EXPLORATION
Introduction
The notion of an ideal existence is deeply embedded in the human psyche. From our earliest days, humans have sought a better world. In Western literature, there are several examples of this desire. Greek philosopher, Plato, raised the idea of an idealized existence in his literary works, Critias, around 460 BC, and The Republic around 360 BC. It was Thomas More who wrote the first “Utopia” in 1516. He coined the word from the Greek ou-topos, which translated means no place or no where. The similar Greek word eu-topos translates to a good place. It is here where we first come to recognize the duality that exists between utopia and dystopia. One is necessary in order to realize the other. Criticized throughout history
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However, once the times changed, the appeal of utopian communities waned. There are countless communities recorded from history that have initiated a new attempt at an ideal existence.
The Shakers, officially known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, were founded in Manchester, England, in 1747. In 1774, a Scottish woman named Ann Lee, brought her followers to America. While the Shakers are known for their simplicity, their devotion is anything but simple-minded. The Shaker credo demands duty to god, duty to man, separation from the world, simplicity of language, right use of property, and a celibate life. The Shakers are by far the longest-lived American utopian experiment. The Shaker version of utopia is part of the American popular imagination.
Robert Owen was the preeminent utopian thinker of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. A factory owner, he was influenced by industrialization in his native Scotland. He purchased land and buildings to establish the first socialist commune organized on the principle of rational ethics; not religion. In 1814, this commune came to be known as New Harmony. Owen rebelled against the “trinity of evils:” private property, irrational systems of religion, and marriage founded on property and religion. He developed a plan of progressive paternalism in his commune. Robert Owen introduced the trade school to the United States, stressing practical training and character building rather than classical