midterm utopia

Cockaigne

a type of society where life is peaceful and easy, where sensual gratification through food, drink, sex, or other pleasurable activity is the central focus.

Volkgeist

Means “the spirit of the people”, refers to the values and beliefs that are shared by a society with a shared history, language, value system or religion.

Millenialist utopia

types of societies whose primary purpose is to prepare themselves for a massive world-changing or world-ending event.

Golden age

a period of time, sometimes imaginary, when everyone was happy

Intentional community

a group of five or more adults and their children who choose to live together to enhance their shared values, share work and ressources, and set themselves apart from mainstream society.

Microcosm

a “small world” that serves as an allegory of a larger reality or of a more complex story.

Satire

a form of humour that usually involves straight-faced exaggeration and mock approval to ridicule an idea, person, or practice.

Myth of origins

a form of narrative, such as the story of the Garden of Eden or of the Conquest of New France, that explains the foundation, identity, and purpose of a society.

Zeitgeist

the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. (spirit of time)

Progressive utopia

a future state of affairs in which human rationality and/or scientific knowledge will produce a fairer and more pleasant society than the one that exists now.

Metaphysics

a division of philosophy that is concerned with the fundamental nature or reality and being; a study of what is outside objective experience.

Cognitive dissonance

the mental conflict that occurs when deeply held beliefs or assumptions are contradicted by new beliefs/information that contradict the former.

Saturnalia

a week-long Roman festival that celebrated the winter solstice during which social inequalities between rich and poor were reversed, with the rich feeding, serving, and giving gifts to the poor.

Socrates

a fifth-century BCE Athenian philosopher whose rhetorical style, opposition to democracy, and critique of traditional gods led him to be charged and executed for “perverting the youth of Athens”.

Kallipolis

this greek term, which means “beautiful city” is used by Plato to describe a utopia ruled by truth-seeking philosophers whose purpose is to help its citizens to attain greatness of soul.

Arcadia

A type of utopia that is characterized by a peaceful, rural way of life and peasant citizens who display virtue and hard work.

Virtue

refers to moral traits of character, such as wisdom, courage, self-control and justice, which allow humans to live rightly and avoid vice.

Body utopia

type of ideal society where, according to Sargent, living is easy and where humans can indulge in pleasure-seeking activities.

Lycurgus

according to Plutarch, this mythical lawgiver ensured that the Spartan constitution would forever assure the survival, strength, and communal well-being of the whole population.

City utopia

brought about by human beings using their intelligence.

Aristocracy

rule by the nobles.

Hesiod

a Greek poet of the eighth century BCE who authored the Works and Days, which spoke of the “five ages of man” and humanity’s gradual loss of its noble character.

Amazons

a group of women who, according to the Greek Historian Herodotuc, lived in isolation from the world of men but performed traditionally masculine occupations.

Syracuse

Greek colony situated on the island of Sicily, where Plato attempted, but failed, to create a philosopher’s republic.

Worldview

a system of beliefs that aims to explain our meaning and purpose.

Myth

transcendent stories believed to be true,

Paradigm shift

total & radical transformation in the way a person or a community perceives reality.

Repressive dystopia

humans are controlled and dehumanized by an all-control government.

Chaotic dystopia

society without rules, leads humans to revert to pre-civilized state

Post-Apocalyptic dystopia

society largely destroyed by war, disease or technology

Satirical/Anti-Utopia

appears perfect & benevolent but dehumanizes inhabitants

Jubilee Year

every seventh year, the land shall lie fallow and be given a rest, all debts must be forgiven and all the passages stress assistance to the poor and fair dealing.

Apocalypse

the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation.

Millennium

the prophesied thousand-year reign of Christ at the end of the age.

New Jerusalem

Ezekiel's prophetic vision of a city centered on the rebuilt Holy Temple.

Liberation theology

a movement in Christian theology, developed mainly by Latin American Roman Catholics, that emphasizes liberation from social, political, and economic oppression as an anticipation of ultimate salvation.