Unattainable
“Utopia, imaginary and ideal country in Utopia (1516) by Sir Thomas More, from Greek ou not, no + topos place
Date: 1597
1: an imaginary and indefinitely remote place
2: often capitalized: a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social
conditions.
3: an impractical scheme for social improvement.”
-Merriam-Webster
Wilson, David. “The Dream of Utopia Begets Monsters.” The Globe and Mail 17 November 2007 Saturday ed.: D3.
David Wilson is a professor of history and Celtic studies and University of Toronto. In this article he discusses the book Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia by John Gray. Gray’s book discusses the role of faith and religion as influencing what one would consider to be an ‘utopia.’ Wilson states that in Gray’s book, “he also contends that disparate forms of utopianism are rooted in apocalyptic forms of Christianity. Secular utopias, Gray argues, are ‘vehicles for religious myths’.” Wilson goes on to state that when it comes to dissecting the idea of utopia, both he and Gray are on the same page. Wilson believes that: ‘the attainment of a peaceful and harmonious world breaks down on the contradictory nature of human needs, the incompatibility of human values and the flaws of human nature. And the quest for utopia produces nightmares; wherever and whenever a state has attempted to create an ideal society and a new type of human being, the result has been mass death - which is justified as weighing lightly in the scale when balanced against the establishment of Heaven on Earth.” Gray’s book goes on to discuss the faults of utopia, the failed use of it by religious sects, and even President George W. Bush’s utopian fantasy of “ridding the world of evil” and the “war on terror.”
Reading the article was interesting because I was able to see just how far the idea of utopia reaches. It was also helpful to understand the history of utopia, how it got started and who actually tried to put it into effect. The article also reinforces my belief that utopia is completely unattainable and for good reason: it usually involves loss of personal rights or dictatorship. I continue to be drawn to the idea of creating visually manipulated and controlled environments that verge on eerie. Understanding the background and attempted practices of this concept will be useful as I look for more areas to photograph.
Image:
