Burself is a transcendentalist society that revolves around the principle that people should be in harmony with nature. Our society uses environmentally friendly sources of energy and emphasizes the rules of no cars. Although some may believe that it is possible in modern times to have a society like Burself, it is unlikely that it can be achieved because society does not compromise, they can't control their opinions, and they don't want to give up some of their luxuries.
One may argue that living in a loosely structured environment would allow more freedom for individuals. Having the ability to do whatever one may want to pursue can result in peace. With little government intervention, people can live in harmony as long as they do not break any rules. However, if people do not agree with or follow the laws, it can lead to conflict. The consequences for their choices also may not be in their interest, and they may not follow through with the punishment. The people of the this society must have an open mind and be able to change. If that is not possible, than the punishment has no effect. The society can only work if people are willing to compromise a little of their freedom so that it leads to the well being of all. The willingness to compromise also includes self-control.
On the island of Burself, the food, the paper, and clothes are all natural. Instead of having preservatives and chemicals in the food, it is grown organically. Some people in current society have an addiction to the foods that make life easier. The transition to eating healthier foods may be too hard on the people of a conformist society. If those people learned to work a little more, their bodies would benefit from it.
One major rule in Burself is that one cannot put another down for their personal beliefs and ideas. The most successful inventions and ideas came from people who defied their critics. The idea in Burself is that everyone can have the opportunity to be that person. People may find it hard to control their opinions. They need to learn how to give constructive criticism instead of destroying the thought or idea. But people come across emotions like jealously or they judge people who are different. This creates a hostile environment where everyone is always on guard and they cannot relax. Along with not being able to be a true original, society does not want to give up some of the luxuries they have.
For some people, owning a car may not be a luxury. They may not be able to imagine their life without one. The idea of public transportation can even seem repulsive to some. But on the island of Burself, the citizens try their best to live in harmony with nature. They use eco-friendly ways of using energy. This can be expensive to use initially and people may not want to pay for the expense. Their personal needs come in the way of preserving what they live on. People create a larger footprint because they want make their lives easier, this effects not only their atmosphere but themselves.
Although a transcendentalist society would have a great impact it is highly unlikely to occur. People's individual beliefs with clash with others and produce conflicts. With a world with such a high population, a strong government is needed to keep control. The willingness to compromise so that the world is better for everyone isn't strong enough to sustain a transcendentalist society.
