Introduction
In the contemporary world, the issue of an ideal society is fundamental to discuss, especially in the context of problems such as mental illnesses, widespread bullying, and the harmful effect of social media. In accordance with Aristotle’s topoi, to have a more comprehensive review of an ideal society, one should use several approaches to defining the notion of a perfect society. This essay aims to provide a definition of an ideal community and argue that economic well-being, equality, and respect are the main elements of it.
Main body
The term society and the ambiguous concept of an ideal community can consist of different elements and characteristics, depending on an individual describing it. The idea of society can be defined as a group of individuals living together (“Society”). Apart from sharing the area of living, these individuals interact and affect each other’s lives, meaning that important decisions regarding the specifics of living, such as ethical norms are made collectively. Hence, because each individual affects and is affected by others living on the same territory, one can argue that the first characteristic of an ideal society is mindfulness in regards to others.
The term ideal society is unanimous with the definition of utopia. The latter describes a state of society in which each element is perfect. Here, a distinction should be made since utopia is somewhat unreachable, while an ideal society is something that can be achieved. However, the two can often be confused with concepts such as economic prosperity, which refers to the financial well-being of all individuals living in a society. This approach only considers the monetary aspect of society’s well-being, while in an ideal case, all aspects of cooperation between the individuals are equal. Hence, in an ideal society, people have both economic prosperity and the perfect co-existence with others.
Equally is another element that has to exist in an ideal society. While the contemporary world does not suffer from direct forms of discrimination or exploitation, several issues still exist. For example, the economic inequality in the United States and in the world leads to poverty and a lack of opportunities for the unfortunate. Hence, some individuals are unable to fulfill their basic needs, such as the need for food or housing.
Arguably, this element is connected to the next characteristic of an ideal society – support. Mutual respect and support, which mitigate the adverse impact of bullying and disparities, are essential. In the context of a perfect society, cooperation is an integral part of any group’s success.
When defining the concept of an ideal society, one must review the characteristics that would help distinguish between the utopia and other communities. The features of an ideal society are economic well-being, supportive cooperation, and equality. In contrast, a non-ideal society allows for bullying, disrespectful behavior, and a significant difference between the income of individuals, leading to the prevalence of poverty. Arguably, from this distinction, one can state that in an ideal society, the efforts dedicated to creating well-being and a good environment are directed at all individuals.
Conclusion
Overall, economic prosperity, mutual respect, and equality are what constitute an ideal society or utopia. While the notion of society can be defined as a group of people that share the same territory, the concept of a perfect society can differ for each person. Using Aristotle’s topoi, this paper defined this notion from several different perspectives and presented a list of characteristics that can be used to distinguish an ideal society.
Work Cited
“Society.” Cambridge Dictionary. Web.