Today I am melancholy. Been speaking to family far away and listening to old albums from when I was a kid and life was simpler. The album is from an old TV show called Lift Off which I LOVED. I kept the music (not having thrown out a CD since I was about 12) and I am SO glad. Except...it makes me feel melancholy. I miss those days. They seemed simpler and even if I'm feeling nostalgic (which is never negative) just listening to the music makes me miss the simpler days. Walks in the cold to collect firewood, family holidays, music, school, weekends and reading.
Today my life makes me feel like I've always eaten too much. Not sick but stuffed. Too full of stuff. Too much technology. Too much choice. Too much fuss. Too much money. Too much pressure.
I recently had to read Utopia by Thomas More. I would highly recommend this book. I didn't agree with everything, I rarely do, however some of his ideas are brilliant, others simply logical.
Utopia is two 'books' or chapters. It is basically a dialogue between Moore himself and a character Raphael. Raphael has travelled far and wide and the second half is dedicated to his detailed description of Utopia. Utopia is a communally run island of 14 'districts'. Each is set out in basically the same way and no one has any private property. Everyone works (6 hours a day or so) and all benefit. Dining is communal 99% of the time (because the best food is given to the dining halls) and those who are sick go to hospitals to get better. Everything is evenly distributed and emphasis is on equitable division of goods.
As I said I didn't agree with everything. There was some opinion about War and women being the weaker sex I didn't agree with, not surprising as More was writing in the 14-1500's, however on the base level I think he was on to something. One line in particular jumped out at me which was something along the lines of:
Mother earth puts everything needed (not wanted but needed) within easy reach.
If you think about he's right. We don't have to mine for 2km to get potatoes or water. Food, wood for fire, water, trees for medicine. Everything is there.
I'm not a classic environmentalist. I'm a student who isn't sure what they want out of life. Or what she's supposed to do with her life. Or if she'll find what she wants but doesn't know how to name. However I do know one thing. As soon as I read the basic ideas of Utopia I wanted to move there. I keep wanting to go back to when I was a kid because times were simpler - why not do it? I can't be 10 years old again but I can simplify my life.
Give me your thoughts - I dislike being ruled by technology and money...do you?
I know how you feel. For the last few months I've been trying to get rid of the vast amounts of stuff accumulating around the apartment. We do tend to be surrounded by stuff - especially at the supermarket. I have no idea what kind of chemicals and flavorings I'm eating or where the food even comes from anymore. It feels good to simplify every now and again.
ReplyDeleteUtopia is always one of those books that's been on my reading list but I just haven't gotten to yet. I'll be interested to hear what you think of the rest.
I have just logged in to a browser I never used, found myself logged in to this blog and seen this comment. To be honest I want to cry. I had no idea anyone was even reading this and I'm so sorry I never saw this 7 years ago. Thank you for reading all that time ago and thank you for commenting. I stopped posting because I didn't think anyone was and if I'd seen this then... Well anyway, thanks.
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