Utopian Societies Can Exist

Lucy Skertchly

Utopian Societies Can Function when:

• You have a strong sense of community, and “communal love”

• You have a similar belief system

“Communal Love” (Don’t be dirty!)

We love our families right?

Ever Consider Why?

• Because they are our family

• We grew up with them

• We are taught by society they are special

• They teach and guide us

What if this was your family?

• Its kind of big, but you love them all!

• Look at how cute your little brothers are!

How About Now?Still love them ALL?

Now?

Of course you love them! They’re family!

Don’t forget everyone else!

Can’t forget about us!

Okay, you get it. You love your family

Remember why?

• Society tells us so

• We grew up with them

• They teach us and guide us

No matter how BIG or small

Utopia’s Agree

• In Plato’s Republic, THERE IS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

(love and respect for one another)

(disregard everything else!)

• If you have a small scale community, where:

• Society told you that you cared for them• You grew up with them• They teach and guide you

…

You could live in a small society where everyone

cared about one another!

So … it may feel a little weird to think we can love that many

people.

THAT’S OKAY

(remember, it’s not sexy love, it’s love and respect love)

So what else comes out of “communal love”?

• A similar belief system

• Similar GOALS

You also need SIMILAR GOALSto make your utopia function

These could be anything:Religion

SustainabilityFamily Values

EthicsFashion

Technology

You need everyone in your community working towards a

common goal

Isn’t that what we do now?

Preparing for the future Getting a good education

Owning a houseHaving a good jobBeing upstanding citizens

Look at Herland

• These women worked towards a common goal, and had similar

values.

• They knew exactly what they wanted from their society.

• They made it work!

WE KNOW FROM OUR LIVES IT’S EASY!

• Every society has common goals.

NOT HARD TO ESTABLISH

EVERYONE IS WORKING TOWARDS THESE GOALS

(REMEMBER – WE CARE ABOUT

EACH OTHER)

So we understand we love one another

We have a common goal established

May I Present …

“The Farm”

The farm is a self sustaining society.

It has been around since the 1970’s

IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A UTOPIAN SOCIETY

(without all the creepy stuff!)

This society has:• Communal love and respect for one

another and for the earth

• A common goal and belief system

GUESS WHAT!?

It is fully functional, and even

has outside influences!

Try something before you put it down.

UTOPIA IS POSSIBLE!

Work Cited• Uwajes. “The Duggars.” Photo. http://media.photobucket.com/image/The%20duggars/uwajes/Duggars-Group.jpg

19 Oct. 2009

• Chicken Mama. “Grandma and Grandpa Steinbach.” Photo. http://www.swampriverridge.com/chickenmama'spaternalancestors 19 Oct. 2009

• Zazzle. “I love my aunt and uncle.” Photo. http://www.zazzle.com/i_love_my_aunt_uncle_button-145678166676170630 19 Oct. 2009

• Venner, Jason. “Hooray!” Photo. http://media.photobucket.com/image/hooray/jasonvenner/hooray.jpg 19 Oct. 2009

• Australian National University. “Goal.” Photo. www.users.rsise.anu.edu.au/.../summerProj0809.html• 19 Oct. 2009

• Bray, Chris. “The Purpose of Worship.” Photo. http://www.chrisbraymusic.com/worship.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ministrylive.org/index.php/2009/01/06/the-worship-war-why-is-it-so-hard-to-see-eye-to-eye-on-worship/&usg=__fv05KF6wN1jzdRYSQBBRnoPrfL0=&h=266&w=400&sz=20&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=X7QOTN5U781hYM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dworship%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den 19 Oct. 2009

• Calvin’s College. “Sustainable Life.” Photo. http://calvinscl.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/sustainability.jpg&imgrefurl=http://calvinscl.wordpress.com/2009/02/&usg=__ACE_j1zy_jj6DSuBVk0dgrp8n0=&h=307&w=308&sz=16&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=IKuUsfjtMmZ_kM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsustainability%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den 19 Oct. 2009

• Plato, "Republic." Utopia Reader. Ed. Gregory Claeys & Lyman Tower Sargent. New York: New York University Press, 1999. Print.

• Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Herland. New York, New York: Signet Classics, 1992. Print.