Utopias & Dystopias

Question 1

What is a Worldview?

Answer 1

The fundamental cognitive, affective, and evaluative presuppositions a group of people make about the nature of reality which they use to order their lives.

(Comprehensive system of beliefs that aims to explain the meaning and purpose of our existence.)

Question 2

What are the three analogies of a Worldview?

Answer 2

1. Web
2. Framework
3. Lens

Question 3

What is the purpose of the web analogy?

Answer 3

Every string is a belief you have.
Some strings - Bad beliefs
Some strings - Interesting/important beliefs

Question 4

What is the purpose of the framework analogy?

Answer 4

Cognitive dissonance, moments of crisis (shattered Worldview).

Question 5

What is the purpose of the lens analogy?

Answer 5

Whatever is clear on the lens but not clear on the side.

Question 6

What are some synonyms for Worldview?

Answer 6

• Zeitgeist
  (God of time)
• Ethos
  (Characteristic spirit of culture, era or community)
  -Moral consensus
  (Universal understanding in a society on what is morally good and progressive for the society)
  -Paradigm
  (A typical example or pattern of something; a model.)

Question 7

What are the three types of Worldviews?

Answer 7

1. Philosophical
2. Religious
3. Social/Political

Question 8

What is a philosophical Worldview? + examples

Answer 8

• Platonic idealism
  (Platonic : of love or friendship, intimate and affectionate but not sexual)
• Stoicism
  (school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome)
  -Materialism
  (the doctrine that nothing exists except matter and its movements and modifications)

Question 9

What is a religious Worldview? + examples

Answer 9

Christianity, Islam, Buddhism

Question 10

What is a social/political Worldview? + examples

Answer 10

• Secular Humanism
  (humanism, with regard in particular to the belief that humanity is capable of morality and self-fulfillment without belief in God.)
• Socialism
  (economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.)
• Communism
  (communist society would entail the absence of private property and social classes, and ultimately money and the state)

Question 11

What are the three dimensions of a worldview?

Answer 11

1. Beliefs (What you think is true/false: epistemology)
2. Impressions (What makes you feel good/bad: psychology)
3. Values (What you believe is morally wrong/right: ethics)

Question 12

What are the three functions of a Worldview?

Answer 12

1. Descriptive Function
   Helps us interpret and make sense of reality (what’s good/wrong, why we exist, etc.)
2. Normative Function
   Helps us formulate moral judgements, identify sources of evil and danger, prescribe change)
3. Behavioural & Social Functions
   Adopting a lifestyle that is meaningful and rewarding, to facilitate a social integration, to maintain the status quo (disciplining “rebels”)
   To foster political change

Question 13

What is an Utopia?

Answer 13

The world “utopia” itself comes from “Happy place”
Utopias are real-life political experiments in order to create a model society

Question 14

What are other words for Utopia?

Answer 14

The individuals call it “communes”, “practical utopias” or “intentional communities”

Question 15

What is the goal of an Utopia?

Answer 15

Depict an imaginary ideal society.
(Human cooperation and temptations of political change).

Question 16

What are the types of Utopias?

Answer 16

-Myths of origins (how evil/injustice came in the world)
-Golden Age (Humans being at their greatest terms of well-being)
-Cockaigne (Human desires are fullfilled)
-Progressive utopia (Producing a more pleasant society)
-Millenialist utopia (Communities isolating until world-changing event)

Question 17

What is the purpose of Utopias?

Answer 17

They serve as thoughts and experiments to support philosophical, political or theological arguments.
They serve as foundation myths or blue prints for social/religious arguments.
They identify the greatest good and the causes of evil in society.
They propose a comprehensive remedy to restore justice, peace or harmony in human society.
They’re a source of political satire.

Question 18

What is a dystopia?

Answer 18

Dysfunctional utopia; community designed to be perfect but became politically repressive or socially fragmented.
(Results in excessive violence, injustice, dehumanization.

Question 19

What are the types of dystopias?

Answer 19

-Repressive dystopias (Society where humans are controlled and dehumanized)
-Chaotic dystopia (Absence of rules and authority)
-Post-apocalyptic dystopia (destroyed by war society)
-Satirical/Anti utopia (appears to be perfect but dehumanizes)

Question 20

What are the themes in dystopian literature?

Answer 20

Mind-control, disinformation, government repression/surveillance, loss of autonomy, extremes in wealth/poverty

Question 21

What is the purpose of dystopias?

Answer 21

Highlight the problems of utopian societies (usually not opened to change/progress) they repress individuality and expect humans to be malleable.

Question 22

What is a society?

Answer 22

A community of people living together wilfully, unified by language, culture, religion, etc.

Question 22

What is social criticism?

Answer 22

The act of criticizing the rules and customs of a society.

Question 23

Where can social criticism be found?

Answer 23

Public discourse, activism, literature and art.

Question 24

How does social criticism and utopia connect?

Answer 24

Utopia is a source of social criticism: it’s based on a model of a better society (highlights problems in one). Social criticism is used by utopians in order to provoke changes in one.

Question 25

How does social criticism and dystopia connect?

Answer 25

Dystopia is a source of social criticism: it amplifies the faults of the society, which is a form of criticizing.

Question 26

How do utopian/dystopian authors combine these genres?

Answer 26

They use literary tools such as:
-Satire (ridicule, irony, sarcasm)
-Allegory (story/message told in a symbolic form)
-Microcosm (miniature representation of a larger reality)

Question 27

What are intentional communities?

Answer 27

A group of people who have chosen to live together with a common purpose to create a lifestyle that reflects their shared core values.

Question 28

What are the typical characteristics of intentional communities?

Answer 28

-5 adults (with/without children)
-more than one nuclear family (couple+children regarder as social unit)
-common purpose and set of values
-willful separation from ‘normal’ society
-mutual support
-shared rituals
-proximity/cohabitation
-shared ressources
-critical mass (self-sufficient, self-sustaining)
-public consensus to stay together

Question 29

What are the 5 types of intentional communities?

Answer 29

1. religious/spiritual
2. revolutionary states (formation of a provisional government after the overthrow of an existing state and political regime.)
3. cooperative/socialist
4. secular humanist
5. environmental

Question 30

What are the purposes/causes of intentional communities?

Answer 30

-exhorted (experimental community, inspirational to others)
-imposed (centralized on revolutionary government: transform a whole society through a controlled economy and different sets of laws)
-communitarian (ideological or religious movement: united around charismatic leader/founder)

Question 31

What are the 4 markers of success?

Answer 31

1. Longevity (community stood the test of time and survived)
2. Low turnover (Large majority of members are free to leave but prefer to stay)
3. Well-being (Community as a whole thrivers. They’re not compelled to sacrifice their own well-being for sake of other members).