Introducing 266 CONCEPTUALISING UTOPIA
New Programme starting - 08/11/21
Abstract
Utopia and dystopia are two sides of the same coin. One person’s utopia is another’s dystopia. This is inevitable if we define utopia as maximising on certain values at the cost of others (e.g. sacrificing freedom for security). It would be easy to analyse the countless examples of utopias and dystopias in fiction and argue about the virtues of one over the other but this would result in an endless debate around personal preferences and values.
Instead we propose a different approach to the question of utopia: what models can we use to conceptualise and assess utopia(s)?
This approach serves two purposes. First, to provide us with the tools to analyse and compare utopias throughout fiction. Second, it allows us to think critically about utopian projects (including our own utopian dreams).
We will start by discussing whether a single objective definition of utopia exists and why definite visions of the future are important. Next, we will explore the core pillars that make a society and use these as a lens to identify the models that can help conceptualise utopian / dystopian fictions. The chosen pillars are inevitably linked, influencing each other through endless loops:
Justice
Organisation
Value & Exchange
Social Culture
Technology
For each pillar we will explore the different variables by which a society can differ and build up a set of models to describe and assess the utopias. We will use the utopian / dystopian fiction that we are reading as a sandbox to test these models.
In the final session we will look to analyse & critique various utopian projects using the tools we will have developed in the previous sessions. We will also dedicate some time to everyone’s closing thoughts and comments.
Outline
Utopia is Dystopia
Session 1 - 08/11/21
Our first session serves as a general introduction to utopia and dystopia. We’ll review whether its possible to have an objective definition of utopia and discuss the value of having a utopia to aim for.
Justice
Session 2 - 29/11/21
Pillar 1 - Justice is a fundamentally moral principle which looks to determine treatment of people based on what they deserve. How does a society determine and enforce ‘right’ and ‘wrong’? How do our ideal societies use retribution or forgiveness to enact justice? How else can a society's ideas of justice vary and be characterised?
Sample text - Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? - Michael J Sandel, 2010,
Organisation
Session 3 - 20/12/21
Pillar 2 - In order for a society to function, systems of organisation must be put in place to make decisions as and/or for the collective. What are the structures that tie a society together? How can and should groups make effective decisions at scale? What are the options for managing the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity that comes with trying to optimise the utility of a large group?
Sample text - An Introduction to Political Philosophy - Jonathan Wolff, 1996
Value and Exchange
Session 4 - 10/01/22
Pillar 3 - To build and maintain any kind of prosperity a society must effectively allocate resources. What is a society's relationship to the material? How does it attribute value to goods and services?
Sample text - Debt: The First 5000 Years - David Graeber, 2011
Social Culture
Session 5 - 31/01/22
Pillar 4 - Fundamentally a society is a group of people who have persistent interaction with each other and therefore establish formal and informal relationships. These relationships inevitably lead to a culture. What ties a people together? How do differing ideas of kinship, self, ritual and beauty influence a society? Can we engineer culture to meet our objective or do the other pillars flow from our social culture?
Sample text - Culture: The Anthropologists' Account - Adam Kuper, 1999
Technology
Session 6 - 21/02/21
Technology can be thought of as a tool as much as a pillar. It enables the pillars seen before but is it an end in itself? Do we shape our tools or do our tools shape us? How can technological trends influence futures? Is technology neutral or do some technologies have a propensity to lead us to specific utopian or dystopian futures?
Sample text - Exponential - Azeem Azhar, 2021
Assessing Utopia
Session 7 - 14/03/22
In our final session we’ll conclude the program by using the tools we’ve developed & fictional societies we’ve reviewed to discuss real life utopian projects. Can we now define the societies we would like to be part of? Are they desirable? Can we assess the utopian projects from first principles and determine whether we support or oppose the system they propose?
Logistics
We will run this syllabus over the course of seven sessions, one every three weeks, starting on 8th of November 2021. The sessions will be hybrid: for those in London there will be the possibility to attend in person, for those abroad or unable to make it, video conferencing will run in parallel. Discussions will likely be split into smaller groups depending on the amount of attendees.
The syllabus is made up of fiction & non fiction content. Each week the non-fictional readings/content is split into three parts:
Core: a comprehensive overview of the subject for those who want to have an informed opinion
Light: for those who might be short on time between sessions
Extended: additional content for those who want to dive deeper
When it comes to fiction there is no required reading list, instead we ask you to engage with as many works of fiction that depict a utopia or dystopia as possible. We expect that most of you will have read the classics of the genre (1984, Brave New World, etc.) and seen the major films/shows (The Matrix, Hunger Games, etc.). We will offer some guidance on what fictions might be particularly relevant to each pillar (link here); this is only indicative. Please engage with works that interest you. These will inform our discussions throughout the sessions so the more you read/watch the better.
To take part - Subscribe to our Substack & we will add you to the Slack channel / keep you up to date with details! Feel free to share this post with anyone interested!
About 277 Institute
We host immersive reading groups on interdisciplinary issues. This Programme was developed by Charles, Peteris & Jack. Our inspiration for this Programme came from a desire to better understand our potential futures and the choices that could lead them to becoming utopias / dystopias. Our hope is that through this reading we'll gain a new appreciation for the levers that influence society, the choices we should make to build the future we desire, and the traps we should avoid.