A while back I was asked to classify a book as being either a utopia or a dystopia. For me, that was a difficult thing to accomplish because there were so many definitions of the word 'utopia' that my thoughts became radically repetitive. So, to start off, let's define 'utopia'.


From dictionary.com:
"Any visionary system of political or social perfection."


Let's analyze this sentence. First off, the word visionary; it implies that it has only been thought of or conceived, but never actually put into being. Therefore, we can be sure that it has never been done before (thank goodness; how many views would I get otherwise?). Then, system; it is a method or way of doing things, not an actual place, location, or person. I've seen this term misused in a variety of ways, some of which make about as much sense as a taco in Taiwan.


We know what 'of' means, I hope (if not, I would consult this). 'Political', by the common tongue, means anything to do with the governing body of a community, whether that be of a nation, of a tribe, or of a band of fingernails (I'll look more into this later). 'Social' means the community that the governing body is governing or leading -- i.e., citizens, tribe members, and fingernails. And finally, 'perfection'. I prefer not to define this term, as what it is is a deep question over which some of you may be able to cut my head off. So, I'll just copy-paste my way over to the definition (from dictionary.com, as always)


"A quality, trait, or feature of the highest degree of excellence."


This time we'll stay away from the analysis, seeing as it would likewise turn into some strange paradoxial loop that would completely ruin my day. But I will make a note: this defines perfection more or less as the highest point one can achieve or is expected to achieve, a definition I don't quite agree with. I would go into this deeper, but I think I'll leave that for another blog; so for now, hang with me for the rest of this article.


So, from this information, let's make our own definition of a utopia, shall we? Hmm... How about...


"A state, method, or system by which all members and processes of a society, community, etc. achieve their set goal and no longer require further ambitions or aims."


So, now that we have a definition set, let's look at some examples of attempts at a utopia.






Now, you may be asking yourself, what book was Memory asked to classify? What horrendous author could have written such a vile and confusing novel? The answer is The Giver by Lois Lowry, and it is in no way horrendous or vile, though it certainly was confusing. I'll explain the main storyline of the book (without giving away the ending, for you fiction fanatics) and then we'll get to analyzing its contents and judging it.


The Giver is a science-fiction novel in which a boy, Jonas, lives inside of a 'Community' where the rules are strict and the punishment harsh. A person's daily life may be consumed by dream-telling, the expression of feelings, or injecting a lethal poison into someone's arm when they are 'Released'. A minor mishap, such as taking an apple, is announced to the public through the use of a loudspeaker; no one is allowed to lie and precision of language is regulated at all times. Colors have been replaced by grayscale, allowing only those gifted with the 'Ability to See Beyond' to experience the full spectrum of color. Children have a regular lifestyle, getting a haircut, bicycle, and different clothes at the exact same time. But what happens to those who step out the status quo?


Now, in judgment, many people would say that it certainly is a utopia -- all people are content with their lives, there's absolutely no crime or war, and the government no longer has goals. But why, then, are we judging it here? If it is so obviously a utopia, why do we even mention it? It's because there's a flaw in this Community; not absolutely everyone is happy. Jonas is different from others, and so he is flawed as well. He sees things differently, not only physically -- by seeing the colors -- but also mentally -- he revolutionizes the way people would normally think of day-to-day life. Therefore, we judge this one as a non-utopia, or simply a normal society.


Another example of an attempt at a utopian society is Panem, the megacity in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Here, the government, instead of creating a haven for the people, oppresses them. They are forced to hand over a 'Tribute' to be used in their bloody Hunger Games because of a war that has longed passed, but revolutionaries are rising. People are rebelling against the government for their fascist ways, doing all that's possible to obtain freedom, not just of speech -- of everything.


Needless to say, this one will have to be marked as a dystopia. Literally no one is happy -- apart from the inner citizens, obviously -- and goals are yet to be reached. The government is as authoritarian as you can get, so the political perfection part doesn't quite fit the bill either.






We've discussed the true meaning of a utopia, or at least what in my opinion should be the definition of utopia; we've analyzed text to draw conclusions about the effects of a utopian society; but we haven't spent a single letter on the big question: Is a utopia really possible?


The answer is no. The truth is, if in reality a utopia were possible, there would be no point to society, or to life for that matter. There would be no goals for anyone to accomplish apart from living, and development of technology, architecture, and art would become obsolete. And apart from being objectively defectible, it would be physically impossible as well -- the human mind would not allow us to reach that decision.