The Same Skin and Bones

Honestly, I usually duck my head when people start getting heated about politics. Maybe it's a millennial trait I've adopted, maybe it's my dislike of contention or maybe it's because there's almost always some form of a "Type A Jason" guy who appears out of nowhere who's soul purpose is to crush your opinion into smithereens as you breathe in between your sentences. Chill out Jason, you need better deodorant.

A version of Utopia from last century-Robert McCall 1983 Mural, The Prologue and the Promise

So here I am, venturing into this semi-political territory, sans Jason, with a simple question: How can the idea of a Utopian Society cause such different and intense reactions? Stay with me here, there are three different societies I have in mind that have hoped to be structured in a Utopian manner. Communism (is everyone still breathing?) The Latter-day Saint idea of Zion in the millennium and Sir Thomas More's Utopia. Though there are significant differences between the three (euthanasia, marriage and divorce and other social practices in More's Utopia, perfection and justice with Christ reigning in the Latter-day Saint millennium and obvious problems, inequalities and loss of freedoms in communism) they all share the same basic skin and bones idea of societal equality. 

So what is it? Why are some of these talked about in total disgust and some looked forward to? The desire for equality seems benevolent enough, but upon execution history proves it to be impossible. It's been suggested that Karl Marx's vision for communism has never really existed. Playing off of that, would a Utopian society even be possible today? Would it make people happy? Or would it inevitably turn into a Dystopia? Ok Jason, have at it.

Image credit : A version of Utopia from last century-Robert McCall 1983 Mural, The Prologue and the Promise http://www.jomec.co.uk/intercardiff/food-culture/searching-for-utopia