Creative Engagement- Debate on The Internet as Utopia

The Internet as Utopia: An Overview of the Debate

I found this information from the The New York Public Library website (http://utopia.nypl.org/I_meta_2.html). It is an idea that we have not touch based on during all of our Ruminations and Blogs. I really enjoyed the many insightful thoughts that everyone had on Utopia and am happy that Professor Calhoun gave us the chance to look more into this topic.


In the ongoing search for the ideal society, the Internet has been proposed as a "place" in which a utopia could exist. Parallels to previous notions of utopian thought are discussed in "Cyber-Utopianism" and the Evolution in Utopian Thought. Despite these comparisons, there has been a heated debate on the question of whether the Internet qualifies as a utopia: some argue that it is or should be considered as a possible utopia; others regard it as purely a new form of communications technology and not the basis of an ideal "place" or "community"; still others perceive it to be dystopic, or anything but ideal, as a real or potential threat to man and society.

Cyberspace consists of transactions, relationships, and thought itself, arrayed like a standing wave in the web of our communications. Ours is a world that is both everywhere and nowhere, but it is not where bodies live. We are creating a world that all may enter without privilege or prejudice accorded by race, economic power, military force, or station of birth.

We are creating a world where anyone, anywhere may express his or her beliefs, no matter how singular, without fear of being coerced into silence or conformity. …We believe that from ethics, enlightened self-interest, and the commonweal, our governance will emerge.-- from John Perry Barlow, "A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace," available at the website of the Electric Frontier Foundation, 1996


Proponents of the Internet have contended that with nothing more than access to a computer, modem, and ISP, users can freely create and participate in a community unbounded by the physical limitations of time, space, and being. The unprecedented personal freedom, unrestricted access, and varied modes of communication and communities that this metaworld affords all contribute to the Internet’s consideration as a "place" where a utopia, no longer imaginary or remote but not physically substantive, can be constructed and inhabited.

Those who contend that the Internet is not a utopia argue that a digitally networked world does not provide the elements necessary to create an ideal community. Some consider the Internet to be simply the latest progression in communications technology, and not a revolutionary mechanism that has enabled metaphysical transformations and communities composed of "virtual" identities.


Others consider the Internet to be decidedly dystopic in nature: the perverse melding of real and simulated; the realm of an electronically connected elite made vulnerable by individuals — fanatics, predators, spammers, cybersquatters, and hackers — not to mention businesses, governments, and other organizations. Big Brother — in the form of governments, corporations, employers, teachers, and parents — is indeed watching and controlling access to information and people on the Internet. All these factors have contributed to concerns that the Internet is at best commercial and propagandistic but quite possibly illusory and subversive, or even dehumanizing and life-threatening.

Creative Engagement- Utopian ideals are also not the same as a Utopia

Utopian ideals are also not the same as a Utopia. Leaders in our history such as Adolf Hitler wanted a Utopian world that in his eyes would be a perfect way of life for all to follow. Hitler was mad man who killed and dehumanized entire races of people in trying to achieve his Utopia. François Marie Charles Fourieris a man probably must of you have never heard of was a French utopian socialist philosopher who’s utopian socialist views inspired the founding of the community called La Reunion near present-day Dallas, Texas. Although Fourier did not find the need to kill to achieve his Utopia he still manage to dehumanize the Jewish race “There were incentives: jobs people might not enjoy doing would receive higher pay. Fourier considered trade, which he associated with Jews, to be the "source of all evil" and advocated that Jews be forced to perform farm work in the phalansteries. But Fourier had some good ideas he was a supporter of women’s rights and defended homosexuality.
So throughout history there were and still are men and women who seek a Utopian world. But in all cases their Utopian World is never really perfect in the end it seems that someone always suffers.

If you are interested in reading more about François Marie Charles Fourier following this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fourier

Which Utopia is the Perfect Utopia?

When finding out we were reading Thomas More’s Utopia, almost instantaneously I thought of a couple of books I read in Middle School that related to a Utopian society. For example, one book titled The Giver by Lois Lowry focuses on the combination of both a utopian and dystopian society. In The Giver, the surroundings and environment appear uncorrupted, where all its members are comfortable and cause no harm to themselves or to others. Therefore, the reader views this as a Utopian society, or an ideally perfect state. But there are evident differences in Lois Lowry’s The Giver and Thomas More’s Utopia, such as it is said that there are no animals, (pg. 547 in Book 2 Utopia discusses how farmers feed the animals), there is no nature (pg. 529 in Book 2 Utopia says, “Every house has a door to the street and another to the garden”), and in the The Giver as the story unravels we find that is not a perfect society, but a society that is missing diversity, color and love which demonstrates the idea that their world obtains dystopian characteristics as well. Another story that popped into my head was Animal Farm by George Orwell. A main difference that stood out to me was government. In Animal Farm it is evident that each individual wants full power and no one is willing to share it. In the beginning of their plot of rebellion they decide their government system will be called ‘animalism’ with specific guidelines they all must follow. A main one that causes controversy is, “All animals are created equal” which, as time passes, turns into, “All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal.” On the other hand, in Utopia there is a representative democracy. Even though both of these stories exerted the idea of a Utopian society all had different occurrences and outcomes within. In my opinion, More’s story appeared to have the most peaceful described cities, and organized leadership and lifestyles, which made me question, whether or not a Utopian society in reality, could ever exist. Therefore I decided to look into what More’s main purposes of writing these books were.
Utopia was written in response to some difficulties More was having within his own life due to the way that England was being run. More’s new idea and way of thinking ignited some chaos. A main one, for example, was between the powers of religion over the power of monarchy, which resulted More being beheaded. A direct quote in Norton shows this, “When More was required to take the oath for the Act of Succession and the Act of Supremacy, affirming that the king rather than the pope was the supreme head of the church in England, he declined.” Overall, I feel like More’s intentions were to open people’s eyes to a life they could dream for and put into actions and not have to be forced under cruel rule filled with malfunction, and misuse of power. I liked the way More put forth his ideas and because of that it definitely opened my eyes to a more positive way of running a society…. if only this did actually happen, I wonder where we would be today.

