Idealistic conceptions of the world - Utopia Fantasy Series Part I

Since the beginnings of humanity's existence, there has been dreaming, fantasising and conceiving of fantastic, out-earthy places, where in the writer's point of view the grievances and ills that occurred during that time are healed and where every human being would crave to live. Such locations and thoughts about places are described as Utopia. Let us start an imaginative travel through time and explore the world of fantasy!

Utopia- what does it mean?

The name Utopia stems from the Greek language and consists out of οὐ (not) and  τόπος (place), which by combining both means "no place". Due to the Utopian realm being glorified and just existing in fantasy/science fiction it is clearly stated that an Utopia could never really exist in our world and can happen thus unfortunately in no place.

Taking into account the diversity of characters of people, the heterogeneity of ethnic groups inside one state and the variety between different cultures it is quickly remarkable that a place where all citizens are equal and where harm and hate is absent is unachievable. Many distinct features causing the absence of a possible Utopia are intrinsic to human nature.

Utopian realms in religion

In all major religions there is a place desirable to reach and although this location can be described different inside the religions, the attainability of being part with that place and the graspability, thus giving it an accessible status allures people into believing and giving in to that seducing thought. With those indoctrination tactics many religions try to bind people to themselves by stating that the only way to reach those Utopias is through them. 

In the Christian religion heaven is described as the admired Utopian spot, where devoted believers go to after death if they obey Christianities' rules. With the conception of being a compensation for undergoing ordeals in older times, many people craved and still crave for that place. It is stated, that in heaven all evil is absent and there are no negative feelings and emotions anymore, because it is the realm of the most worshipped entity: God. 

Furthermore, there are other examples in the Bible, which revolve around Utopias. In The Book of revelation the defeat of Satan is depicted and the new arising world afterwards is free of evil. In Addition, the Garden of Eden with the first man and woman (also described as paradise) shares the status of Utopian, because of the absence of all evil and good.

How does a Utopian society look like?

The question, that a lot of authors, writers and philosophisers put up, is how a Utopian society could work and should look like, considering at the same time solving the big problems of their time. The oldest writing which inheres Utopian elements is the "Republic", a Socratic dialogue, documented by Platon around 380 B.C. The dialogue is about many philosophical questions, like the order and character of a just city and just man. If you are interested in Philosophy, you should check it out.

Another novel we want to emphasize is "Utopia" by Thomas More, which gives a detailed view on a fictional, admirable society where people live in harmony together and there is no privacy and personal property as everything belongs to everyone. 

This novel (you should definitely give it a try), which also coined the term "Utopia" already possessed the main features of Socialist and Communist Utopias which are strongly connected with Marxism and date back to the beginning of industrialisation (end of 18th century). Due to the harsh living standards of workers and the ubiquitous exploitation and misery Social and Political Utopias arose with some ideas, which have been tried to be carried out until today (for example Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy).

Modern time Utopias deal moreover with a harmonic balance between nature and technology (for example Star Trek, Scythe by Neal Shusterman).  

How do you feel about this topic - do you think a Utopia can ever be achieved or at least some elements of it? Are there or have there been some states on Earth which are or were nearly Utopian or is it pure fiction? Do you like our Fantasy travel series? Let us know in the comment section and have a dreamful day!