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Here's what the site of mine might look like:
More important, how would it feel? What would I do each day? Who would share my utopia with me? Each person would answer those questions differently.
Look the word up and you'll find descriptions of peaceful societies or communities governed by rules that treat all members fairly, often with communal living arrangements. This wistful notion has roots in the lost Garden of Eden and the Golden Age of Greek mythology, and is reinvented in every period when men dream of a different and better life. Sometimes in various countries they even try to create it.
Keep reading and learn of American "utopian communities" that failed. I have visited the remnants of several: a Shaker village in Massachusetts, the Amana colonies in Iowa, and New Harmony, Indiana. Most are now gone or museum sites, some on the National Historic Register.
But a new effort is under way. In August, 2013, the Huffington Post published an artricle describing nine "alternative modes of living" which are open to new members: 9 Utopias That Really Exist
They are located in several countries with six in continental US, one in Hawaii, a group of 25 "elevated structures" in Costa Rica, and the incredible modernistic city New Songdon in South Korea on Incheon Bay. It is built from scratch, like Dubai, and scheduled for completion in 2015! It's a "far cry" from any in the past, but Who Knows? Maybe this one will succeed:
Look the word up and you'll find descriptions of peaceful societies or communities governed by rules that treat all members fairly, often with communal living arrangements. This wistful notion has roots in the lost Garden of Eden and the Golden Age of Greek mythology, and is reinvented in every period when men dream of a different and better life. Sometimes in various countries they even try to create it.
Keep reading and learn of American "utopian communities" that failed. I have visited the remnants of several: a Shaker village in Massachusetts, the Amana colonies in Iowa, and New Harmony, Indiana. Most are now gone or museum sites, some on the National Historic Register.
But a new effort is under way. In August, 2013, the Huffington Post published an artricle describing nine "alternative modes of living" which are open to new members: 9 Utopias That Really Exist
They are located in several countries with six in continental US, one in Hawaii, a group of 25 "elevated structures" in Costa Rica, and the incredible modernistic city New Songdon in South Korea on Incheon Bay. It is built from scratch, like Dubai, and scheduled for completion in 2015! It's a "far cry" from any in the past, but Who Knows? Maybe this one will succeed:
Flickr: Nicolette_Mastangelo
Hello Mary
ReplyDeleteMy utopia could only exist in a small community, but without the 'communal' part. I prefer some solitude at times. There would definitely be no hatred, and mostly good weather.
Everyone will have a different idea of utopia.
I'm thinking about joining Google +, it's about time!
Hi Fanny, thanks for comment. You give me an idea: maybe the reason they always fail is that everyone's idea is a little different and members have trouble living someone else's dream. Stay in touch - Mary
DeleteUtopian communities--- everytime someone tries to establish one, it ends in tragedy :(
ReplyDeleteDamyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2014, My Latest post
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge
Thanks for visiting! Nice to meet you. Visiting your AtoZ post - Powerful! Good stuff! Also tweeted you. Thanks for working AtoZ and for your tweet suggestion.
DeleteHuxley wrote of a place in his book the Island, it sounded like utopia to me...Great 'U' Mary, I going to go look at those 9 utopias while I have a connection. Cheers
ReplyDeleteMaggie@expatbrazil