't exactly want to be there. To conclude, I like how our cities are set up today, in the twenty-first century, and I'm not looking for a Utopia anytime soon.
I definitely would not want live in Thomas Moore's Utopian society. After reading The Giver, I understand that these types of society's completely cloud people's minds to everything out there in the real world. People don't know what love is, because they never have experienced hate. The don't know what peace is, because they've never experienced war. Human beings would be closed minded. We wouldn't have any problems, meaning that there is no reason to look for new technology to solve problems, or make life better when it is perfect. There would be no reason to try to understand what life itself even means, because there are no hardships that make people question their existence or consciousness. Yes, money would solve many problems in the world, but humans at their core like rewards for things they do. It is a part of our nature.
ReplyDelete“For obviously the end of money means the end of all those types of criminal behavior which daily punishments are powerless to check: fraud, theft, burglary, brawls, riots, disputes, rebellion, murder, treason, and black magic. And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights. Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear if money ceased to exist.”
This quote does make some very good points, but in today's modern society, if we found out some way to turn any element into any other element, nothing would have value. It would be such a shock on modern humans that I don't think we would be able to cope with it at all.
I would not want to live in Thomas More’s utopia. This is because his utopia is great in contrast to mine. For example, his utopia has no room for self expression or individuality, shown in the quote: “Their working clothes are just loose-fitting overalls, which last for at least seven years. When they go about in public, they cover these rough garments with a sort of cloak, which is always the same colour – the natural colour of wool…” More’s utopian society would be a nightmare for me. Although his utopia would be solve many economic issues and equality, his society would include a dull and unhappy life for me as well as others. In my opinion, a utopia would have people decide what they wear and do in life, so long as they are happy, equal, and ethical.
ReplyDeleteArcenia P 4B
I would definitely not want to live in Thomas More's Utopia. Although there are many pros to living in Thomas More's Utopia, the cons are not acceptable. If I had to live in his utopia I could never be my own person or respect myself. Everyone would basically be the same person and have all the same stuff. People wouldn't be able to express themselves through clothing because everyone would have to wear the same exact thing every day. If those cons weren't factors of living in his utopia, then I would like to live there. I would like to live there because no one would be judged by wealth because everyone would have the same amount of money. No one could "judge a book by its cover." The people who do more important work for society would be cared about more. Thomas More once said, "And the moment money goes, you can also say good-bye to fear, tension, anxiety, overwork, and sleepless nights. Why, even poverty itself, the one problem that has always seemed to need money for its solution, would promptly disappear if money ceased to exist." In the quote, Thomas More explains that in order for a utopia to form, money would have to disappear. This is practically impossible, so therefore, society will never be perfect. This is good because life isn't supposed to be perfect. Humans are supposed to learn from their mistakes and go through countless struggles. Thomas More's Utopia is not realistic to me.
ReplyDeleteLaura S. A5
I would and would not like to live in Thomas More's utopia for several reasons. I would live there because it supports equality and simple living. I would not live there because it also means that if you work extra hard, you still get the same reward. Also, a quote states that, "I'm the king's servant but I'm god's first" but that means you are someone's servant, therefore no equality. I'm very iffy about his idea of a utopia.
ReplyDeleteAditya Ambole 4B
I would want to live in Thomas Moore Utopian society for reason that we don't use a lot today. Firstly in Thomas Moore's utopia has the same clothing no one is not unequal with each other regardless of what happens in the community. Secondly in Thomas Moore's utopia money does not exist so most of the problems that happen today in modern society and it would problem lead to a decrease in crime and war between each other. Lastly even though there will be no money the children and adults will have entertainment in their village and also they would have diamonds and gold as toys. Therefore the villagers would be able to live equally and untied with each other.
ReplyDeleteMiguel Q. B4
I would not want to live in Saint Thomas More's utopia because i feel like this could, would ,and should never happen. In his utopia he wants all money to be spread evenly. I do not agree with this because some people work harder than others yet some are greedy they had to work to get anywhere near what people would call "Rich". This keeps people saying hard work pays off. alsowhen he said "Many people are schooled but not many are educated i do agree with this because sometimes school can't teach people to learn or to know what they are doing . Saint thomas more was correct by standing up for what he believed in over the king because he believed in god, this means he is stubborn this is a good and bad thing at times. In my oppinion his utopia is very liberal and not what i believe should happen. this is also very nonrealistic.
ReplyDeleteTom B. 4b
ReplyDeleteI would not want to live in Thomas mores utopian society. This is because in his view of a perfect society everyone is the same in many unreasonable ways. Such as everyone would wear the same sad depressing clothing. ”Their working clothes are just loose fitting overalls, witch last for at least seven years. When they go out in public, they wear a sort of cloak; witch is always the same color- the natural color of wool…” a utopia can still have equality with some form of diversity and individualism.
Jesse V. 4b
I would definitely not want to live in Thomas More's utopia. One reason is because his utopia seems to do everything as a community. I want to have privacy, this utopia doesn't give you a single bit of that. Another reason is individualism. If everyone acted the same and looked the same, life would be boring and dull and wouldn't be much fun. Lastly, having different jobs would suck, really badly. I would want to have the same job I liked everyday instead of different jobs I possibly don't like. For example, I'm not a strong, at all. I would hate if I was a mover because I wouldn't be good at it and I don't like it. I'm so glad I don't have to live in Sir Thomas More's utopia.
ReplyDeleteIsaiah R. 2B
I have very mixed feelings about living in Thomas More's utopia. I would want to live there because there is a strong sense of equality, and nobody judges you for who you are. I would not want to live there because the people that work harder than normal, and the people who don't work at all, get the same exact reward. One of his quotes states that "I am the king's servant, but god's first." This states that there still an imbalance of equality. I don't know whether I want to live in his utopia or not.
ReplyDeleteAditya Ambole 4B
Even though i was not in class on the day of this activity, from what I've read of Thomas Moore's life is that he believed of a utopian society. In which case I would want to live in his idea of a Utopian society, because then there is little crime and everyone treats each other the same way. In the real society there is a lot of judgmental problems and people are treated differently from one another. In this idea of a Utopian society, this problem would be resolved and we wouldn't have to worry.
ReplyDeleteChris H. 2B
I would not like to live in a Utopian society because There is no expression, their wouldn't be individuality, no way for you to feel special in any way for you are the same as the rest, there is no currency, although this would help keep tension down, there isn't really anything to feel achieved with, nothing to make you say "I worked hard so now I can get that dream house/car/game/pool/hotel/etc.. I've been dreaming of" You cant change yourself, your stuck as you, you wouldn't have anything unique about you. You... wouldn't be, you.
ReplyDelete-Ian Figueroa
Block 5A
I would want to live in a Utopian society, because then everyone would have the same thing. There would be no competition. And in school there would be no bullying because someone is wearing "weird" clothes. His utopia is basically my utopia, so i'm all good.
ReplyDelete"Elsewhere people are always talking about the public interest, but all they really care about is private property. In Utopia, where there's no private property, people take thier duty to the public seriously." (109)