Part Two

"Freaked out" would be the best reaction that I had to the second part of Utopia. The immense control over the culture is astounding, following the example of my peers I'm going bullet in my analysis.

Concerning the culture -- A uniform culture is not only odd it's unhealthy, a lack of interesting differences that may cause division but can also encourage growth and new improvements to society is frightening, its as if people no longer wish to consider gaining new knowledge.

Concerning learning -- Everyone has a love of learning? I would love to see a society that had dedicated itself to the pursuit of knowledge but I would like to know, especially since it was written in 1516, where they drew the line as far as what they were allowed to research. I would enjoy such a society hower.

Concerning the family -- Okay, this is where I lost it. Shipping children around as if they were cattle? An utter disregard for the family unit? It's as if the parents don't care about their own children. A specified family size? How odd and unusual, I couldn't see how it served any particularly useful purpose.

Concerning clothing -- Another point that showed a lack of variety was that all garments worn by Utopians were of the same make, even those of the rulers. They looked down upon those who wore flashy clothes or clothing that stuck out. This struck me as snobbish and more of "You're too good for everyone else" attitude towards fashion which is ridiculous.

Summary -- I felt as if I was reading "Brave New World" except it was written four hundred years prior to it's actual publishing. The whole society, as good as the structure of government might be, was deluded and watered down to the point of being frightening. There is little variety in the culture, none actually, no art or inspiring entertainment, nothing to provoke new ideas or thought outside of a limited range which suprised me because he said that everyone had a love of learning. Of course with the knowledge allowed in and taught in the schools controlled one could easily still maintain a love of learning and their subjects. Peaces, for Utopia, is achieved, but I do not think that I would like to live in such a drab and controlled enviorment.