We are proud to present the competing essays in the Utopian World Championship.
Summary
The free market economy collapsed in the year 2007. Along with it went traditional governments and institutions that were based on it. In the vacuum that reigned grassroots organizations emerged to fill the functions that the nation-state had previously been assigned.
The World Social Forum, along with many other NGOs, gathered up the remains of the United Nations and formed the Global Alliance (GA) - a network of international organizations representing a large chunk of the world and organized along the principle of direct democracy. Some of its central documents are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Agenda 21. Now, with the force of the world behind the GA, these documents are being enforced. Both nuclear weapons and national armies have been banned.
No longer is the United States in control. In fact, the United States no longer exists. It, as well as the vast majority of nation-states, has been replaced by Community Networks -networks of small communities. Thousands of these Community Networks (or Networks for short) have taken the place of what used to be countries. Along with political pluralism and direct democracy came a pluralism of economic democracy.
Where the traditional economy failed to function, systems based on community currencies such as LETS and interest-free exchange began to thrive. Now there have been two additional forms of currencies added. One is the global TERRA system which is an electronic currency with a negative interest rate thus preventing the hoarding of wealth while encouraging cooperation and long term investing. The third form is the Aqua which functions regionally as an eco-centric paper currency. It has its greatest value in the region that produces it and loses value slightly the farther it goes from its point of origin. This encourages local commerce, community development, and environmental sustainability.
"Today's great opportunity is that any community -any community- can, with access to knowledge, develop a technology perfectly appropriate to its needs and moreover, perfectly appropriate to its resources....It has been my observation that when people begin to take a new active part in any segment of their lives, it becomes a self-feeding passion, urging a person on for more and more responsibility, more and more self-reliance, more and more action as a whole person and not merely as a spectator."
-Karl Hess, Community Technology
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Sex: maleWho are you?
Who Am I? I am a product. I am a product of Africa, the homeland of all humanity. I am a product of the three islands of my immediate ancestors (Sicily, Ireland, Madeira) and the people before them who chose to move apart from the mainland. I am a product of the United States -a country founded upon chattel slavery and maintained by wage slavery- and all the beauty and filth that it has spawned. I am a product of racism and abolitionism, of democracy and deceit. I am a product of wonderful parents who set the standard for compassion. I am a product of nine loveable siblings, full of mischief and creativity, stubborness and generosity, confusion and humor, deviltry and dedication. I am a product of a fantastic partner who has balanced me with her sense of reason, her determination, and her honesty. I am a product of my two children who helped make me who i am with their charm and their challenge. I am product of Sweden, the cold darkness of the soul that one grows on oneself like frost, the sense of humanity and decency that brought me here. I am a product of all my friends who have perspired, inspired, and expired -the tragedy, the comedy of life. I am a product of an unholy trinity: the Catholic Church, the punk community, the peace and justice movement. I am a product of my choices - a life with neither tobacco, alcohol, meat, nor submission to alien authorities. I am the product of the genetic coding that determined my gender, my physical stature, and my ADD. I am a product of sound - fast sound wired to my heart, sporadic sound rewiring my brain, stereo-noise sound calming my nerves, cricket sound flowing through my veins. I am a product of God and nature; entropy, decay, and flowers of chaos. Like you, i am a product. Yet none of us need be for sale. -T.R.O.Y. December, 2001
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
This utopia suggests ideas to solve world problems. This utopia bases itself on several premises. Firstly, this system believes that a lot of the problems that we suffer right now are the result of the search and maximisation of power to achieve our needs and unlimited wants. As a result it is necessary to regulate this unequal existence of power while improving the social conditions as well as the material and immaterial wealth of all humans. Secondly, in order to restore international peace and to achieve a future for human kind, it is necessary to improve countries internally first. This can be achieved by using successful measurements from different social systems that help create a fair and more rewarding system for all individuals. Even thought it may sound like something that exists in some systems right now, these actual systems fail on the sincerity of their goals and the implementation of their policies. Thirdly, just like in any successful business organization, the happier all members are the more productive they become and the more they tend to work towards personal and collective goals. Finally, We cannot agree on many things in the international sphere and avoid fierce competition unless we improve the standard of living of all humans first. Further, it is imperative to convince individuals that cooperation and right planning can bring great rewards for all individuals without the need to manipulate or to turn against each other.
