Thoughts from Utopian Fiction
In the Future:
we might be able to feed, clothe, and shelter everyone
we might live in a society where everyone is happy and healthy and satisfied
we might be rid of pain, illness, death, and heartache
we might have everything we've ever wanted
we might all get along and never have any reason to argue or go to war or think differently at all
we might look to the greater good instead of ourselves, and never worry about why I am different than You
we might all have the same view of perfection
Is it just me, or are we giving "The Future" an awful lot of credit? How about
In the Future:
we might all die freezing when the sun burns out
we might serve under an oppresive alien overlord
we might die screaming in the nuclear strike of WWIII
I could go on. I'll admit, I'm as guilty as everyone for looking to The Future to solve all my problems. I've organized my life and done things I didn't really want to do because The Future is out there waiting for me, and it will be wonderful. I've ignored today for tomorrow. Sure, I'm a lot better about it than I used to be, but there are still times when The Future is all I think about. Is this healthy? It's not like I can just ignore what's going to happen to me tomorrow, the day after, the month after, the year after. But where's the balance? How much do I have time to enjoy today before I'm putting tomorrow at risk? How long can I look in the distance before tripping over my own feet? Is Utopia only possible in the Future, or can we forge one now?
I didn't really mean for that to turn into an argument for Utopia Now. Rather, utopia will never happen. Why not make things as good as we can, and then a little bit better tomorrow, etc.
Side note: Francis Bacon was not an interesting writer. Blech.
[Edit: 6:36] Just read pyat's update. I wasn't making fun of you or disagreeing or anything. Just a coincidence. Please don't kill me with your words :P
we might be able to feed, clothe, and shelter everyone
we might live in a society where everyone is happy and healthy and satisfied
we might be rid of pain, illness, death, and heartache
we might have everything we've ever wanted
we might all get along and never have any reason to argue or go to war or think differently at all
we might look to the greater good instead of ourselves, and never worry about why I am different than You
we might all have the same view of perfection
Is it just me, or are we giving "The Future" an awful lot of credit? How about
In the Future:
we might all die freezing when the sun burns out
we might serve under an oppresive alien overlord
we might die screaming in the nuclear strike of WWIII
I could go on. I'll admit, I'm as guilty as everyone for looking to The Future to solve all my problems. I've organized my life and done things I didn't really want to do because The Future is out there waiting for me, and it will be wonderful. I've ignored today for tomorrow. Sure, I'm a lot better about it than I used to be, but there are still times when The Future is all I think about. Is this healthy? It's not like I can just ignore what's going to happen to me tomorrow, the day after, the month after, the year after. But where's the balance? How much do I have time to enjoy today before I'm putting tomorrow at risk? How long can I look in the distance before tripping over my own feet? Is Utopia only possible in the Future, or can we forge one now?
I didn't really mean for that to turn into an argument for Utopia Now. Rather, utopia will never happen. Why not make things as good as we can, and then a little bit better tomorrow, etc.
Side note: Francis Bacon was not an interesting writer. Blech.
[Edit: 6:36] Just read pyat's update. I wasn't making fun of you or disagreeing or anything. Just a coincidence. Please don't kill me with your words :P