Closing Thoughts, End of the Semester

Hell yeah! Summer Break!

Would I have said that sixteen weeks ago, when I was dealing with health issues and the question of whether or not I would return to Hood for the semester? No, certainly not. The idea of living at home for weeks, without work or a plan, terrified me.

This semester, we've studied all varieties of Utopias, starting with some of the more aged texts, into more modern utopias that become more and more radical, upon the verge of dystopia. All of these texts, in some form or another, approach an issue with the society at the time in which it was written and proposes a system that fixes the problem. Or the text (alternatively) warns where the current system must ultimately lead.

So, since Utopians can be far off, or as close as the next day, it's important to think about how we act on a daily basis (that's the only way to reach towards the idea of a Utopia, right?). As we discussed, not having a purpose is terrifying. We need to do something, whether or not it's a single talent like playing an instrument, or exercising at the gym every day for hours, or reading twenty books, or staying up until four in the morning building a megalith in Minecraft. And, while I know these examples aren't great for my point, it shouldn't be selfish purpose.

So, with exams next week, I challenge you to think of a goal of something to do this summer. I don't mean something simple like, "Oh, I'll go swimming on fridays!". I mean something something. Do something substantial. Join your local Habitat for Humanity, take part in coaching a local Parks and Rec. team, or join a book club. Do something that, when the end of the summer comes, you can look back in pride and say, "I made a difference and had fun". So, what is your Utopian goal for the summer? Hopefully, not too many days indoors ;) ...

As for me, I'll be studying and preparing to take my MCAT's to get into medical school. My Utopian dream of helping people through medicine is far off, but I can get there one small step at a time.

Regarding Utopia in Today's Society

There was a comment in class from a few weeks ago where the United States was observed to be a very rich, prosperous nation. In honesty, part of me cringed when I heard this said. It's not so much that I disagree with that the US is a prosperous nation. Certainly, our version of poverty is unlike that of a nation where people have trouble eating due to famine. However, I think it's important to look at our country from more pragmatic eyes.

Crime in our country, whether it's civil or criminal, is present despite the best intentions of our government. Our Congress holds an all time low of trust with the people .. due to the massive amounts of money that is swaying our representative's votes. People struggle with two, sometimes three jobs, to barely pay bills and feed their families.

I don't know if you remember, but some years ago, there was this thing called the Housing Bubble crash.

That period marked a time where the value of homes plummeted, yet the value of the mortgages stayed high simply because the banks didn't want to admit fault and accept the debt by re-evaluating mortgages. Homeowner's couldn't meet the cost of the mortgage by selling their homes, and many people abandoned their property. Some stories even rose of families living out of a U-Haul.

Our nation may be 'prosperous' when you look at our GDP, but we are nowhere near prosperous when it comes to individual happiness and freedom from strife. Each of us must fight for our own survival, and no nation, regardless of the system and its origins, can prevent tragedy .. whether it results from debt, violent crime, or abuse.

No Utopian system, no matter how 'perfect' or 'prosperous' it may seem, can save each and every single individual. I am a victim of abuse, and many of my close friends are as well. Each tragedy that occurs shapes who we are and defines us on some level, and no Utopia can prevent all individuals from falling through the cracks. 

Whether it's the land of the free and the home of the brave, or a dystopia where there's no reason to think .. where ignorance is peace and freedom is slavery .. no system can fix every individual issue because (as we've found time and again) no individual perfectly conforms to the laws and ideals of a society. Is the US a prosperous country? Certainly. Is it Utopian, certainly not. 

We, as humans, will never be free from strife. Bernard in "Brave New World" was an outcast because of his height, while Helmholtz was an outcast due to his genius. No Utopian system perfectly accommodates each individual, so why bother trying? 

A bleak outlook? Maybe. But does that invalidate the point?

Monday Morning TV

Every warm morning in the summer of my high school years, I would share my mornings with my Dad. Every morning, after waking from the alarm, getting showered and dressed for work, I would share an hour or so as we both prepared. I would have a small plate of two cooked eggs with ketchup (he an egg tortilla wrap with cheese), and we would share an hour watching all of the classic Gene Roddenberry Star Trek reruns.
While I was watching The Island, it wasn't really the themes of white spandex jumpsuits, government surveillance, or intersocial disruption that made me think of Utopia. Humorously enough, it was the, "I'm Tom Lincoln!" exchange.

It reminded me of the Star Trek episode, one of which I saw with my Dad that morning, called "The Enemy Within". It's an episode where Kirk is split into two people: one that is the good in Kirk, and the other that is the evil in him. It explores the limits of humanity which drive and power us all. It shows that a balance between both good and evil bring out the very best (or, possibly, the very worst in us).

