RP1: My Utopia

When I think of a utopia, I think of a society in which member has their needs are met, in every sense. This is my basic definition, however, people should be able to have different wants and needs. A utopian society that crushes difference in the name of conformity is not utopian at all. A successful utopia would need to celebrate difference, people would have to coexist at a human level. Utopians would have to accept their common background as citizens of this community over the different cultures of their ancestors, but doing so in a way they could be celebrated. The hope is that each person would be on a level playing field and have equal opportunity to succeed socially amongst one another. That being said, this would not be a community where wealth is spread evenly. I think it’s important to be rewarded for ones contribution to society, and based on this, have a slightly higher standard of living. This provides incentive for individuals to work harder, resulting in innovation and progress. With these values in place, however, there would not be much room for socio-economic classes, as there would be a relatively low ceiling, and a relatively high safety net. This would keep people in roughly the same situation financially, with minor benefits for those who are willing to work for them. While there would be a free-market style trade system within the community, most things needed for living would be widely available, and free if possible. Money earned would be used to treat oneself in the way they choose to, but with simple luxuries.

This society would need to exist in harmony with nature, at the very least in a way that it could continue to thrive in a sustainable fashion, indefinitely. The idea of importing and exporting goods between countries today has lead many societies to function in a way they couldn’t on their own. While I believe in this system for the most part, a utopian society should be able to rely on only itself to exist, thereby avoiding conflict with other societies that may exist, and allowing the community to focus on bettering itself from within. It is the desire to grow indefinitely that forces societies to take more than they can create themselves, and if a sustainable utopia is to be set up, it would have to maintain a constant size. The goal would be for the civilization to manage its own food, water, fuel and other resources in a way that they are able to replenish themselves without end.

Finally, this society would have to be one where people are allowed to explore their own, creative ideas. Many utopian societies in literature are filled with gray, nondescript residents that simply exist to live their lives. A utopian society should take advantage of the fact it doesn’t scramble for basic survival needs, and use that energy to gain knowledge and explore possibilities. While by definition, utopias are the preferred end game of human civilization, we as a species are naturally curious, so thats a need that should be satisfied as well.