Rousseauism
The dream of a better life and the idea that each generation should live better than the previous one has made a decisive contribution to the pursuit of scientific and technological innovation, reform, and continuous progress. However, not all concepts agree that moving forward is tantamount to approaching a utopia. One of those that contradict this idea is the concept of Rousseauism. “Hence, for example, these trams! They are always running up and down as though they were looking for the lost simplicity of nature.” (Wells, 2018, p. 4). These words reflect Rousseauism, as they portray technology as overly complex and out of touch with nature. With these words, the author seeks to show the insignificance and meaninglessness of constant haste, which is contrary to the concept. The constant haste with which the author connects trams seems incomprehensible and unnecessary against the backdrop of nature, which underlies the values of Rousseauism.
Form of Utopianism that Opposes Rousseauism
The opposing concept is one in which progress, technology, and orderly man-made objects are united with nature. “The houses clustered in their collegiate groups over by the high road. There were one or two Utopians cutting and packing the flowery mountain grass in the carefully leveled and irrigated meadows by means of swift, light machines that ran on things like feet and seemed to devour the herbage.” (Wells, 2018, p. 6). These words give expression to a form of utopianism that opposes Rousseauism. These words emphasize the system and orderliness which cannot be created by nature. Combining the orderly arrangement of buildings, nature in the form of flowering grass, and technology in the form of light cars highlights the presence of technology and progress, without which such a concept of utopia cannot exist. This concept reflects precisely the orderliness and coherence of the work of man and technology, but not the perfect environment (Sargent, 2005). The combination of all these factors demonstrates that such a concept refers more to the harmony of man, technology, and the environment.
References
Sargent, L. T. (2005). What Is a Utopia? Web.
Wells, H.G. (2018). A modern Utopia. Web.