It is important to see that once people overcome their fears and need to manipulate situations, once people improve their living standard, once people understand how human history has developed in chaos and survival of the fittest and how this system will bring human more destruction than benefit, once human learn to achieve common goods through mutual cooperation and become aware that it is possible to achieve great things without maximizing material utility, once humans learn that the maximization of utility it is impossible without creating conflicts and once humans realize that there can not exist satisfaction of unlimited material wants through the limited material resources. Then we can set this system aside and jump into a new system or stage of human history, where mutual cooperation, effective use of resources are for every body's benefit. Then humans can start growing internally where they stopped thousand of years ago due to the fear of the unknown and the loss of confidence of how things went.
Then humans can start growing spiritually and mentally to start discovering many of those things that only exist on their fantasies such as the capabilities of our brains and the level of spiritualism that takes us closer to the search of perfection. Then humans can start discovering new worlds and make sure these worlds will be looked after and not only exploited for selfish reasons until they are finished. Then we can consider humans not as a source of evil and destruction but source of life.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I am an university student, currently undertaking a Bachelor of Public policy. I like sports and I am into fitness, I like reading non-fiction books and I have great concern for the direction the world will take in the future. Why am I participating? Well the best way to describe it is that about 8 months ago, I was sleeping and about 2:00 A.M. I suddenly woke up and I had an idea, I went to my computer and start writing for about 3 hours without stop. That was the begining of a personal project. Then one day I saw the utopian competition in the newspaper and I though this was a great opportunity to put it into practice, if the idea does not come through I will use the knowledge for my own personal benefit and at least I can say that I tried to solve the problems of the world. Best wishes to all the participants.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
The words the president did not yet speak at the United Nations...
an essay on the modern world
by Alien Observer
Dear Global Citizen Voters!
In this essay on the modern world, the author taps into the understanding by all of us who know that the 'world system' as it operates today, cannot keep going for much longer in its present form.
Many thousands of us have attended demonstrations and many millions more of us have watched with growing incredulity as our government and corporate leaders parade before us on our television screens, going from conference to conference over the last five decades, without there being any apparent change of heart and mind on their part to address the real opportunities and problems facing humanity as a whole in a meaningful way.
The president of the United States of America now speaks the words that so manyus so intensely desire to hear him speak and then act on! Here, he does so not only on our behalf, but also on behalf of the multinational corporate leaders who have helped put him there. He announces the End of Machine Age Dreaming with....
Our New Information Age Policy Direction Statements.
In these policy statements, the president develops a form of world self-governance befitting the Information Age, while at the same time describing in plain terms how we as global citizen see and experience the system now, shattering the illusion that we can keep the present Multinational Corporate Regime going as it is!
You may consider these presidential ideas utopian or common sense or both. I hope the general thrust of these ideas will resonate with you and are worthy of your vote.
A detailed strategy and tactics for intelligent collective action to help 'persuade' our leaders to change their present ways of world governance will be published on the day after the prize for the winning entry is announced on December 18, 2001 on my web site: www.dearglobalcitizen.com opening on 19.12.2000: in an essay entitled:The Achilles Heel of the System.
