How Does Thomas Moore Create A Undivided Society

Nichole Mallozzi
11/7/2014
HUM 2232
Utopia essay When the word utopia is mentioned oddly enough we often think of a dysfunctional society with secrets run by corrupt people. Thomas Moore however has created a utopia so intricate and smoothly run we cannot help but think life would be much easier that way. Moore shows us there is a way of life where everyone in a society can be united as one close community without a need for greed, hunger, or selfishness. It is as if those emotions do not exist, there is no need for them, imagine a world like that. It is clear from the beginning Thomas Moore has key factors in creating this evolved undivided society. First and foremost the people play a vital role in the upbringing of the community, the actions from the civilians are what shapes the utopia without them it would be nothing. Aside from the
actual citizens of the utopia the role of food within the utopia is crucial. Food helps build and maintain the utopia in many ways, meals in this world create a sense of community and diminish the need for greed and gluttony and leave the utopians with a sense of comfort knowing that it is always there. Thomas Moore places such a high emphasis on the knowledge of agriculture, and rightfully so.
“Agriculture is that which is so universally understood among them that no person, either man or woman, is ignorant of it; they are instructed in it from their childhood, partly by what they learn at school, and partly by practice, they being led out often into the fields about the town , where they not only see others at work but are likewise exercised in it themselves” (Moore 5). Utopians are obsessed with land that they can grow crops on, thats naturally what they are good at. Agriculture is clearly essential to citizens. Having this innate ability to grow food provides a lack of worry for the utopians they always have enough food for supper without having to think twice. This is a vital key in sustaining Moore’s utopia. Peace throughout the utopia is easily maintained when no citizen ever has to worry about putting food on their plates, when there is constantly a supply of a necessity in a citizens life there is not much more to worry about and that facilitates a worry free, easy-going lifestyle. That is incredibly hard to come
by. “At the hours of dinner and supper the whole Syphogranty being called together by sound of trumpet, they meet and eat together, except only such as are in the hospitals or lie sick at home” (Moore 10). Eating meals together is significant in the utopia for obvious reasons. Food is a necessity for life and is meant to be shared, it creates a community and strong bond for the citizens of the utopia. When people are eating together they bond and connect especially when they do not have to fear for a shortage of food which creates a carefree environment. The food is always on display in the hall it is never hidden and every person receives the same meal excluding the elders, they get higher quality meal which also instills the important message of respecting our elders. Aside from the elders the citizens of the utopia all share the same meal in unison, Moore tactfully does this to create a sense of unity and never a sense of competition. Moore does his best to eliminate the competitive emotions and feelings within the citizens of the utopia which is crucial to maintaining the utopia. Not one citizen experiences the unsatisfactory emotion of being subordinate to his/her peers. Thomas Moore skillfully prioritizes food so that in a subtle way it is facilitating the collectivism of the society. Moore places such high importance on the citizens of the society and the knowledge of agriculture that food is ranked of higher value than so called “precious metals” like gold and silver. This is one attribute every society could learn from. Majority of the world is so focused on strictly material items and money that it creates a sense of competition and greed. Moore realizes that to maintain a utopia there is no room for competition there is only room for the necessities of life and he knows when the necessities of life are provided that the feeling of gluttony will become extinct. When the food is all laid out available for the community nobody ever takes more than what is needed. If only one apple is needed then only one apple is taken not ten apples to be greedy. This is such a vital role in managing the utopia. Thomas Moore is absolutely brilliant in what he places emphasis on for his utopia to survive. He knows what humans need in life and what they should not have to worry about and that is food. The way he prioritizes goods within the utopia is so proficient in that he ranks the actual citizens and the knowledge of agriculture as his top priority, and goods such as gold and silver are comical to the community. Moore successfully erased almost all feelings of greed in his utopia and that is the key. It was obvious to Moore that food can create a sense of unity and joy and he used that to his advantage. Thomas Moore was cognizant of the fact that not ever having to worry about where or when your next meal is coming from could be considered one of the greatest joys in life and he used this to create the basis of his utopia and that is why it worked out so well and the citizens lived in harmony. Sources
Moore, Thomas. Utopia. Cassell & Company Edition, 1901. Digital file.