Utopia

[close] What's America Reading This Week? Each week the New York Times updates its list of the bestselling books in the United States and each month our group picks two of them. These are the books that everyone is reading; the future classics, academic required reading and Hollywood movies. Let's see what all the hype is about!

[close] This group is for anyone interested in Utopian and Dystopian Literature to discuss anything from Thomas More's Utopia to present day fiction. Everyone is welcome, including experts or those who are completely new to the genre and want to know more! Utopian fiction depicts imagined societies that display speculative improvements to the real society in which they were written. Although not always perfect, and more often than not unfeasible, the societies of Utopian fiction emit optimism for a better way of living. Dystopian fiction, or anti-utopia, on the other hand, depicts alternative societies where negative developments dominate. These pessimistic depictions are often warnings of the perceived dangers at the time of writing, particularly influenced by the rapid development of science, and the realisation of its destructive powers following the First World War. Perhaps the fundamental interest of Utopian and Dystopian Literature lies in its relationship to the time it was written, whether it is a symbol of a society’s optimistic faith in progress or the growing fear of the destructive nature of mankind. The books chosen for the group's to-read shelf are a selection from the ‘Key works’ list from The Cambridge Companion to Utopian Literature, plus suggestions from group members

[close] A book club based in Central Mississippi that orbits around works in the Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Alternative History genres.

[close] Study and discussion of the important questions of ethical and political philosophy from Confucius and Socrates to the present. Rules (see also the Rules and Housekeeping topic): Subject to copyright law and these rules, posters may cite, link, or quote any publication, including their own. Posts linking to outside sources must contain a brief explanation of the nature of the linked material and, unless obvious, how it is relevant to the topic being discussed. All posts and linked material must be in English. Posts and any linked material should be polite and not degenerate into ad hominem attacks. The purpose here is to seek light, not heat—rational discourse, not shouting matches. Leave your cable news persona at home and put on your philosopher's mantle when entering this group. Rational argumentation and Socratic questioning are welcome. Hectoring, intimidation, insult, and presumptuous condescension toward other group members are cause for immediate removal from the group. Internet "trolls," advocates of violence, and posters failing to comply with these rules will be removed from membership, as will posters who persist in raising issues that are outside the scope of the subject matter of this group. New members may introduce themselves in the New Member Introductions topic. See posts 4-5 here regarding the creation of new topics. Photo credit: Socrates sculpture at Louvre (CherryX per Wikimedia Commons [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)