Both essays are extracts from my book: Dear Global Citizen to be published on a day to be announced on this site. If you wish to comment on or contribute to the issues raised in this essay, you may contact Alien Observer now by mail: Morpheus Press P.O. Box 362, Coorparoo 4151, Australia, or by e-mail: alienobserver@dingoblue.net.au
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I am in the process of writing a book related to the subject Utopia.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
This utopia suggests ideas to solve world problems. This utopia bases itself on several premises. Firstly, this system believes that a lot of the problems that we suffer right now are the result of the search and maximisation of power to achieve our needs and unlimited wants. As a result it is necessary to regulate this unequal existence of power while improving the social conditions as well as the material and immaterial wealth of all humans. Secondly, in order to restore international peace and to achieve a future for human kind, it is necessary to improve countries internally first. This can be achieved by using successful measurements from different social systems that help create a fair and more rewarding system for all individuals. Even thought it may sound like something that exists in some systems right now, these actual systems fail on the sincerity of their goals and the implementation of their policies. Thirdly, just like in any successful business organization, the happier all members are the more productive they become and the more they tend to work towards personal and collective goals. Finally, We cannot agree on many things in the international sphere and avoid fierce competition unless we improve the standard of living of all humans first. Further, it is imperative to convince individuals that cooperation and right planning can bring great rewards for all individuals without the need to manipulate or to turn against each other.
It is important to see that once people overcome their fears and need to manipulate situations, once people improve their living standard, once people understand how human history has developed in chaos and survival of the fittest and how this system will bring human more destruction than benefit, once human learn to achieve common goods through mutual cooperation and become aware that it is possible to achieve great things without maximizing material utility, once humans learn that the maximization of utility it is impossible without creating conflicts and once humans realize that there can not exist satisfaction of unlimited material wants through the limited material resources. Then we can set this system aside and jump into a new system or stage of human history, where mutual cooperation, effective use of resources are for every body's benefit. Then humans can start growing internally where they stopped thousand of years ago due to the fear of the unknown and the loss of confidence of how things went.
Then humans can start growing spiritually and mentally to start discovering many of those things that only exist on their fantasies such as the capabilities of our brains and the level of spiritualism that takes us closer to the search of perfection. Then humans can start discovering new worlds and make sure these worlds will be looked after and not only exploited for selfish reasons until they are finished. Then we can consider humans not as a source of evil and destruction but source of life.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I am a writer and artist committed to social change. I am also one of the organizers of the utopian education project The School for Designing Society.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
The time has come for a new currency that measures value beyond its economic worth.
This new currency is needed today because 'Money'is increasingly being used to calculate the value of things it was never designed to do.
Money is a one-dimensional tool for measuring economic value. Yet, increasingly, we see the intangible, spiritual, emotional, communal and psychic dimensions of our lives being assigned a monetary value.
This elevation of money into a 'universal measure of value' is seriously distorting our individual perspectives and undermining our evolution as a society, as reflected in the backlash against global economic rationalism. From an historical perspective, money is now operating way out of its depth as a measure of value.
THE SOLUTION
What is proposed is the creation of a new currency that operates in parallel to money and provides a more holistic means of measuring value in our lives.
This currency is called the 'Holis' - derived from the word 'Holistic'.
The Holis is not a medium of exchange, but measures value by focusing on the 'experience' we gain from things. It is based on a spectrum where the highest value equals the most positive experience we can have, such as a first born child, and the lowest value equals the worst experience.
The symbol for the Holis is an underlined capital 'H'(ie one thousand Holis is H1000).
To calculate the Holis value there are six dimensions to consider: emotional, spiritual, physical, intellectual, material, and ideological.
For example, suppose you are offered a job in a different city, for $80,000 per year. Although the salary value may be tempting, the Holis value may only be worth H40,000 when you consider the hassle of moving, loss of friendships (emotional) and work colleagues (spiritual), colder climate (physical), pollution and so on.
The Holis offers individuals, an alternate way of measuring value in this 'money-centric' age.
The Holis also works collectively by providing the community with a holistic way to measure, say, the value of a rainforest or ecosystem, beyond simply the commercial value of its timber.
