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bookishwendy 's review for:
Utopia
by Thomas More
The problem with reading a book called "Utopia" is that the reader feels compelled while reading to constantly poke holes in the writer's idealism. We're a bunch of cynics, aren't we, living in our dystopic world, where dystopian fiction has flooded the market to the point where publishers won't touch it with a ten-foot pole anymore if it isn't authored by an Atwood or an Orwell. But when was the last time you read a utopian novel that wasn't actually describing a dystopia in disguise? Utopia, it turns out, means "no place." It doesn't actually exist.
I found this to be a fairly quick and interesting read, especially considering the 1515 publishing date. Taken in the context of its time, with Europe taking tentative steps away from feudalism, I found it fascinating to glimpse flashes of the modern world in some guy's idealistic political mashup fever dream (or is it?), which alternates between "wow, that's so modern!" and "I'll pass on the religious patriarchy, thanks." My favorite part was the discussion of prison reform, although it seems the dialogue has changed little in 500 years. Hey, maybe most crime is caused not by evil people, but by social pressures! Maybe the death penalty isn't an effective deterrent! (wake me up in another 500 years and let me know if any conclusions have been reached).
Thomas More's other conclusion that really needs more traction, in my opinion, is the attitude that places reading books on the same "usefulness to society" level as, say, gardening or tinkering on your car. Just because a hobby has no visible product--a few jars of tomatoes for winter or a "free" oil change, doesn't mean it's a waste of time. If you choose to read this summer instead of killing a batch of peppers, raspberries, and a third of your lawn (that would be me), you still have a place in More's utopia...you just have to find it first.
I found this to be a fairly quick and interesting read, especially considering the 1515 publishing date. Taken in the context of its time, with Europe taking tentative steps away from feudalism, I found it fascinating to glimpse flashes of the modern world in some guy's idealistic political mashup fever dream (or is it?), which alternates between "wow, that's so modern!" and "I'll pass on the religious patriarchy, thanks." My favorite part was the discussion of prison reform, although it seems the dialogue has changed little in 500 years. Hey, maybe most crime is caused not by evil people, but by social pressures! Maybe the death penalty isn't an effective deterrent! (wake me up in another 500 years and let me know if any conclusions have been reached).
Thomas More's other conclusion that really needs more traction, in my opinion, is the attitude that places reading books on the same "usefulness to society" level as, say, gardening or tinkering on your car. Just because a hobby has no visible product--a few jars of tomatoes for winter or a "free" oil change, doesn't mean it's a waste of time. If you choose to read this summer instead of killing a batch of peppers, raspberries, and a third of your lawn (that would be me), you still have a place in More's utopia...you just have to find it first.