The fashion in Utopia never alters; and it is neither disagreeable nor uneasy. Every family makes their own clothes. However, women, for the most part, do the “spinning and weaving.
” This job suits them best, as they are considered the weaker of the sexes. As it can clearly be seen throughout the book, Utopia is a utilitarian, and a pure communistic society. There is no reason, or want for excess of material goods. Nor is there a desire to have anything new. Everyone has the same clothing, and they are all seemingly happy with this conformity.The Utopian’s believe that to follow one’s own natural impulses toward our likes, and dislikes is “what God meant us to do.
” Thus they define virtue as living according to nature, and think that God makes us for that end. They believe that people then follow the dictates of nature when pursuing or avoiding things according to the direction of their reason. Utopian’s believe that the first dictate of reason is the kindling in us of a love and reverence for the Almighty God, “to whom we owe our existence and our potentiality for happiness, and secondly to get through life as comfortably and cheerfully as we can, and to help all other member of society to do so too.” Thus to follow ones nature is to live virtuously, and in accordance with God.The Utopian’s believe that to follow one’s own natural impulses toward our likes, and dislikes is “what God meant us to do.” Thus they define virtue as living according to nature, and think that God makes us for that end.
They believe that people then follow the dictates of nature when pursuing or avoiding things according to the direction of their reason. Utopian’s believe that the first dictate of reason is the kindling in us of a love and reverence for the Almighty God, “to whom we owe our existence and our potentiality for happiness, and secondly to get through life as comfortably and cheerfully as we can, and to help all other member of society to do so too.” Thus to follow ones nature is to live virtuously, and in accordance with God.The Utopian’s despise war. They are a peaceful people that are above the bloodshed and brutality that was involves, however if another country, or King challenges them the hire mercenaries to fight for them.
They never have trouble finding these mercenaries as they pay them top dollar. Utopia is able to this because they are a wealthy country.More is exemplifying the imbalance of societies outside Utopia. He states on page 129,
” I would gladly hear any man compare the justice that is among them with that of all other nations; among whom, may I perish, if I see anything that looks either like justice or equity: for what justice is there in this, that a nobleman, a goldsmith, a banker, or any other man, that either does nothing at all, or at best is employed in things that are of no use to the public, should live in great luxury and splendor, upon what is so ill acquired; and a mean man, a carter, a smith, or a ploughman, that works harder even than the beasts themselves, and is employed in labors so necessary, that no commonwealth could hold out a year without them, can only earn so poor a livelihood, and must lead so miserable a life, that the condition of the beasts is much better than theirs?”
To reiterate, More is stating that those who do the work are not often rewarded, while those that do little labor are rewarded with luxury. He wants to remind us how well off the Utopian’s are.
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