Initially, Holis values will tend to be subjective, but over time they will evolve like other currency systems (ie barter, shells) to become more consistent as agreed standards are developed. The Holis also has profound implications for many aspects of society, as detailed in the longer version of this submission.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I am a senior executive in the global financial services industry. I believe I have an idea that will make a major, positive contribution to the world at this point in time.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
Reflecting a Weltanschauung different from one with a concept of
sovereignty and its consequences found in many circles, there follows a
utopist concept of sovereignty and, derived therefrom, views on self-
government and a democratic, federal system for governing the world.
After the Reformation broke the totalitarian control of the Papacy, and
the Renaissance restored knowledge of Greek democracy and the Roman
republic, the Enlightenment helped shift the focus of sovereignty from
the monarch to his government and the nation-state.
These developments contributed to the American Revolution and the
creation of the modern democratic federation based on First Principles
-- the sovereign authority of the citizens to create and alter
governments and constitutions. Shortly afterwards, the French
Revolution produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the
Citizen.
The notion that nation-states were sovereign persisted throughout the
20th Century and was written into the United Nations Charter in 1945.
However, that same year, Emery Reves's
to their governments of polities at different levels, could also
delegate it to a government of the world.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, some World Federalists (part of
a global movement since World War II), called for promoting the concept
of the sovereign citizen. The American body produced a definition of a
sovereignty that was not absolute and that was vested in the citizens,
in both unitary states and federations. A committee of the global body
emphasized that one could be a citizen of communities at different
levels and ultimately of the Earth. Philadelphia II promoted a
national initiative through First Principles that would restore the
long-neglected lawmaking powers of the citizen.
In contrast to the democratic concept of the sovereign citizen, tyranny
remains a fact of life and death in the contemporary world. This has
led to calls by an increasing number of world leaders for finding a
means to deal with international criminals, especially those who are
dictators, and to promote the awareness of individual sovereignty.
The prototype of democratic federations in America and emerging in
Europe provide models for a solution to wars and other global problems
-- a democratic, federal system of governing the world.
15 August 2001
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Sex: maleWho are you?
Ever since I was in combat in Europe and worked in the restoration of democracy in Germany, I have been interested in a democratic European Union. Having also participated in international affairs, especially in Asia, I am interested in working for a better governed world.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
A suggestion is outlined to allow a simple, efficient and completely democratic system by which electors can select their representatives in a manner which would engender full confidence in each elector's heart that his/her vote has carried equal effectiveness in the absence of any influence by political parties, media, or other factions.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
BORN IN Adelaide, South Australia, on 16th October 1931, of English and German background. Weight 94 kg, height 195 cm. He is married to Pauline, and has two daughters. Graduated as a chemical engineer in 1953 at the University of Adelaide, and after building and managing several chemical and metallurgical projects spent the last half of his career in the Australian coal industry, the largest coal exporter in the world. In the last 12 years he had his own business as a coal broker, negotiating coal purchases on behalf of international consumers. With his wife he has had a long-standing interest in sailing, culminating in a 12.5m yacht. He has sailed about 14,000 nautical miles up and down the East coast of Australia. After 30 years of playing squash, he has converted to golf, playing regularly. Apart from gardening, his main hobby is short term share trading using the Internet. Re Utopia. He has travelled to most parts of the world and has had the opportunity to discuss with many different people their ideas on politics and life in general. There was a common element in that almost everyone felt their political system was unfair, their politicians were unreliable, and others gained advantages unavailable to them. Humans like to be liked, but realise that, human nature being what it is, not everyone will agree with them. The decimal democracy system proposed would allow all voters to at least be satisfied that their vote had an equal weighting, and that, if the vote went against them, at least they had their chance to have a say.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
Borrowing ideas from Rene Girard, we present a Systems Theoretic Model Human Socio-Cultural Mechanics, revealing the dynamic structure of conflict and violence in human cultures. Using the model, we can discover the optimal strategy to drive a human socio-cultural system in reverse toward non-violence and peace. Science and reason arrive at the same optimal solution as that proposed historicly by Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, King, Thich Nhat Hanh, John Dear, and thousands of other rational thinkers who thought deeply about the problems of violence, oppression, and injustice.
