Post by mindy on Dec 16, 2016 19:16:24 GMT -5
In the original Greek, the word "utopia" literally translates to "no place."
Sir Thomas More used the word in his novel of the same name. Utopia was a fictional island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
From Wikipedia:
"The word comes from the Greek: οὐ ("not") and τόπος ("place") and means "no-place", and strictly describes any non-existent society 'described in considerable detail'.
However, in standard usage, the word's meaning has narrowed and now usually describes a non-existent society that is intended to be viewed as considerably better than contemporary society. Eutopia, derived from the Greek εὖ ("good" or "well") and τόπος ("place"), means "good place", and is strictly speaking the correct term to describe a positive utopia. In English, eutopia and utopia are homophonous, which may have given rise to the change in meaning."
Many authors and philosophers, such as Plato and H.G. Wells, have written about Utopias and Marius de Geus wrote about an ecological utopia, which according to Wikipedia "describes new ways in which society should relate to nature."
Forrest wrote that "only the dead shall know an end to war," which mirrors Plato: "Only the dead have seen the end to war." Plato's Republic describes a utopian society.
There's no doubt we live in a dystopian society, the opposite of a utopian society, so it makes sense when Forrest points out that only the dead will know the end of war, which is the same thing as "only the dead will know peace."
So, could "no place for the meek" be translated more literally to "utopia for the meek?"
Since we we arrived in America, people have sought utopia. Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Carolina were founded on utopian principles. Some theorists say that one of the possible endings of our world will be utopia.
Utopian beliefs are at the core of almost every religion and culture. Christians have the Garden of Eden and Heaven. The Chinese have their Peach Blossom Spring and Datong. There have even been movements by feminist groups to design a utopian society. Forrest often wrote about these different cultures, and each had their own visions of utopia, but all had common threads--peace, delight, joy, and affluent simplicity.
From Wikipedia:
"In many cultures, societies, and religions, there is some myth or memory of a distant past when humankind lived in a primitive and simple state, but at the same time one of perfect happiness and fulfillment. In those days, the various myths tell us, there was an instinctive harmony between humanity and nature. People's needs were few and their desires limited. Both were easily satisfied by the abundance provided by nature. Accordingly, there were no motives whatsoever for war or oppression. Nor was there any need for hard and painful work. Humans were simple and pious, and felt themselves close to their God or gods. According to one anthropological theory, hunter-gatherers were the original affluent society.
These mythical or religious archetypes are inscribed in many cultures, and resurge with special vitality when people are in difficult and critical times. However, in utopias, the projection of the myth does not take place towards the remote past, but either towards the future or towards distant and fictional places, imagining that at some time in the future, at some point in space, or beyond death, there must exist the possibility of living happily."
Edward Bellamy wrote a book called Looking Backward that describes a utopian ideal where every person does work they enjoy and which benefits others. That sounds a lot like of one Forrest's quotes on MW's, about doing work you enjoy.
After reading TTOTC a million times and re-reading many of Forrest's quotes (why can't we all just get along?), my belief that no place for the meek does, in fact, translate to a utopia for the meek. But you must also get the right meaning of "meek." Many believe "meek" means sky or timid, the opposite of brave. I don't believe that is the meaning Forrest intended.
All of of this is in my opinion, and food for thought....
Sir Thomas More used the word in his novel of the same name. Utopia was a fictional island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
From Wikipedia:
"The word comes from the Greek: οὐ ("not") and τόπος ("place") and means "no-place", and strictly describes any non-existent society 'described in considerable detail'.
However, in standard usage, the word's meaning has narrowed and now usually describes a non-existent society that is intended to be viewed as considerably better than contemporary society. Eutopia, derived from the Greek εὖ ("good" or "well") and τόπος ("place"), means "good place", and is strictly speaking the correct term to describe a positive utopia. In English, eutopia and utopia are homophonous, which may have given rise to the change in meaning."
Many authors and philosophers, such as Plato and H.G. Wells, have written about Utopias and Marius de Geus wrote about an ecological utopia, which according to Wikipedia "describes new ways in which society should relate to nature."
Forrest wrote that "only the dead shall know an end to war," which mirrors Plato: "Only the dead have seen the end to war." Plato's Republic describes a utopian society.
There's no doubt we live in a dystopian society, the opposite of a utopian society, so it makes sense when Forrest points out that only the dead will know the end of war, which is the same thing as "only the dead will know peace."
So, could "no place for the meek" be translated more literally to "utopia for the meek?"
Since we we arrived in America, people have sought utopia. Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Carolina were founded on utopian principles. Some theorists say that one of the possible endings of our world will be utopia.
Utopian beliefs are at the core of almost every religion and culture. Christians have the Garden of Eden and Heaven. The Chinese have their Peach Blossom Spring and Datong. There have even been movements by feminist groups to design a utopian society. Forrest often wrote about these different cultures, and each had their own visions of utopia, but all had common threads--peace, delight, joy, and affluent simplicity.
From Wikipedia:
"In many cultures, societies, and religions, there is some myth or memory of a distant past when humankind lived in a primitive and simple state, but at the same time one of perfect happiness and fulfillment. In those days, the various myths tell us, there was an instinctive harmony between humanity and nature. People's needs were few and their desires limited. Both were easily satisfied by the abundance provided by nature. Accordingly, there were no motives whatsoever for war or oppression. Nor was there any need for hard and painful work. Humans were simple and pious, and felt themselves close to their God or gods. According to one anthropological theory, hunter-gatherers were the original affluent society.
These mythical or religious archetypes are inscribed in many cultures, and resurge with special vitality when people are in difficult and critical times. However, in utopias, the projection of the myth does not take place towards the remote past, but either towards the future or towards distant and fictional places, imagining that at some time in the future, at some point in space, or beyond death, there must exist the possibility of living happily."
Edward Bellamy wrote a book called Looking Backward that describes a utopian ideal where every person does work they enjoy and which benefits others. That sounds a lot like of one Forrest's quotes on MW's, about doing work you enjoy.
After reading TTOTC a million times and re-reading many of Forrest's quotes (why can't we all just get along?), my belief that no place for the meek does, in fact, translate to a utopia for the meek. But you must also get the right meaning of "meek." Many believe "meek" means sky or timid, the opposite of brave. I don't believe that is the meaning Forrest intended.
All of of this is in my opinion, and food for thought....
