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Dan @ 2003-08-16

Walden Two

$9.40
Walden Two is not a story so much as it is Skinner's idea that by using the psycological techniques of a behaviorist a utopian society can be built (it can even be considered propaganda promoting the school of behaviorism). The book lacks story, there is little charactor development or anything thing of the sort. It is essentially a grocery list of items that should be in a perfect society.

With that said I justify my rating.
Walden Two is a the model of a utopia, set in the United States just after World War Two. Skinner illustrates what needs to be done for the happiness of humans, but not the bliss the few ruling class or even the bliss of the majority(as presented loosely in democracy) but the bliss of everyone. The main idea behind behaviorism is that humans are born with nothing and we are the product of our histories, everything that ever happened to the indivisual will affect that person's choices in whatever endevour the indivisual is faced with. All the problems within people are learned, they can therefor be unlearned. Within Walden Two those who were born into the society never learn these bad behaviors and those who have come into the society, by following 'The Walden Code' simply unlearn them. None of the problems of modern society linger within Walden Two because of the technology of behavioral engineering. Negative emotions like jelousy or greed or hate are not present in Walden Two because the circumstances from which they arise are not preseant. There are no pressures from society itself to corrupt man, he has no reason to be corrupted if all his needs are accounted for.

While this exact model of a utopia may not apply to the modern world, it's basic ideas certanly do, all that would need to be updated is the technology. Humanity will not remain static, amoung its potential directions is one towards the utopian society another, the distopian society. I'd sooner be living the life of T.E. Frazier than that of Winston Smith.