Ecotopia

Perhaps one of the most salient themes in Ecotopia is that of journalism and its ethical ramifications. In the beginning, journalism is presented as a way to bridge the gap that has formed between the two nations and peoples that used to be one. However, even when speaking about this unifying capability, Weston reveals some bias (perhaps subconscious) through his tone, presuming he will find faults in Ecotopia’s society, while begrudgingly admitting he might also find “achievements” (4). The novel also brings up the question of issuing corrections. In “Food, Sewage, and ‘Stable States,’” Weston writes, “expanded fleets of garbage trucks are also needed” (17), but in the journal entry immediately following this article, not originally meant for public consumption, Weston admits, “I was wrong to think more garbage trucks needed” (21). 

As the narrative continues, these questions become more complex, especially regarding what to make public and what to keep private. Marissa, the Ecotopian woman Weston falls in love with over the course of his stay, never appears in the articles, though she features heavily in the journal entries. This makes sense since Weston’s personal relationship would seem to lack journalistic import for the story. However, as we know reading the novel, Marissa does indeed play a big role in shaping Weston’s perceptions, which then comes out in his articles: “Just reread last couple of columns. Realize my attitudes toward the place have changed a lot… (And it doesn’t seem to be just Marissa!)” (94). Weston also notes a difference in journalistic values between Ecotopia and the U.S.While in Ecotopia it is common and even expected for the journalist to put him- or herself into the story, Weston says, “by [U.S.] standards, my columns have probably seemed rather too personal” (149).

Then there’s also the decision Weston makes to not write about the Helicopter War, because he “[c]an’t see any useful purpose being served, at this late date” (121). This, in turn, is further complicated by the final editorial statement, in which it is revealed that, in the end, Weston’s journals and articles were published side-by-side as the novel presents them, at Weston’s request.

As Weston navigates the social norms of Ecotopia and compares and contrasts them to the American norms he is most familiar with, especially at the beginning of the novel, one of the ideas that arises over and over again revolves around what civilization means in various contexts. The prevailing attitude in the U.S. is that Ecotopia is a barbaric and uncivilized place—an attitude Weston shares at first. Early on in the novel, he worries he might end up being “bled, like in the Middle Ages” (22), a practice almost universally viewed as barbaric and ineffective in today’s society. As the novel progresses and Weston becomes more familiar and comfortable with Ecotopian customs and practices, his sense of Ecotopia as a barbaric place lessens, until he finds himself participating in perhaps the most barbaric part of Ecotopian life, from an American perspective: the Ritual War Games. This suggests that “civilization” is more directly linked to what one is familiar with, what one understands, as opposed to some objective set of traits that define what a civilized society is.  

One of the elements of Ecotopian life that seems to contrast significantly from that of the United States is how they seem to view and utilize technology. The most similar and pervasive piece of recognizable technology in Ecotopia is the television; however, TV proves to be a case in point, revealing that contrast: “Ecotopians seem to use TV, rather than letting it use them” (38). Thematically, then, Ecotopia suggests that technology can have a positive or negative impact on people, the only thing separating one from the other being the intentionality of the technology user. It can be easy for technology to subsume the user, if they cast themselves continually into a passive role when interacting with it. On the other hand, if one remains aware of how the technology fits into the overall context in which one uses it, the relationship of humanity to technology can be more productive. As Weston notes, “Mysteriously, the Ecotopians do not feel ‘separate’ from their technology. They evidently feel […] [their technology] sprang […] from the womb of nature, organically” (47). Callenbach seems to be suggesting that this more intentional mode of interacting with technology is preferable to the more passive mode people often fall into.