Newark Clean-Up (Wildcard)

Dear Karen,
         Just thinking about you, and figured I would update you a little bit about what I was involved with this past weekend. On Saturday morning I volunteered to do the Newark Clean-up. I met my friends at the Municipal Building where we signed in, picked up our gloves, and trash bags and headed to our assigned location. We picked up litter for approximately two hours; collecting it off of the grass, sidewalks, and in the parking lots of Library Avenue. Many people stopped us to ask what organization we were affiliated with.  When our time was up we put all of our bags together and were amazed at the amount of trash that we had picked up. We all decided to share the most strange or bizarre thing that we found and after that we headed back to the Municipal Building. The Lion’s Den had hot dogs, drinks, and snacks prepared for us as a thank you for volunteering our time. We all felt amazing that we put our time, energy, and effort into something as simple as picking up garbage. Later that day, I drove down the road and you could honestly see the difference. People carelessly throw smaller things such as their receipts, candy wrappers, and cigarette butts on the floor, thinking that there will be no affect, but in reality these items add up and make places look dirty. Being able to see the success from volunteering is honestly so rewarding. I believe in karma- what goes around comes around, and I hope that when people have the time and opportunity to volunteer they will and as a result, gain the feeling of achievement just like I did. See you this weekend!

Love,

Jamie  

Is this Propaganda in Disguise?

         The OED defines propaganda as “any association, systematic scheme, or concerted movement for the propagation of a particular doctrine or practice”. Moreover, it adds that the propagation of information is carried out “by an interested party, esp. in a tendentious way in order to encourage or instill a particular attitude or response”

Literature in any form is a great way to disguise what a writer wants you to believe so they can gain your trust for their benefit. In Drayton’s Ode. To the Virginian Voyage, Drayton’s main purpose is to present Virginia to England as an ideal place filled with lush and rich land, as seen in line 27  “ And the fruitfull’st Soyle”, his aim potentially was to in turn get the backing from the Queen to pursue future travel and possibly the colonization of the land.  In the prose, Drayton’s slips in the name of Richard Hakluyt in line 68. “Industrious Hackluit.” Hackliut was a great supporter of travel to the New World who compiled explorer’s travels into a book. Did using Hackliut uncover new confidence needed by English explorers not to give up in finding the New World worthy of colonization?  Drayton’s prose and Raleigh works where great tools to find reluctant investors. By declaring on paper and using maps and words such as in line 30 “All greater than your Wish” to lure and create a sense of excitement and curiosity was a propaganda tool so important to the growth and expansion of England’s territory worldwide.

 In researching Drayton’s ode I found a bit of information that is very interesting.  In 1607 the London Company set out on three ships, the Godspeed, Discovery, and the Sarah Constant to “Earth’s only paradise’, Virginia. Drayton wrote a prose to the group of Englishmen traveling on these ships. I read that the passengers sang during their four and half month journey.

Britons, you stay too long, 


Quickly aboard bestow you, 


And with a merry gale,


Swell your stretched sail, 


With vows as strong 


As the winds that blow you.



Your course securely steer,


West and by South forth keep; 


Rocks, lee shores nor shoals, 
Where Eolus scowls,


You need not fear,



So absolute the deep.


And cheerfully at sea 
Success you still entice, 


To get the pearl and gold,


And ours to hold VIRGINIA,

 
Earth's only paradise!


And in regions far

 
Such heroes bring ye forth 


As those from whom we came; 
And plant our name


Under that star


Not known unto our north

So, can it be safely said that Drayton’s Ode. To the Virginian Voyage was a successful propaganda tool? It obviously enticed the King to fund the trip and to spark the interest to those Englishmen to travel thousands of miles to Virginia sight unseen.

Maps were also an important tool not only for navigational purpose but also to lure people to unknown land for the benefit of the mother country. Looking at a map was a form of communication, which can hide a hidden agenda.  Within the maps borders cartographers scripted symbols that had hidden meanings. Maps provided communication between the ruler of a country and his people. From May 1607 to the fall of 1609, Captain John Smith was a leader of the Jamestown colony, the first permanent English settlement in North America. Smith explored the area zealously and described Virginia in vivid detail in letters, reports and maps. (Novus Orbis: Images of the New World part 3) Was it fair that cartographers used deceit to make their kingdom more valuable? Diogo Riberio’s 1529 world map, drawn for King Charles V of Spain, drew the lucrative Molucca spice islands incorrectly to place them in Spain’s sphere of influence. (Jardine, 1996, p. 274).