A Utopian Dystopia
By Ahana Raghavan
Class 8 Student, USA
Foreword by Venkat
To find such intricate logic in perceptions coming from a 13 year old is pure delight indeed! Ahana is also gifted in expressing her thoughts laid in good structure, words with an impactful ending. Congratulations and best wishes to her journey through life. Utopian dystopia is apt and more positive than dystopian utopia. The argument is well presented by Ahana and yes she is right on the perils of wishing for a ‘perfect’ world. Perfection like many other abstractions exists in and is experienced in the mind alone.
We as humans have two major limitations – limitations of our senses (the amount and the detail in information we can take in) and dual nature of the physical (at a point in time, we are physically either in a place or not but our mind can be in multiple places at the same time!). And these limitations vary with our age. Even if the world were to start with the so called utopian world, these limitations would ensure things ‘normalize’ into the ‘imperfect’ world as it is now. While these limitations seemingly separate us on the physical plane based on dualities (for example: two people not hearing the same amount of information, interpret two different realities of the same thing), they bring us together on the mental plane when the mind sees the non-dual nature of life and things. So wonderful to read this writing and to share my views on the same. Thanks to Ahana.
Enjoy the perfect (not utopian) experience of thoughts through the wonderful magical world of words that Ahana creates!
Hi, my name is Ahana Raghavan, a 13-year-old from the United States. To put it simply, I am a stationery fanatic who loves to play the piano. I am also on the Science Olympiad team, on a robotics team, and on the local debate team. In my spare time, I am also a Sochcaster who loves to create content on websites and volunteer in my local community. Writing is a hobby that brings me pure joy, and I hope readers find ecstasy when reading my articles.
A Utopian Dystopia
Dystopian fiction is a favorite for many; it brings up provocative questions many have wondered about what the world could become. Similarly, we have all envisioned a utopia at least once in our lives, a world free of disagreements, pain, melancholy, rage, fear, etc. This got me thinking, “Are there any disadvantages to this?”. I delved deeper and soon came to the grim revelation that behind the scenes of a utopia, one finds deep flaws.
Firstly, let’s analyze why there are no disagreements. Individuality is one of the core values in society today. Uniqueness is held in high regard, and different perspectives uniting are the basis for our modern-day 21st-century civilization. A utopia often comprises of people holding the same opinions and preferences. This is cataclysmic, as society is only at its pinnacle when people amalgamate their belief systems and values.
Secondly, acutely examining why there are no antagonistic feelings in a utopian world helps us understand that our gamut of emotions is perfect as is. If we no longer feel these emotions, joy simply becomes the new normal. Our emotional spectrum is limited and inhibited. We are practically incapable of feeling a variety of perceptions (of the world around us).
This happened to us during the COVID 19 outbreak. We were no longer to meet people, so the joy of being around others was taken away. Previously, we had taken this for granted, considering meeting others to be a banal routine we went through every day. But during this dark time period, we were no longer feeling collective effervescence. This nagging feeling to meet others whilst knowing we were simply unable to leave holes in many hearts, and we realized the importance of catharsis and sentiment.
As you can clearly see, a utopia would simply not be what our childhood selves envisioned it to be. Rather, it would be a dystopian utopia, or better yet, a utopian dystopia. Yes, I am well aware that this is an oxymoron. This actually proves my point. When you are looking for a utopia, the extreme is simply impossible. You cannot have a silver lining without the dark cloud coming with it. So let’s not wish for a perfect world. As they say, “Be careful what you wish for.”
By Ahana Raghavan
Class 8 Student, USA