Test001
Walden Two, by B.F. Skinner was published by the Macmillan Company in 1948 is a spinoff of Henry David Thoreau's Walden. It is an expansion of the creation of a Utopian society. The society is the creation of T.E. Frazier and is run under his guidance. The story starts with Professor Burris being prompted by one of his prior students to find some information on the existence of Walden Two. The gentleman are asked to visit Walden Two and travel as a group of six. Joining Burris and Rogers, the student, areSteve, a friend of Rogers from the war, Rogers and Steve's girlfriends, and Castle, a fellow professor. During their visit to the society, questions are raised about the legitimacy of the group. After living as a member of the society for several days, Steve and his girlfriend, along with Professor Burris decide to become members of the society. Walden Two is the story of the creation of an ideal society that meets the needs of its members through behavioral engineering and the use of other psychological methods. Skinner constantly refers to the field of psychology for the basis of his book. He maintains that by engineering youth through psychological techniques that the bad parts of human nature can be removed and create a b
In some ways, the society appears to support the claims made by Frazier, but the door is left open for argumentation. Castle constantly questions the actual happiness of the members. When Burris observes the people in the society inconspicuously, he determined that the relaxed lifestyle of Walden Two had a soothing psychological effect and was truly blind to the outside world. After observing the society, he meets an elderly woman and questions her about the society. He determines through his line of questions that the experiment had worked to create a world of happiness. Castle tries to prove that there is something wrong with the society and in the end, his only conclusion is that Frazier is a dictator, or a pseudogod.(247) The scientific base for the society seems well proven on paper, but lacks the realness and definition necessary to conclude that it would be possible to do any of the suggestions mentioned in the book. Adults at Walden Two don't receive the same conditioning that the youth received, but instead are trained quickly to abide by the rules set forth to create a utopian society. In the society, there is no money and no use for it. Payment for food, shelter, and entertainment is provided through "labor-credit." A labor credit was the value of the work done by a member of the society. A years stay at Walden Two costs 1200 labor credits. At approximately four credits per day, the average work day becomes four hours. Because people in Walden Two pay through credit, each job is assigned a credit value and members can freely choose what they would like to work on. This free choice has members wanting to do work.(41) Now that people want to do work, there is less pressure applied to working hard. Also, the society places no pressure on achievement, allowing "the growth of the super-ego."(85) Through work and leisure activities, Frazier explains that they rely on any method of shaping behavior.(86) Because they rely on these theories, the experimental society tests everything. Similar to the children, the repression of unpleasant behaviors was done without punishment. Linked to the children is the right of the youth to marry when they feel they are mature. This shortens the gap between generations and allows for an easier transition through the generations. The elders also controlled the society through the "Board of Planners." Each planner served a ten year term and nominated a member of the society to succeed them in their position. Because there is no election, the society is not d
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1694
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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