more

Essay on More’s Utopia
by Charles Glenn

In Thomas More’s classic, Utopia, we are introduced to what a society would look like if the ethics and values of the Christian faith were applied, though the author does not appeal directly to Christianity. Instead, he presents ideas like communal living arrangements, a cottage industrial base without private property or currency, and a set of values that are somewhat ascetic yet are based on the search for pleasure.

More is careful to point out, however, that the pleasure sought by the Utopians is not the same as that sought by the rest of the world. For the citizens of this enlightened island, pleasure is partially defined as that which brings happiness without causing anyone else unhappiness.

Less directly but more fully, More tells us that the Utopians find pleasure to be that which brings eternal happiness. This is clearly a parallel to Plato’s definition of justice, but more directly, it is a parallel to the teachings of Christ, as are most of the other institutions and precepts of Utopia. A reader such as myself is subtly reminded of such scripture passages as "love thy neighbor as thyself," "do unto others what you would have done to you," and "hate what is evil and cling to what is good."

If such a place existed, I would most definitely live there. The ideals of righteous living applied to a society would allow someone like myself to live a much more fulfilling life. In my opinion, simplicity of living is far more desirable than extravagance and luxury, as it is more conducive to focusing one’s life on things that have eternal meaning and true value.

Such a place is infinitely more preferable for raising a family than a nation that values economic success over moral principles. In Utopia, children would not be subject to a reductivist educational system that marginalizes spirituality and inculcates children with the idea that materialistic science answers metaphysical questions. Such a society would not teach them that money, adrenaline levels, sexual pleasure and material possessions are the gauges for fulfillment and success.

The author allows us to glimpse into a society of people who value eternal things, find pleasure in serving the needs of others, and perpetually seek what generates Plato’s "shadows," rather than examining the shadows themselves.

For me, the central message of More’s novel was not to reveal the inherent weaknesses in European political systems or even to introduce some form of communism. The central message was that if life is worth living, then we must learn to live it well.

What really brings happiness? When a man is on his deathbed, it is fairly uncommon to hear him say, "I wish I had acquired more stuff," or "I wish I’d spent more time at work." When a person’s whole life is taken into account and not simply the immediate past and future, the truly meaningful things are the ones that will endure.

More and his Utopians were able to grasp this fundamental principle. Pleasure is not a bad thing, but bad things can be pleasurable. It is a wise person who is able to discern this and deduce from it that true happiness can only be attained by combining those things that are both pleasurable and good. In fact, true fulfillment follows good things, and good things almost always produce a deeper, more lasting kind of pleasure.