It's pure science, pure reason, and pure theology. These methods of thought all reach the same insightful solution.
It's time we learned it so that we can discontinue the mindless practice of killing ourselves off. It's time we learned, reviewed, reflected, and meditated on this model. You can do that in the context of your faith, or in the context of a quiet meditation on a scientific model. It's the same calming mindfulness.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I am a cognitive scientist doing research in Educational Technology and Learning Theory. I am interested in discovering solutions to the age old problems of violence, oppression, injustice, corruption, poverty, ignorance, alienaion, and suffering. I am currently working on The Orenda Project: http://www.musenet.org/orenda
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
Summary to Pathway to Utopia.
The main text outlines a system of true democracy.
People are frightened of change yet history reveals many changes- mostly forced onto people by Power out of control.
Parties:
A political party is formed to carry out the wishes of its supporters. Those wishes are presented to the voters as Policies. Consequently there are always vested interests involved to win an election and then to stay in power.
The voters never know what proportion of money and energy used by the party goes towards being elected and then re-elected, and what proportion is used towards long term benefits for the nation itself.
A lesson from history.
Democracy:
The following quotation was given by an American economist to a large gathering on 20 January, 1986
Cycle of Democracy is attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler - a Scotsman - 1748-1813.
Tytler taught Universal History at Edinburgh University.
'A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury.
From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.
The average age of the world's great civilisations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependence back into bondage.
The political cycle follows. Rule by one (king) - rule by few (a republic) - rule by many (democracy) - anarchy (rule by one - king)'
Could history be repeating itself ?
Throughout history people have set out to rule the world. With nuclear weapons that is now possible. Our modern world must be safeguarded by the people themselves and not ruled by those with a lust for power.
An Observation:
For countless centuries millions have died defending their religious and political beliefs.
People never all think the same at the same time, which is by far the greatest safeguard of our species.
If we all thought the same way in times of great fear and panic our leaders could easily stampede us all into oblivion.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I am retired - small business trades. 30 years ago it was apparent that the world was facing serious problems of economics, trade and unemployment. A new era was dawning. So I reasoned that with army generals starting wars from where the last world war left off someone had to find a new pathway.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
My Utopia would be simple enough for a Child to understand. Afterall children will inherit my Utopia. My Utopia is like a spider’s web sheltering the Nest in which Plants, Animals and Humans must co-exist. Even a child can understand this. Academics, Mathematicians and Scientists will also be needed. But that will be after we have set up the simple framework of my Utopia.
We live in a complex world. Simplicity is imperative in my Utopia.Even a child must understand it.But more importantly adults must comprehend its simplicity.
My Utopia would be understood by the picture of a Nest where we shelter whether we are Animals or Humans. Indeed to make a Nest we need Plants.Thus in my Utopia Humans, Animals and Plants all need each other to survive.Even a child can understand this.
In my Utopia everything would work to the power of three. It would be a World Wide Web of simple connections where everything is done in threes. Children can remember everything in threes. My Utopia is a simple game that adults must learn to play or One Nest and it occupants will not survive.
My Utopia is a realistic place. Every country has its own Government and my Utopia does not wish to change this. But every country must understand that for its own survival it must agree to play the game of Utopia. Every country must understand that Utopia has no borders. Air, Water, Soil have no borders and every country in One Nest is dependant on every other country no matter how much or how little money a country may have. Even a child can understand this. The success of Utopia depends upon adults being able to understand this.
The Goals of my Utopia would be simple. Imagine how widespread and consistent Utopian Activity would be as at each level-World, National and Local – we must apply the rules to Plants, Animals and Humans because in One Nest one of these will not survive without the others. Each country would present its plan to its Government to action through the National Budget in the normal course of political work but in the very distinctive spirit of Utopian Dream, Wish and Vision. Remember even people in Government have children.
