Utopia

The word “Utopia” was coined by Sir Thomas Moore from Greek roots meaning “nowhere.” That’s pretty accurate: there will never be a perfect society until there is a community of perfect people.

Many of the problems our society faces are the result of about a century of work by people convinced that if they could just set up the right form of government/collection of laws/regulatory regime they could create an ideal society and solve the world’s problems. I suppose it’s less painful to put your effort into reforming other people rather than into trying to reform yourself. You can even use your “good deeds for society” to excuse giving in to your personal temptations.

Politics isn’t unimportant: “when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” (Proverbs 29:2) But we should never place politics above our efforts at personal righteousness. We will only create an ideal society when we become ideal people.