Con/Pro Essay: Is A Transcendentalist Society Attainable?

          Forever Land consists of people that practice their own beliefs and take part in what they please. A transcendentalist society like Forever Land is very hard to find in the modern world. Citizens that abide in transcendentalist societies would never be able to act the same, judge one another, or exclude someone. The imaginary society, Forever Land, preaches laws such as no judging, excluding others, stealing ideas, abusing animals, and pressuring into a belief. It is very rare to find a modern-day society that believes in all of the above. While some people may believe that a transcendentalist society would be possible in modern day society, the fact that there could be no strict laws, no severe punishments, and equality issues make it impossible for a transcendentalist society to exist today.

          Forever Land is located on an isolated island. This location could make it possible to achieve the goals of a transcendentalist society. With isolation comes independence and self-determination. Transcendentalists cannot be mixed in with the rest of the world or their beliefs would be judged and they would feel excluded. The setting of Forever Land provides a space where transcendentalists can live together and relate to one another’s individualism. In this modern day, politics would get in the way of this ideal detachment from the world. Separation cannot dispose of the fact that laws are necessary in any society. Not just rules such as pressuring, copying, or excluding, but real distinct laws that govern any society.

          Laws make a town organized and successful. Without them, terrible things are destined to occur. If a society was created that did not enforce rules including no stealing, murdering, corruption, etc, there quite possibly could be numerous disturbances. The living conditions of Forever Land may work out for a while, but the citizens would not be able to continue normal life without basic principles. Forever Land does not believe in larger figures, such as presidents or dictators. Any society lacking a leadership position will fail. The enforcement of laws is almost as important as the laws themselves.

          When a rule is broken in Forever Land, the consequences are not extreme. At the first offense, the wrongdoer would be let off with a warning. At the second offense, the offender would be required to take part in a certain amount of community service. The next offense is where the lawbreaker would be executed from the island. If Forever Land were a real society, punishments would have to be much more intense. Community service may not teach a lesson to many people. A proper punishment for committing a crime in the real world is going to jail. Jail is responsible for causing one pain for what they have done. It is penalties like prison that truly teach people a lesson and cause them to improve their actions in the future.

          In any society, one will find inequalities. It is nearly impossible to thrive in a civilization where there is no judgment or hatred between human beings. Forever Land ideally does not consist of any unfairness or inequality whatsoever. This may include gender, age, race, or position. But in a real thriving society, there must be some form of inequality. To claim a society to be without any form of discrimination is an impossible statement and cannot be achieved. Everyone is different and all people are guilty of having judged someone. A civilization lacking any injustice at all is not possible.

          Transcendentalist societies would certainly be ideal for today’s world. However, the modern population could not possibly thrive in a society like this. Factors such as a strong government are necessary in any successful living environment. It is unattainable for a civilization to not have a strong form of government, harsh consequences for wrongdoings, and inequalities of some form.