Do Dreams, Wishes and Visions ever need a Rationale? Does Utopia need a reason to exist? Because we are rational human beings, because we must consider our children’s future and because we Want Wishing to Work – Yes! But you must read on to find out how it works.
My Utopia is the only Hope we have for our Children.
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Sex: FemaleWho are you?
I was born an Anglo Indian and raised in Eastern And Western traditions. In the "scattering of people" I came to Australia and worked as a teacher, in commerce, then a student of Social Ecology at the University of Western Sydney. Persistent, realistic, optimistic and unafraid, I seek understanding of the complexity of our life on Earth - not so much of Why are we here? as How might we remain? As we move into a post-industrial future, beyond technology and the present economy, Education is now to be designated in terms of survival and therefore in terms of Ecology, Environment and EcoLiteracy.
What is your relation to Utopia?
My interest in Utopia includes but rises above the political, economic, social and cultural landscape of today - to the level of the LifeSupport of humans - the Natural World. My relation to Utopia is to create the "cosmos of consciousness" that we already have a Paradise on Earth. The cornerstone to keeping this Paradise is a new millennium change to the Preamble of the UN Charter, to acknowledge the primacy of the LifeSupport of the planet. This nuanced change to the UN´s guiding document will declare that beggar and superpower are equally dependent on the elements of the LifeSupport - which, like disease, poverty, terrorism, peace and goodwill, recognize no borders. The new benchmark referent for the UN - the LifeSupport of the planet - will permit a revised understanding of security. The most important body in the UN will not be the Security Council but the Environment Council - to protect the PRECURSOR to peace and security - the LifeSupport of a borderless planet. Then the start of a planetary Utopian Conversation and Celebration, to generate a Vortex of Awareness. Awareness of our common, borderless ecological predicament and of our ability to do something about it, by our global citizenship of earth´s largest organisation/organism - the United Nations. This ecological search for Utopia is the search for the way in which we can keep this Paradise before we lose it altogether.
Summary
To be honest, I don’t really know what this essay is about. The title means nothing. I just typed what is in my brain. My biggest fear is that what is in my brain makes no bloody sense to nobody but me. I hope I am wrong. I just don’t know!
What guess to is an attempt to try and bridge same stupid divisions that exist in our society (that are mainly the fault of dumb pollies). I try to overcome that by looking at some ways that we improve the world that we live in so that we came have our cake and eat it to. A world without any divisions or barriers and those human beings are open minded to radical change and to other peoples.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I want to try and do my bit to make this planet a better place to live for its 6 Billion humans. We all have to live side by side and I think this is a good idea to bring people together from different cultures around the world. I am interested in politics, religion, the environment, social issues, economics & globalisation, science & technology and computers & the Internet. I like to think that I do a lot of reading about these subjects and that i am very informed. I don´t know if I am. Computers are my hobby ? I have about 7 (only one works!). I play a lot of games. My favourite games are Half Life, System Shock 2 and Deus Ex.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
Utopia is a dream. All religions promise a utopia, a heaven, which is not available on earth. Any trend towards Utopia is impeded by the natural threat of overpopulation, assisted by incongruent and unfair pecuniary laws, rules and regulations, right across the world.
Individual species of flora and fauna develop and thrive until their environment becomes saturated. The breed usually dies out, or otherwise becomes extinct. The present estimate of extinct species is 98% since the big bang! Some species are better prepared against overpopulation, than we are. Marsupials, for example, have their fertility reduced in times of over-population and food shortages due to droughts. We may well be too late in the survival game, and seem to forget that the earth’s surface, available to us, remains constant while the population increases.
Substantial influence can be exerted if man can reduce and ultimately eliminate some of his unnatural institutions. The history of money for example, started as a trading lubricant for our goods and services. It has now become the most important and most damaging commodity.
Research and development, particularly that related to human health, creates excessive wealth in some countries, often starvation in others. It also accelerates population growth, instead of reducing it. Environmental research is overdone. Global warming, for example, is a popular, well-heeled, research activity with questionable results.
