Utopia is Around the Next Corner — NOT

In the heart of many people is a desire for a non-obtainable concept of utopia.

The concept of building a utopian society goes further back in history than the 1516 book by Sir Thomas More with the title “Utopia.” The search for utopia can be found as the people of old tried to build a tower to God, known as the tower of Babel. The true story from the Bible about the people determining they had the brain power and the human strength to build a tower to God in order to show they could be equal with God proved their idea to be a colossal failure.

In digging into the meaning of the word “utopia,” one discovers two meanings have been assigned to the word. One of the meanings is “good place.” The second meaning of utopia is “no place.” Can we say then, according to the person seeking to establish utopia, the word and the outcome is determined by their motive? There is something in the inner parts of people that creates a desire to advance and become better as they grow. There is also inside of mankind a feeling that with determined self will they can accomplish anything and everything they wish can happen. Volumes of books have been written over the years since 1516 urging society toward a utopian lifestyle. In every part of culture and society, there continues to be attempts to build the “Good Place.” The “Good Place” makeup is determined by the people seeking to build it.

In the years since the writing of the book by Sir Thomas More, with many attempts to develop a place where all of community and society would live in peace and enjoy the quiet restfulness of knowing every threat to man had been neutered, each has met with failure. Past failures notwithstanding, we continue to see people with the worldview of government being able to solve every problem of society, continuing to push toward that illusive dream to develop the perfect society. We know the failures of the goal to build the “Great Society.” We marvel at how naïve former leaders have been to think they could control illegal drug use. We watch with interest today as the utopian desiring bigger government crowd continues to push for more controls by the government with fewer freedoms for the citizens, with the end result being their brand of a “Good Place.”

We hear about the “American Dream.” The definition of the American Dream can be seen only in the person using the term. For some people, the American Dream allows for personal responsibility and individual freedom to advance in life. To other people, the American Dream can be brought into place only by more government control over the lives of the citizens.

From where I stand, the announcement last week by President Obama concerning gun control that will lead to a “Good Place,” it will be discovered it leads to “No Place.”

Will we ever have a utopian society in America? What do you think about President Obama's press for increased gun control? Tell us in comments. 

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