# Epigraph explained — The Story of Utopias

> Chapter companion for The Story of Utopias by Lewis Mumford.

## What happens

The epigraph presents a single, powerful aphorism asserting the essential value of Utopia in any comprehensive worldview, suggesting that a map of the world omitting utopian possibility is fundamentally incomplete and unworthy of consideration.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Role of Ideas and Myths

The epigraph frames Utopia as an indispensable idea, implying that the concept itself shapes how we perceive and value the real world.

## Key lines

> A Map of the World that does not include Utopia is not worth glancing at⁠ ⁠…

Any representation of the world that omits the ideal of a perfect society is fundamentally flawed and not worth considering.

_This paraphrase captures the epigraph's core assertion that Utopia is an essential element of any meaningful worldview._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_utopias_se/chapters/epigraph
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_utopias_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_utopias_se/chapters