Utopia

[Xenophanez]

…

Although the concept of social utopia may come under a social issue, let me explain how it can also be an ethical concern.

For many centuries humanity has pondered utopia. Even as far back as ancient greece, where Plato and Aristotle had their own perceptions of a perfect society. The word utopia was coined by Sir Thomas More in his book Utopia. Since there have been several books on the topic, significantly in the 20th century was H.G Wells’ version “modern Utopia”. But after the two world wars this concept was heavily struck and since books and ideas on utopia have been strongly cynical and satirical.

When we think of utopia often we try to link it with ethics and spirituality in finding the answer to this seemingly eternal question. This is where the ethics come in.

We often link a utopia to a society where everyone has a material wealth, but can there be a society that aims for spiritual wealth?
I think perhaps that there must be a line drawn between the two?
Scientific progress too is now so advanced that it has the power to kill us all. Often scientific progress is not a sign of spirtual progress, and so these two are parrallel?
Of course spiritual progress is very important. People having courage, meaning and happiness. Ceasless effort toward living on a higher plane of potential and wisdom should be every person’s mission.(?)
The danger of engagin in scientific of material progress for the sake of it lies in waiting to entrap us and nullify whatever progress we have made…?

Is progress truly a material thing? Can a society that is soley based on spiritual progress be truly successful? Is there a middle ground? IS there a way to succesfully progress in both?

What is our modern utopia?

[retroguy02]

Re: Utopia

^^ I think utopia is something of a very massive scale. First we should start at a small scale, or "utopize" as much as we can. For example: first correct yourself, then your family, then your relatives, then your neighbors, then your area, then your city, then your country etc. keep rising until you've done as much as you can. Alas, one person can't change everything. But you can influence others. For example: Pakistan becomes a very good society, well balanced in religion, culture, modernism, education etc. and others want to be like it. Or the other way around, you try to copy the positives of another society. Personally I believe that if the entire world consisted of good Muslims, it would automatically be what is called an "utopia".

Basically utopia means a state of perfection. Definitely nothing in this world is perfect, but we can correct lots of things. So if you take utopia as "correction," that might be a more practical thing to do. It is easy, simple, and quite straightforward... only if you have the will, determination, mind, and the heart to do it. Ah, what am I talking about!