The concept of endangered species is somewhat romantic, and difficult to manage. The 98% of extinct plants and animals have unfortunately missed out.
The most difficult problems to solve will be the man-initiated, unnatural laws. It should be possible to review the commodity properties of money.
It seems only fair that every person at birth has an equal start. At present we tolerate the imbalance of a heritage dominated existence?
Policies, such as globalisation, will accelerate our ultimate extinction. The increasing rate of warfare during the 20th century is unlikely to stop. Epidemics, old and new will demand more sacrifices. An approach towards a utopia of some sort should be tried to help us survive.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
After having lived 3/4 of the 20th century, and working in many countries, it may be worth to put some thoughts on paper
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
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disqualifying societies.
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an experimentist society is when the question where is this society is as senseless as the question when is this society is contemporarily. the opposite is not the case: an experimentist society is not when the question when is this society is as communicative as the question where is this society is contemporarily.
a society rooted in a moment and not in a location depends on at most anything other than of the maintaining property. the where of society varies without threatening that society's equilibration.
this writing is neither a proposal nor a critique. several statements describe the conditions necessary for a desirable society, before and after descriptions of that society which precludes the meeting of our desires and needs. i have not denounced those statements which, when true, will signify a desirable society. only we, and then some language, will discriminate descriptions of a desirable society against those which no longer avoid our inability to speak without faith.
utopia means no place, a remnant of grecian morphology. this was as true in the current as it will have been in a desirable society.
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a proposal is a description of potential relations and pretentious consequences: a prediction describing a world as it will have been. a critique is a description of relations and consequences: a history describing a world as it has been.
a statement of desire is a description of potential dynamics, formulated in such a way and placed in such a space that it does itself. when i has looked transformations from desire-statement to proposal, i looks society changing. by the time a desire-statement is a proposal, this proposal is happening.
a self-description of participation in a system is a description of dynamics, formulated in such a way and placed in such a space that i's description conserves desirable constraints.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
Were we to achieve a society freed from justice, self-justification would be an alarm.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
Utopian Essay
When Thomas More wrote Utopia he was driven by a sense of irrationality in high places, and sought to portray how a logical society might order its affairs. Yet there is a loss of individuality and personal freedom that is disturbing, if not chilling, in some aspects of his society. Anyone who proposes the next Utopia must avoid the trap of trying to turn us all into well-oiled machine parts, dutifully fitting into our roles within the state.
Utopia was based on logic, so a necessary prerequisite to any Utopian state would be the adoption of a logical ethic. A short description of what such a society might believe in would look something like this:
Rationality
Pride
Justice
Integrity
Benevolence
Rationality is simply the dedication to use logic in all our endeavours. Pride is a sense of self-worth- that virtue midway between what Aristotle called the two sins of humility and vanity. Justice means the recognition that rights grounded in logic must be universal. Integrity means you live in accordance with your beliefs. Benevolence is the willingness to aid others to achieve rational goals. Widespread adoption of such an ethic structure would result in major changes to our institutions.
Religion
Since it is instinctive, there's no point in trying to eliminate religion. Let it continue, as a form of spiritual entertainment. But it must be kept out of the ethical or Utopian debate. An ethic based solely upon obedience to God, as interpreted by very human priests, is too fallible and incompatible with a rational ethic.
Government
The political party system is an extension of the instinctive group syndrome which has caused so much harm to humanity. Everyone of ability should have a chance to run as individuals. Following charismatic leaders is another instinct which has gointo all kinds of strife. The chief executive should be selected in the same manner as any major corporation would employ.
The Economy
Keeping emotional issues out of the economic debate would allow the emergence of a truly free market society. A Utopian approach to farm subsidies is detailed in the main essay, as an example.
