"What do you call a system that will only work if the people in it are better than people have ever been? ... What do you call a system that's built on the presumption that people in this system will be better than people have ever been before? Everyone in this system is going to be kind and generous and considerate and selfless and obedient and compassionate and peaceable. What kind of system is that?"
"Utopian?"
"Utopian is right, Julie. Every one of your systems is a utopian system. Democracy would be heaven-- if people would just be better than people have ever been. Of course, Soviet communism was supposed to have been heaven too ... Your justice system would work perfectly if people would just be better than people have ever been. And of course your schools would work perfectly under the same conditions."--Daniel Quinn, My Ishmael
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