Philosophical Analysis
The novel Men like Gods is H.G. Wells’ account of his philosophical ideas about Modern Utopia. H.G. Wells brings out his ideas about modern utopia through the eyes of Mr. Barnstaple, the protagonist of the novel. He is shown to be a depressed journalist. Although he has everything a 20th century man would require he has lost passion for life. The very family he loves a lot now disturbs him because this affection bores him acutely when he is in jaded moods. Moreover, the newspaper he works for is opposite his ideology. The newspaper represents the pessimistic views of his boss, Mr. Peeve. Hence, he wants to escape from this world to a Utopian world which is not marred by human’s cynic nature. Fortunately to his advantage, he and a few other Englishmen are transported to the Parallel Universe of Utopia where Mr. Barnstaple wanted to escape desperately for some time.
Well’s main philosophical theme is brought out when Mr. Barnstaple reaches the Utopian World. In this Utopian World, creatures are cheerful, happy and long-lived. They explicitly appear to be like Greek deities. These Utopian creatures roam around unclothed without any self-consciousness. They are selfless creatures who work towards improving the society. There is no place in the Utopian society for indolent creatures who do nothing. The population of this Utopian World is also very less in comparison to earth leading to a balanced environment. There is adequate amount of open space and the Utopian families are amorphous and shifting. The utopian creatures have advanced technology and science which has been developed to the extent that they can control every aspect of their environment. Furthermore, they have purposefully eliminated a large number of species of pathogens to their advantage.
I think by showing the perfection of the Utopian World, Wells wants to answer the basic question: ‘How can we humans achieve Utopia?’ He answers this question when in the novel Mr. Barnstaple asks a Utopian creature the question: ‘And you have not even a parliament?’ The creature replies that education is their government and in their Utopian world every aspect of their social, economic and political life is based on education. The creature elaborates that they also once suffered from a period of confusion when there was no order in their Utopian society. This period of confusion is similar to earth’s current situation where human society is based on capitalism, extensive private property and politicians. According to the Utopian creature, these elements cannot lead to proper functioning of the society and hence they should be removed.
I disagree with Wells when he says that Utopia can be achieved by removing capitalism, private property and political structure. I feel Wells’ Utopian world is based on many components of communism. Since this novel was written in 1923, many ideas of Well’s Utopia have either become impractical or have already been proven as bad especially his idea of society without any political structure, capitalism and private property. Communism has proved to be an inefficient structure of the politics as it was full of inefficiencies. Hence, it has been replaced by democracies in most parts of the world.
I agree with Wells’ idea that education is the key to improving the condition of the earth in all spheres of life possible. Educated people not only improve the society by making life easier for humans but also develop ways in which a balanced environment could be achieved. Educated humans develop methods of organizing and managing the society efficiently. Well’s Utopia can also imply education for all without any division of society into classes. I think this because he refers to education as a system of government and government implies administration which controls all the people in state or society irrespective of their class. Also, one of the Utopian creatures says, ‘People in your world no doubt persuade themselves very easily that they are justifiably exempted, and you are under that persuasion. You live in a world of classes. Your badly trained mind has been under no necessity to invent its own excuses.’ This statement implies that every creature in their Utopian society is entitled to the same benefits without any distinction.
Well’s main philosophical theme is brought out when Mr. Barnstaple reaches the Utopian World. In this Utopian World, creatures are cheerful, happy and long-lived. They explicitly appear to be like Greek deities. These Utopian creatures roam around unclothed without any self-consciousness. They are selfless creatures who work towards improving the society. There is no place in the Utopian society for indolent creatures who do nothing. The population of this Utopian World is also very less in comparison to earth leading to a balanced environment. There is adequate amount of open space and the Utopian families are amorphous and shifting. The utopian creatures have advanced technology and science which has been developed to the extent that they can control every aspect of their environment. Furthermore, they have purposefully eliminated a large number of species of pathogens to their advantage.
I think by showing the perfection of the Utopian World, Wells wants to answer the basic question: ‘How can we humans achieve Utopia?’ He answers this question when in the novel Mr. Barnstaple asks a Utopian creature the question: ‘And you have not even a parliament?’ The creature replies that education is their government and in their Utopian world every aspect of their social, economic and political life is based on education. The creature elaborates that they also once suffered from a period of confusion when there was no order in their Utopian society. This period of confusion is similar to earth’s current situation where human society is based on capitalism, extensive private property and politicians. According to the Utopian creature, these elements cannot lead to proper functioning of the society and hence they should be removed.
I disagree with Wells when he says that Utopia can be achieved by removing capitalism, private property and political structure. I feel Wells’ Utopian world is based on many components of communism. Since this novel was written in 1923, many ideas of Well’s Utopia have either become impractical or have already been proven as bad especially his idea of society without any political structure, capitalism and private property. Communism has proved to be an inefficient structure of the politics as it was full of inefficiencies. Hence, it has been replaced by democracies in most parts of the world.
I agree with Wells’ idea that education is the key to improving the condition of the earth in all spheres of life possible. Educated people not only improve the society by making life easier for humans but also develop ways in which a balanced environment could be achieved. Educated humans develop methods of organizing and managing the society efficiently. Well’s Utopia can also imply education for all without any division of society into classes. I think this because he refers to education as a system of government and government implies administration which controls all the people in state or society irrespective of their class. Also, one of the Utopian creatures says, ‘People in your world no doubt persuade themselves very easily that they are justifiably exempted, and you are under that persuasion. You live in a world of classes. Your badly trained mind has been under no necessity to invent its own excuses.’ This statement implies that every creature in their Utopian society is entitled to the same benefits without any distinction.