Utopi A Colony Of Human Virtue And Happiness - 3490 Words

Utopia is a thing every modern civilization strives for. In Greek, the word topos means place, but the prefix ou- or eu-, rendered in modern English as u has a double meaning: ou- means no while eu- means good. In other words, the literal translation of utopia can be either good place or â€Å"no place.† When asked the definition of â€Å"utopia† one can assume the recurring answer would correspond to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s opening statement in The Scarlet Letter saying that utopia is â€Å"a colony†¦of human virtue and happiness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne 1). However as human beings, with independent wills and thoughts, the suggestion that a whole community can think and be as one to create that perfection without some kind of restriction is implausible. I assert that social, physical, and mental conditioning must be utilized to create the single-mindedness of a majority to make this society conceivable. In 1516, the first recorded utopian society was found in Thomas More’s novel Utopia. What was first and foremost a biting, satirical take on his own society, held some sincerity into what More pictured as a flawless civilization. To the inhabitants of this country named Utopia, â€Å"their chief concern is what to think of human happiness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"virtue as living according to nature; and God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (More 65, 66). They are a people who find serenity in holding on to no material possessions and partaking in everything together, contributing to the sense of community. The doors to all the houses are left