No Overkill, Metal Church, Motorhead, no Flogging Molly? What about The Rumjacks, Gobshites or Pogues? Charlie Daniels? Is funk ok? Nope, count me out. Music is what makes the world bearable and your “utopia” sounds like hell
I just want to clarify the booze situation. Can I make my own booze say and all organic brewery, winery and distillery? That fits in with your general do it yourself the old way vibe. Also what’s the ruling on sports can I listen to the Dodger on the radio? How about audio books. I could survive just fine tinkering with my equipment with audio books and sports on the radio and partying in evenings. I guess sign me up as a possible.
Hold on! What is this no alcohol bullshit?! I’m out!
When I read the OP I didn’t think about alcohol. It says all the food is homemade but it doesn’t say by whom, so I wasn’t envisioning that I’d be making all my own comestibles. And it mentions some things that are expressly forbidden, but alcohol isn’t among them. So, I would think high quality, expertly crafted beer, wine, and spirits would be available.
I’m out.
I guess what I’m trying to get to is the gap between what people say they want and what we all actually do. How many times have I skipped past that copy of Moby Dick on my to read pile? Why haven’t I learned to paint or speak French or play the ukulele? My fridge is full of fresh produce from the farmer’s market- why am I eating a frozen burrito? If I were in a situation where only the options that I say I want- that most people would agree are better- were available, and I didn’t have any excuses, would I be happier? That’s what I’m trying to get at. Peace, free time, pleasant surroundings, and the best culture our civilization can offer- and only the best. A recipe for misery? Why?
I for one never said I wanted those things. I like good food and classic lit, but I like my junk too.
And your society would devolve into brutal authoritarianism very quickly. Who is keeping the forbidden things out? And how?
Utopia to mrAru and I would be a comfortable house, with a world class kitchen and that freezer from Cafe Diem [tv show Eureka] and an unlimited ingredient and beverage budget, seriously high speed internet with an amazing gaming computer for each of us, a tablet for each of us and an excellent printer with unlimited paper and inks. Comfortable temperature range, call it 60-75 and moderate humidity. Cleaning service to deal with the housekeeping. Healthy would be great =)
See, bucolic paradise aside, people do not realize how much hard work goes into food production … though having the means and material to make ourr own pickles and preserves, charcuterie and the like is fun as long as we are not the ones going out at 3 am to help birrth the damned lambs or weed the freaking garden. You know how much work goes into a freaking loaf of bread?!
It sounds pretty good to me, but I would want some specifics on that collection of books and records.
I’m also concerned by that “food without too much labor” thing. No way am I getting involved with historical-reenactor stuff like harvesting wheat with a scythe.
Sounds pretty fucking boring to me.
Besides, all that “perfect food” will pale rapidly if there isn’t junk food to compare it to. The reason I love Delmonico is that I was raised eating Sizzler. I grew up drinking Silver Bullet, which has had more than a little effect on my beer snobbery. Where in this “paradise” am I going to find a Mongolian throat singer and a Latvian pipe and drum corps?
If my neighbor is blasting music at 6:00 A.M., I’m gonna be pissed no matter if it’s Scorpion or Bach.
I also cry foul with your definition of and rationalization for “finest.” One of my very favorite foods is cheeseburgers. Yes, I’ve been to very fine, very expensive restaurants, and I’ve very much appreciated everything they have to offer. But goddammit, I want a cheeseburger at least now and then.
That’s not utopia, that’s my old folks summer home. It’s death. The food is great, wine’s even better but it’s still death.
Ya know what? Me and a everybody else have been so focused on our music booze and burgers that we never comsidered the amount of work that goes into food production. I DO know how much labor goes into a loaf of bread, when all I have to do is pull the ingredients off the shelf.
I also know how much labor goes into a pound of meat, whether raised and butchered on a farm or hunted and harvested in the wild.
No freedom in choice of music, back breaking labor from sunrise (or earlier) to can’t see with success depending many variables utterly beyond anyone’s control. Most of my extended family are farmers or were a generation ago. I’ve spent a couple summers working on a modern farm, no thanks, I know myself well enough to know I’d die most likely. doubly out