The Law
Today's legal system is far too cumbersome, time consuming and expensive. Utopians would keep laws to a minimum and ensure they were readily enforceable. Computers could replace judges as a mechanism for extremely fast impersonal decisions. Admissible evidence could be scanned, verified and entered by a panel representing both parties.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I´m a retired electronics technician with an interest in the stock market and computers. I have written five financial books but my real interest is as an armchair philosopher. I´ve done a fair bit of research on ethics, from Aristotle to Ayn Rand, but can´t find a system that seems to bring it all together. My view is that the two main camps of religion and philosophy both tend to ignore the realities forced upon us by evolution. In other words, an ethic must not only consider what is the right action to take, but it must deal with the underlyings instincts dealt to us by evolution. This is the main message of my book, "The Atheist´s Guide To Religion" which I hope to get published at some point.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
The contribution is presented as an Essay, “Looking Back” from 2090AD.
The Essay claims that The Good Society cannot be built until we understand the purpose of humans in the process of the Cosmos. It outlines a philosophical explanation of the Cosmos as a process with a purpose, in which humans have a crucial role to play.
Humans have developed towards the Good Society, without being conscious of it. They have simply sought to form more just and more equitable societies.
If the organization of society is to change, human nature must first change. Human nature is not immutable. It is formed by human cultures, and those cultures have been formed by humans. Social change depends on cultural change, which ultimately depends upon the development of a new perspective as to the meaning and purpose of human life. The “Process of the Cosmos” provides that perspective.
The Cosmos can be understood as a process comprising four emergent stages. These are the Physical, Living, Conscious and Human moral-conscious stages. The process begins as a deterministic physical process. It develops and freely evolves to the present stage of human moral-cultural self-creation.
The Good Society can only be formed when the role and purpose of humans, in the process of the cosmos, is understood. Development towards this goal can now begin.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I am a Utopian. I have found the answers to the big philosophical questions, including the meaning of life. Aristotle set out to explain the world, and the role of mankind, but failed. The University citation to the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1998 stated "The dissertation provides a well-written, clearly presented, metaphysical argument based on contemporary cosmology . . completing Aristotle´s project to provide an explanation of man and the world . ." I am participating because I have something to contribute to a better world.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
The essay portrays a vision wherein the enemy of utopia is recognized as and its intelligent progression by humans. If nature operated power as humans do, there would be only one tree in the forest and one elephant trying to push it down. My vision defines the hitherto unrecognized genesis of power, it’s operation, progression and ultimate destructiveness. In my vision I see that freedom and responsibility must be the basis of all human endeavor with the progression of power redirected towards these ends.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
Widowed, Aged 62 Because I recognise the basic - yet simple - reason why there is not already an Utopia, I recognise what would constitute a reasonable and achievable Utopia.
What is your relation to Utopia?
Summary
Across the United States, there are few homeless men, women and children who don't have to live in fear of being criminalized for their poverty. Cities are legislating homelessness under the pretense of "revitalizing neighborhoods." Local governments are promoting a national trend of scapegoating homeless and poor people instead of providing permanent exits from homelessness and poverty, such as truly affordable housing, a living wage, quality health services, and access to education.
Our government, it seems, finds it far easier to offer homeless people temporary charity -- shelters, soup kitchens, etc. -- instead of justice.
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Sex: maleWho are you?
I work for the Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco where I edit STREET SHEET -- the oldest "street newspaper" on the West Coast. My submission is less the "utopian" vision than it is an emergency response to the ongoing civil and human rights abuses that are commonly directed at homeless and poor people in this country. It describes a model to organize justice for poor people. Any prize money would be donated to fund civil and human rights organizing in California and the U.S.
What is your relation to Utopia?
More about the competitor
Sex: maleWho are you?
I am a 48 year old writer originally from London but curently living in Liverpool. I am participating because I think this is a great idea.
What is your relation to Utopia?
U.W.C. 2001
Introduction
The first winner
All entries
The Champion
T.R.O.Y. in his own words
Read the winning text
Download document
Links in essay
The Jury
The Jury
The jury´s statment
Gala Night
Photos from the UWC gala