What are the elements of a perfect society? The basic Utopia of all people is composed of different ideas based on a person and their wants and desires. However, there is a pattern and formula that can help create the perfect society for anyone. The books that will be used to concoct the formula will base mainly on Utopia by Sir Thomas More and I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. The story of Utopia is based in Europe during the 15th Century. In the story, there is an imaginary island that is stated to have perfect conditions. Perfect systems of organization, legal work, government, everything works in harmony. This is the first part of the perfect society: Harmony. Due to media, such as the news, depicting violence in America, people tend to think of harmony as peace. In that peace, no violence can occur in order to keep the harmony. However, the truth behind harmony is the simple fact of balance. The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, is a Batman comic book. During the comic, the Joker shoots Batgirl in the spine and leaves her paralyzed, and so Batman must pursue. Gotham seems like a dystopia with all the crime and psychotic men and women running about, and it most surely is a dystopia. However, Batman represents not only the justice of their society, but how hard work and perseverance pay off. With that being said, everything that Batman represents is countered by the criminals of Gotham of whom he has sworn to capture. The evil and justice of Gotham City represent the balance that a Utopia needs in order to function. The harmony between good and evil of this dystopia is actually a key part of a Utopia. Although a world without violence seems like an amazing ideal, it is also left unbalanced. Without the balance, the “perfect” society would face ruin quickly. Sir Thomas More states in his novel that the Utopia would be a superior society compared to Europe (keep in mind that this takes place during 15th century Europe). All the Utopias that people thought of in Ms. Alexis’s class of Period 1 had some form of peace. However, as shown in Batman, there is no way to achieve peace without any fighting. “The pen is mightier than the sword.” – Edward Bulwer-Lytton. This quote refers to the idea that knowledge is greater than brute force, which is true in most cases. However, there would be no need for the pen if there were no sword and vice-versa. The harmonious aspects, which cause wars, are the building steps of a Utopia. Knowledge and power are what allow individuals to move up in life through Social Darwinism, and it is these people who compete against each other. No matter what, peace will lead to war. It is an endless cycle that creates a new idea of Utopia, one where violence is a necessity rather than an obstacle of life. The obstacles that people complain about now are part of a cycle that keeps harmony in the world and allows everyone to live the way they live. How would people plan to eliminate violence? The only way is by using more violence to reach the temporary peace. Then the battle is fought again and again and will never cease. The line between good and bad is what actually keeps the world together. This is a key aspect of having a Utopia.
Great job coming up with a deep and insightful introduction to the novels. Your thoughts on utopia and dystopia are poignant. 16pts.
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