KILKENNY -- Tom Moylan followed me home from Temple Bar yesterday. I carried him in my thoughts because his take on Utopia is much wider-ranging than any other coverage of the topic. He offers an hour-long lecture that deftly steps around several examples of "utopia" being hijacked in popular culture before embarking on a deep excursion of literature that gives listeners a brief tour of utopia through the ages.
After listening intently to his ideas, I personally conclude that utopia is a dream of a better life. It is a description of those who try to create that better life. In many ways, it is the semi-monastic existence of my aunt. She has spent more than 50 years as a Missionary Servant of the Most Blessed Trinity and now lives in a vibrant community of nuns in the middle of Manhattan. I wonder if she would think she is in utopia?
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