"We all have our darker side. We need it! It's half of what we are. It's not really ugly. It's human."
- McCoy, to Kirk's good duplicate

Months back, I posted about how there's no such thing as a Utopia, or one that we can actually live in. We found that it's something we're always striving for, and something we'll never accomplish because people are always becoming dedicated to revolutionary new ideas that we believe can change the world for the better.
I've written in the past that it's the innate human desire to excel, or for freedom, or to be happy, that prevents a Utopia from being realized. As of late, I'm beginning to think that it's the struggle between the emotions inside of us that prevent a true Utopia. There's no way of brainwashing people into being model citizens because various external influences pull us to and fro like puppets at the hand of a puppeteer.

It's the combination of demons that brings out the best in us and the worst in us, allowing us either to achieve our goals while maintaining a respect for others or to harm those whom we should care for. Even the slightest imbalance in any single individual's heart upsets any possibility for a Utopia that can be realized and sustained.

Minority Nonsense

While my discussion in class was limited at best, it was because "The Minority Report" seemed to be more of an exploration of the fundamental fabric of the universe instead of the basic capabilities of mankind. Despite how much we would like to think, mankind is no more special than a rock, that plant on your desk, or the fluffy cat that seems to think that your keyboard is a more preferable bed over actual cotton.

Hey, speaking of cats, this minutephysics video will give you a great idea of what exactly I'm talking about, and why this movie drove me absolutely nuts.

Hopefully now you have a good idea why I had issues with the movie. It worked entirely under the assumption (as we assumed in class) that time is linear, unchanging, and worked based on certain likelihood of events. And, while I know that many sects of religion believe that there is a set "plan" for humanity, I'm not exactly approaching that aspect of the issue.

I'm just peeved that the movie didn't explore any other options of possible timelines. Many other theories render the idea gazing into the future (based on the linear theory of time) obsolete.

Say what you will, but the idea of suspension of disbelief doesn't really apply to this specific idea because it is so fundamental to the entire concept of the movie.

For a loss of words (part 1)

Sickness. Annoyance. Frustration. Desolation. Despondency.

I don't know any other way to describe these more recent studies of Utopia in simple terms. 1984 gives a bleak warning of what would happen if we lost any individuality and ability of free thought, while Brave New World gives a similar warning to (how I comprehend it) a thoughtless, senseless state of sex and pleasure. The two books contrast each other very heavily, so I'll start with my impressions of 1984 and pick up next time with our dystopian films Gattaca and Minority Report.

The thing I can't seem to push out of my mind with this book is the ultimate lack of any assemblance of free will. Our protagonist, Winston, finds himself in a constantly escalating series of steps that eventually allows Big Brother to confirm his thought crime and catch both he and his lover, Julia, in the process.

Yet, the Ministry of Love (which believes that for whatever ridiculous reason that making a person love Big Brother before they're executed) can stop any and all desires for rebellion or individual thought.

These people committed a "thought-crime", and now they love Big Brother. They were wrong to hate him in the first place, and sees the execution of the criminal as a suiting punishment. The party redirects any hate towards terrorists and towards Eurasia (oh wait, no I mean Eastasia). Nobody is capable of realizing that the shoddy, worn down buildings of the former UK is the result of negligence on the part of Party? What?

THAT's what I find ridiculous! How can you just accept that these people are complacent. Is their fear of Big Brother really that powerful that nobody has thoughts of insurrection against their tyrannical government?

Now, I anticipate that your initial thoughts are, "Yes, of course! Their Thought Police and systems of surveillance prevent any uprising. Duh." I still disagree. Fear is a powerful tool, but the desire for freedom is easily taught at birth, and shines as a single, solemn flame, waiting to grow into a blaze that stomps out oppression. The French were able to do it. We were able to do it. It's happening now, even as their respective governments try to quell rebellions. No government, no matter how large, can keep all of its members in check. Nor can it modify thoughts of free thinking individuals. Granted, brainwashing is real and effective, but any person with an extreme dispassion towards this government is unlikely to have their mind changed.

Even Patrick Stewart, in his supreme manly classiness, was able to assert that after days of torture that there are indeed four lights.

Afterwards, he said that, for a split second, he began to see five, but the commentary ignores the basic human desire to want. Whether or not Winston or Jean Luc Picard was brainwashed, their basic desire to want (and the corresponding dislike to being denied a desire) would eventually lead to the same unrest that got Winston into trouble in the first place. 1984 present no, "what happened 10 years from then". It presents the future as grim, however it ignores that no governance (especially the laws surrounding it) is permanent. After the New Deal, we adopted borderline socialistic systems to protect our citizens. At that time, our government changed its form. We were no longer part of a capitalist federal government, but more of one closer to a socialist federal government.

