Toilets in Utopia are made of gold and silver so that the Utopians will learn to view the rare metals held so preciously in other countries as just ordinary objects that deserve no coveting. And when / if the need should arise for them to sell their gold to others in exchange for a foreign army or commodities during time of war, the Utopians will be able to part with them without the feeling of loss.

I feel like More chose the most incredulous of circumstances to portray the Utopians’ value system. Chamber-pots made of gold, prisoners’ shackles made of silver … it’s impossible to imagine this without finding it absolutely ridiculous and far-fetched. I suppose that’s the idea of Utopia. But this part made me laugh out loud. More was surely pulling his peers’ legs.

Also, I enjoyed the anecdote about the visit from the flamboyant ambassadors of a distant country. I’m surprised they didn’t nick a chamber pot or two when they left.