Imagine a place called “Foreverland”: people live in a world where laws prohibit judging or blaming others and excluding people from any activity or social group. A person could relax in this transcendental society, because the stress of worrying about being judged would be nonexistent. This would lead to humanity developing to its fullest and highest potential. This society would value and reward people in the helping professions rather than those whose work is motivated only by making money for themselves. Social harmony and equality would be the norm. Although it’s tempting to think a society like this could function in today’s world, the reality is this place could not exist today because today’s culture more highly values making money over doing good for others; humans are wired to be selective about the relationships they develop; and, unfortunately, sidestepping responsibility for one’s wrongdoings and bad behavior is deeply ingrained and frequently modeled in present society.
One could argue that Foreverland could exist. Society must only change its laws and thinking to make it possible. It could work if it were possible to force people to change. If citizens were punished for judging, blaming, excluding and being greedy, their behavior might reform. They would eventually try to avoid the consequences of negative behavior. If there were generous rewards for being less selfish and more considerate of others, society might be able to change for the better. If society provided more money for staffing helping institutions with enough workers to help all those who need it, more people could be helped. That would mean less crime and less suffering would occur in that society. However, as the saying goes, all of that is easier said than done. Besides, changing human behavior and thought takes hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years.
In Foreverland, excluding others from social and business groups would be banned. This would ensure social harmony and equality would be achieved. This also would ensure that others would not be hurt by feeling unwanted. However, because humans are naturally attracted to those with whom they can relate, this would make it nearly impossible to change whom one would befriend. In business, people group together around areas of knowledge or tasks to be performed. Exclusion is not always meant to be mean. It is just natural. Sometimes not including a person or a group is a matter of feeling comfortable because a group might share the same values or sense of humor or goals or spiritual thoughts, etc. Sometimes excluding someone or a group has to do with being productive. It would be very difficult to get some things done if people had to constantly sort through their differences before they could work together to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Progress would be slowed in today’s fast-paced society.
In Foreverland people would accept responsibility for their own actions. This would be extremely difficult to do in today’s society because it has developed into a blaming culture. One constantly witnesses pubic figures, business people, sports figures, and entertainers putting blame on someone else for their own malfeasances. Because it is often heard about in the mass media it is deemed acceptable for others outside the spotlight to behave in such a way. Therefore, it is often considered a normal and efficient way to handle problems. It has turned into an easy way out of a difficulty. People do not realize the hardships that blaming can cause for other people and how overlooking the moral misdoing can lead to more of the same. It is easier to point fingers than to own up to one’s behavior and the consequences involved.
The fact is, today’s society and Foreverland have opposite values. In Foreverland, the helping professions would be equal to others in status and pay. This would show that the society values those who help others and prevent problems rather than glorifying and overpaying those who are interested only in making money for themselves. However, today’s society places emphasis on making lots of money and living a lavish lifestyle. Many equate money with happiness. This is because today’s culture does not place a monetary value on the happiness one gets from helping others. The good in it may be acknowledged from time to time, but it is not viewed as a societal goal to strive for such as is becoming wealthy. It would be an impossible task within any reasonable time frame to convince people that caring for others is overall more satisfying and beneficial to society than spoiling oneself.
The reasons presented show that a transcendental society like that of Foreverland could not function in the world as we know it. It would be impossible to change the societal patterns of everyday life and the way people work and play together. It is hard to change the way people view others and behave in public. No law will be powerful enough to make all people change their behaviors, especially those that are deeply established. Thousands of laws exist today, but the jails are still full. Evidently, the threat of punishment doesn’t work with all people. Scholars will say that society is becoming more kind in general, but there is still a long road to travel to get to Foreverland. A transcendentalist society could not exist today because of the values already firmly established such as valuing making money rather than doing good for others, sidestepping responsibility, and being selective about relationships.
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