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Our authors and creators of utopian worlds and concepts reach far and wide across the body of History; Plato inspired Thomas More, and in turn his account of Hythloday dining with the utopians gave flame to firewood for H.G.Wells and the Buckminster Fuller. What is our evident obsession with such a place, and if it can, does it exist?
First and foremost it is principal to explore exactly what Utopia means; is it the absence of privacy? The absence of human tendencies such as greed, envy and pride? Is it even the understanding and obligation to a universal duty to common labour and contribution to common wealth? In many dictionaries, its definition boils down to the 'idyllic' place or situation.
As I have always preached, it is what makes us different that makes the human race a beautiful and endlessly interesting part of life. In our perceptions of what makes something our 'Utopia' we are no different. The vast majority of people would describe their ultimate utopic concept the idea of world peace - a political utopia that is virtually impossible to find.
Others will focus on specific sectors of interest: for example, the Christian faith depicts the Garden of Eden as its utopic state, whereas in Buddhism, utopia can be reached only through appropriate state of mind - to reach enlightenment. Religious ideals are often recreated on Earth to mirror what awaits members of the faith in their afterlife.
In light of the modern-day, even Science has a place in this debate. A far-away state in which technology is used simply to enhance and improve our quality of life is scientific utopia. Buckminster Fullerines, named after the American visionary Buckminster Fuller, represent molecular 'perfection'.
The question remains as to whether such perfection is truly attainable, nevertheless. Surely, if it did exist, we would already have reached it and embraced it with open arms. We would be living in a state of utopia as we speak, or rather, write. If we are still on the path to discovery, how do we know where to look?
And, having demonstrated that peoples' ideas of utopia are so diverse, is it possible to find one that contents the masses? Perhaps it is, as the Buddhists and Hindus advise, an individual state of mind - accessible to all and yet unpenetrated by others.
But just for a second envision this perfect, flawless world. Would the removal of negative things remove negative thoughts? Would we become strangers to sadness, disappointment and anger?
In More's Utopia there is talk of the utopians seeing the light behind the philosopher's words when he spoke of Christ and the Gospel, recognising it as righteous and true. How would one distinguish between right and wrong in Utopia? If there is no wrong, what makes something right?
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