So, my point is that, even though George Orwell forecast a dim future for man, many people (even from the time of the Romans) predicted the downfall of man and society, yet here we are today. Human desire, in its base form, will always fuel the drive for change and freedom. It can happen overnight like some revolutions, or over the period of decades.

Stark Contrast (Spoilers!)

These past few weeks have been very insightful. First, we began by reading through Herland .. and now (this week of March 15) we're reading brave new world.

Herland (if you didn't already know) is about a society full of strong, independent women who have gained the ability to give birth without men. Their society was cut off from the world by a rockslide, and they began to populate the land. Their entire society and ideals are based off the idea of maternal love and protection. Everybody is each other's sister, mother, and aunt. Kids are encouraged to study and chase their natural passions. These hypothetical women live (truly) selfless lives.

I can see why, then, Dr. MB chose to let us read Brave New World as the next topic. The societal order, where all men and women are grown in tubes and their places in society are predetermined, is very restrictive. Nobody has the chance to choose, and are conditioned to believe that their life (even though they were grown) is the best for them. Everybody lives for "orgy-porgy", soma, and "having" other people .. as if they're trying chocolate. Everyone is conditioned to believe that these base, childish desires (sex is childish, what? this book is weird) are normal, healthy, and socially acceptable.

At the end of Chapter 7, Linda said something that made me think of the scene in Donnie Darko, looking into the mirror and seeing a monster looking back.

"They're so hateful, the women here. Mad, mad and cruel. And of course they don't know anything about Malthusian Drill, or bottles, or decanting, or anything of that sort. So they're having children all the time -- like dogs. It's too revolting. And to think that I . . . "

Reading that passage really struck a chord .. something resonated. I'm not saying I agree with the way "civilization" is established in Brave New World. What I'm saying is that, often, we just get stuck in the daily ritual of things, without thought of how things might be otherwise. Then, a story comes along like this that really slaps you across the face. It says, "Wake up! Things can be different, and things can change! And they can change for the worse!"

Huxley seems overly concerned with the affinity to leisure, instant gratification, and gluttony. Often, Bernard, Lenina, and Henry complain about how the helicopter was three minutes late! God forbid! How DARE that helicopter be 15 seconds behind schedule! Brave New World is a society of no restrictions and instant gratification, the complete opposite of Herland. In Herland, all of the women are modest, rationed, and planners. Here, in Brave New World, the members of society are the complete opposite. There's a sort of stark contrast between the two worlds.

An interesting idea, though, is Brave New World, even with its Episilon Double Mega Minuses and soma, still seems like a more engaging society. Something about being able to do and go wherever you want whenever you want is appealing. But, is that luxury really something worth having? If you could look in the mirror and see your "Frank" (read: the giant terrifying bunny from Donnie Darko), would you change yourself into something nearer to this brave new world? Or would you embrace the bunny?

Imagination Isn't Exactly Reality

So, as a note, I think I've shot myself in the foot here by posting very infrequently by choice. The idea was to work on our readings, go through the day, and as I thought about these ideas of utopia .. I would come up with various themes to write about in my blog.

As is evidenced, not many themes came to mind. For the two posts (of two) that have had themes, they were somewhat disorganized, and frankly I think my system for getting work done isn't airtight.

Then again, what plans aren't airtight? The past readings we've had tackle various social issues phenomenally in theory (just like my organizational system does) .. however in practice, they both have flaws. I end up doing the most pertinent assignment on the list, while long term projects (like this one) get pushed to the side. The same could be said for Soviet Russia .. the "Communist Experiment". Everybody shares everything, and nobody is greater than another (except some are more equal than others).

The point is, there's no easy way to know if a system would work in practice. While I would like an ideal system where I could continually come up with quality content in an organized manner, it seems fairly clear that (while some decent content may be there) .. the frequency of each post isn't cutting it.

Similarly to Bellamy's world where the government is the monopoly .. there's always a downside, always a flaw in these systems of utopia. The theory is fine, and More may think that a secluded island full of superior members with perfect ethics and moral behavior would work flawlessly .. but things never go as planned. Someone finds a way to take advantage of a system, and things go awry.

For that reason (thinking now of unintentional societies) I'm glad the United States code of law (and frankly, most democratic codes of law) have the flexibility for change. They may not be the squeakiest running machines, and they may be held together by patches of tar and duct tape, but at least they've been tested. People have worked to take advantage of societies, and constant patching to current laws curb the problem.

Now. Where can I find some duct tape. My system needs some fixin' ..

Which twists the plot .. Toys or Not?

