Critiquing the Liberal movement
Jacoby's story is something like a novel, but it is mostly a hypothetical political-philosophical treatise not unlike the hypothetical idea elaborations of Greek philosophy. In this, his anti-Republic, so to speak, Jacoby expresses a concern about the Liberal movements in the West, especially the American Democratic party. He resents that they seem to have become less likely to hope for radical changes. They seem to have forgotten their philosophical roots as game-changers and dreamers, he feels, and he bemoans their constant establishment. Because the party has been allying themselves with larger interest groups, Jacoby worries that the future will not have a true progressive movement.
True progressivism
By contrast, we see that Jacoby has a passionate political stance. He feels that it is the moral duty of progressive personalities to constantly strive for an ideal society. This is the titular Utopia. The book bemoans the hypothetical end of utopic political movements. This doesn't necessarily imply that he believes in true societal perfection, but he sees the movement as an important antithesis to the conservative political interests which typically align themselves with big businesses and the status quo.
Skepticism and endorsement
The essay/novel turns to treat the issue of mass media. It used to be the case that liberal people resisted mass media in America, understanding it as a likely source of propaganda. Now, Jacoby argues, there is almost no real skepticism. As long as the television is saying the party lines, he says Democrats tend to tune in and trust their news sources. He says that mass media should be treated as a business and never be trusted as an authentic use of free speech.
