The Utopian World Championship

Collaborating with the Creator

By Mytchell Mead

Competition year: 2004
Place: 7
About Mytchell Mead

Summary: show/hide

Summary

For me, participating in the Utopian World Championship is an opportunity to explore novel approaches to one of human kinds’ oldest aspirations. Because utopias have long been presented in terms ranging from world orders to societies and political systems, a unique project must examine other approaches. The following work will do little to describe an economy, a world order or a political system. Although it may have such things, just as a person may wear clothing on the body, the clothing has little to do with functioning of human wearing them. Thus, this work will examine the inner realm of a utopia and allow the reader to dress the utopia as they see fit.

Begin by thinking in terms of an ecosystem. Although maybe not immediately discernable, every piece within an ecosystem plays a critical role and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Most importantly the essence that defines and give it life are imperceptible and uncontrollable. An ecosystem is highly complex yet entirely graceful in its construct.

In contrast, most modern human social and cultural structures are complicated and require contrivances to support otherwise unsustainable components. The technologies (social and physical) that compliment these human constructs match the consciousness which created them: limited by our limited capacity.

I propose it is possible to support the creation of something beyond our limited capacity by artfully implementing a design is that is inviting to something greater. We construct that which is within our ability with the intention to surrender control of the rest, enticing nature’s infinite wisdom to be our co-creator and guide. That which appears random and chaotic may actually be simplest, most elegant way of serving the needs of the group.

By relinquishing individual agendas, desires, control and motives we promote consciousness. We will examine the concept of conscious culture, where the consciousness of the group is allowed to form and grow and in turn imbue the individual participants with greater awareness and aliveness. Using nature as our model, the evolution of consciousness germinates the accompanying social and physical manifestations, which in turn nurture consciousness. Such an entity invites that extra life-giving element, like the ether or the prana or the soul, that which cannot be controlled or measured or captured.

"Those who look for the laws of nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the creator." Antonio Gaudi

Next page | Page: 1 of 19 |
Jump to page:

Page 1

Report.

To be sure, this writing and in fact this entire contest can very well be both indicative and responsive to the upheaval occurring in our world today.

Why is it that, though so appealing and the source for so much inspiration, utopia is a no-place? Although the prevailing paradigm has generated many facets, as products of literal, material and materialistic cultures we are almost entirely partial to physical realities. We therefore often miss the obvious when it is right behind our eyes. It is in this realm I will explore.

Because of the very fact of our discussing utopias they exist; if only in our ideas and dreams. When an idea is shared or taken up by enough who see the value within as it can be applied in the physical, it progresses to the next stage becoming a theory or a movement. Ideas in this stage are very dangerous to the existing paradigm, because evolution renders much to obsolescence.

Perhaps consciousness itself is teetering on the edge of an evolutionary leap. The symptoms are all here: major rifts in ideologies, polarizations, discontinuities. The real battle is being waged in the hearts and minds of humanity, however, so let us not get too caught up in the physical manifestations for they, albeit tragically so, are the reflections of the ideas we carry within.

By cracking the metaphor of utopia we recognize a collective desire to move in consciousness to the next level of awareness. The ancient Persian story of the prodigal son examines just this. In the parable we begin in bliss. But inexperienced bliss is ignorant, especially of the implications – from the pleasures to the tragedies – of the material. We are born obliged to go into the world to feel what it is to be manifest to round out the education of the consciousness by experiencing the material. If we learn well and see past the pervasive illusions, we return to the place of our origin, where our bliss resides. Because we are marked by the experience of our learning, we now know that there not only exists a choice but that we have the power to choose.

Utopia, as in the parable is our inheritance. It is a place to focus our consciousness, and as we learn the power of the idea of this placeless place, we begin to realize that manifestation reflects consciousness and not the other way around. As consciousness of a dream reaches critical mass, more and more people will express in physical terms this aspiration, idea, movement. Consequently, it certainly threatens to displace the currently manifest dream of another time and consciousness; it is this utopia, our inheritance, that is the threat to the reigning infrastructure. Remember, the brother that stayed home was in fact quite intimidated by the return of his sibling, the prodigal son; the contrariety in the world today is the insecurity of the prevailing consciousness as it espies the advancement of another.

"The impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal. Those who have seen the boundary between those two have attained the end of all knowledge. Realize that which pervades the universe and is indestructible; no power can affect this unchanging, imperishable reality. The body is mortal, but that which dwells within the body is immortal and immeasurable.” ~ Bhagavad-Gita.