The driveway grips the black treads of the car as I pull into the driveway. Quickly, I shift the car into park, let the weary engine rest, and (with my keys, wallet, and phone in hand) move out of the car to the front door. The wind is bitter, and the sun is setting. Thankfully, the front stoop's light offers some reprieve from the dusk.

Three distinct knocks seem enough to get my parent's friend's attention. The father looks around the corner, grins to me in his usual mocking manner, and walks over to open the door. He lets me in, and as I walk in, I see the usual sight: the two boys are in the living room, there's some video games and toys scattered here and there, both of them seem generally uninterested in my entry .. already preoccupied with their tablets and iPhones. He leads me around to the kitchen and to the garage, pointing to three similar boxes near the farthest garage door.

"I want you to help me carry these. One upstairs, one downstairs." 

They're in the middle of remodeling .. and I have the fun of carrying two very heavy toilets around. 

With the roar of their SUV's engine, they wave and drive away, leaving me to the care of two boys. The older, ten years old, is bright but has problems focusing on work. The younger, seven years old, seems better focused than his older brother, but distractions still seem to hold him back. 

Don't get me wrong, I think that kids should be kids and should enjoy their carefree lifestyle while they can, but with everything going on around them .. TV, XBox, computer games, nexus tablet, and nintendo-ds .. it's hard to imagine they can focus at all.

After some time watching the first thirty minutes of various movies, I start go get a little annoyed:

"Guys, we should put on a movie and leave it on."

"Yeah, well we've already seen these a few times .. plus the endings aren't that great."

You can probably imagine, the night continued like this. Lots of distractions, and even lots of disobedience. The eldest tried to steal second dessert (but got caught .. ice cream no less). He asked for a snack, to which I offered granola or kashi bars .. he accepted, but tried to sneak away two granola bars .. not one. I made him share with his brother (that was the intent all along, right?). And, even after second dessert, they were still hungry and wanted more.

I told them they could have some fruit if they were still hungry, to which they groaned unhappily. And, when I sent them away to bed, they decided to cause a ruckus for thirty minutes .. breaking my trust that they would spend the time from 9:30 to 10:00 "reading". You can imagine, I wasn't very happy when I cut their horseplay party short and sent them to their rooms.

If you haven't guessed already, my concern in this post is which method really is the right way to raise kids. I would like to think it falls somewhere in-between this unrestricted, instant access to information and Plato's idea of filtering everything kids are exposed to. His idea of creating a perfect society was restricting poets and philosophers  Filtering songs and media, and shutting foreigners our. More than anything, he believed that success in such a society would be the proper upbringing of kids .. shaping them in such a way that they would feel no resentment towards their brothers. 

Something I realized after reading Plato and sitting for these kids is that, even with rigidity and structure (which, don't get me wrong, the parents were providing), the kids are still going to get sick of the established order and wish for more. Don't believe me? Tell that to the kids I baby-sat who watch anime without their parent's permission. 

I would like to believe that very careful upbringing would pave the future for a stable utopia, but the human nature that makes us break rules and live recklessly will ruin any such plans. The solution? It's somewhere in-between .. you figure it out!

The Final Frontier

Star ships. Holo decks. Warp drives. Advanced free health-care. Lack of currency. Saving whales with transporters. Very bad Patrick Stewart lookalikes.

That's what I've always thought of as utopia. The idea that mankind has united in a quest to improve ourselves and others sounds fascinating and full of hope. I always believed that that sort of thing would give mankind something greater than a political agenda to look towards. It would give otherwise mundane jobs meaning and purpose.

Now though, after reading sargent's article, I've realized two things. One: that   man likes to contradict himself, sometimes within the same sentence. Two: utopia, or the idea of it, is a misleading load of ...

Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of improving society, but this article stripped me of my star trek given innocence and said, "screw you and your pre-conceived notions". Utopia was always fixed and unchanging. I thought that we're all working towards a life where we better ourselves, but never considered that other people might have alternative ideas. Sure, many of them might be the same, but as the article implied, some people's dreams are radically different have the possibility of being more detrimental than helpful.

It's something that is constantly changing, and is the product of people dreaming and scheming. We'll never really reach utopia, because there will always be somebody that thinks things should be different, as evidenced in season four of star trek: enterprise, where xenophobic people tried to force

"giant freggin laser" - http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Verteron_array

aliens out of earth with a giant lunar laser because they were afraid of becoming a minority. So, if utopia is unreachable, then why study it? It's kind of like the perpetual energy machine: the only thing perpetual about it is man's obsession in finding it. What can the pursuit of something unattainable do to improve ourselves? Can these parodies of our society really let us improve ourselves, or are they just skeptical or naive representations of fantasies and horrors unfulfilled? These questions, I leave to you.