Hello,

My name is Jesse Benn, I’m a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison working on my dissertation about imagining a socialist utopia.

One of my questions is just what would a day look like for you in your imagined utopia.

My research is focused on socialists, but I use the term broadly and inclusive of anti-capitalists of all stripes so please don’t hesitate to respond just because you don’t identify with the label socialist.

If you respond please know let me know if you don’t want your response directly quoted (I won’t use any identifying info unless requested).

You can DM me or email me at jbenn2@wisc.edu with any questions or if you’d like to hear about other ways to participate in this research.

Thanks.

In solidarity,

Jesse Benn

Just want to say I just searched utopia. Sad but truth our world in this state could be utopia. I truly feel we have all the resources necessary. But it seems to be an impossible truth with the logic run through in this world.

Hello, I am in the early stages of putting together an anthology of utopian (and dystopian) readings. Certainly short stories, but also essays and poetry with "utopian" flavor. Any suggestions for me? I want to include a diverse array of voices (Project Gutenberg is great, but soooo old). Thank you for your time.

I've been thinking for a while about what is required to create a Utopia, and I've come to the conclusion that people need to have the will to make a society that is Happy and Healthy. As I see it currently a large part of the reason society is in a suboptimal state is because people aren't Happy and Healthy (spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically and socially) - or what you might call enlightened. So I'm wondering what type of people, what characteristics do people at large think are required to create, sustain and thrive in a Utopia?

For a while now, I've considered that society is in essence a form of communication between people, for the safety and well-being of those people. Or at least that communication (in any form) is the fundamental resource from which society is built.

Should it not logically follow then, that to perfect society, a utopia, one should start by perfecting their means of communication?

Next comes the question: "What is perfect communication?". I will define communication as a process between two people with the goal of increasing the understanding of the other. Perfect communication then would be a complete understanding between the two people. A complete understanding of their actions, their thoughts that lead them to it, their motives, their instincts, their past...

I know I might be sounding a bit sci-fi here, but consider the drifting process in Pacific Rim as an example of what I'm talking about. Two pilots share their experiences, their emotions and thoughts, all through a neural link. Their thoughts enhance the other, their experiences compile, and they become one synchronised entity. There can be no conflict between them, for there is perfect understanding.

Whenever I mention the word Hivemind, it conjures images of the nightmarish Borg, where individual thoughts are suppressed, emotions are drained, and personhood is lost. But the drifting process is the complete opposite, and yet it can be called a hive mind when applied to a larger group of people.

I think we should strive to create such a device or method by which we can achieve that kind of perfect communication (safely, of course).

As new forms of communication are invented, they fundamentally change society. It starts with pheromones, then body language, then vocalizations, speech, illustration, writing, the internet...

All of these methods have greatly increased understanding of each other and pushed society forward.

​

Let me stop there, because I fear I sound like a monologuing supervillain.

We have a discussion coming up at university between dystopian and utopian worlds and futures and I’m keen to provide a well evidenced debate. I love Solar punk visions and am particularly interested in design going forward. I have a book ‘design after capitalism’ that I’m starting in preparation but I do read slowly so prefer things to watch or listen to while I attend to other tasks

In an utopian society, voluntary euthanasia would be an integral but almost obsolete part. Members of this society would be given all available resources to alleviate and end their suffering, including voluntary euthanasia or assisted dying.

People opposing these utopian means of ending suffering would also support the erection of a "Berlin wall" around it's society, stopping it's inhabitants from leaving.

Would you support a "Berlin wall", preventing access to assisted dying or voluntary euthanasia, in a society, that doesn't offer it's inhabitants all resources to alleviate suffering, especially voluntary euthanasia or assisted dying?

A truly utopian society would never compel anyone to endure suffering of any sort and quality of life would stand above quantity of life. In fact, quantity of life stands above quality of life in a dystopian society, as it aims to extract it's inhabitants value and resources.

When it comes to talking about utopian thought, and good thought in general, as well as building a stable and productive future, there are many different questions which come up all the time - some of course, being more common than others. However though, at least from what I've seen thus far, it seems as if many people seem to ignore the question about currency, and whether a good place like a utopia would have, and run on one. But now, I dare to ask - do you think there should be money in a utopia?

In my opinion, I think not, as with money, come various different problems, such as poorness, poverty, and the struggle to afford things that make one happy. This, leads to sadness, and unstable life. It, alongside the thought of money itself, also leads to the problem of creating classes, and grouping people based on how much they have.

Thus, I propose other ways for people to be able to obtain stuff they will need, via usage of another system different than currency. And, no, it's not trading - instead, I believe that utopia would run in a loop system. Please allow me to explain:

When you're a tot/baby, for the first few years of your life, you'll of course just live inside of your family home, and learn basic stuff, but once you mature enough, to a 'child', you'll be able to participate in school. For the first few years, or units of school, you'll learn basic stuff and building blocks for things that you need - such as basic maths, sciences, and more. However, upon reaching some higher thinking age, you'll be granted to find which paths you like the most, and as you continue through school, you'll be able to choose classes of which you like, and things you enjoy. Of course, these will all be related to one larger subject, such as engineering or doctor. Like, you could go down a path of biology under the subject of doctor, and get into optometry. And thus, when you're an adult - you'll become an optometrist, or, eye doctor. ( Though prior to getting your job, you'll first work a side job, during your young free time. For example, since religion is important, or a moral system at the least, to utopia, maybe you'll clean shrines, or around the place... ). And now, at your job, you'll work, until you come home a bit sooner than your children do from school, and spend time with them, or maybe outside, doing whatever you want - until it's dinner time ( You had breakfast before work, and lunch at work ). Your food will be given to you from those who work the side job in their free years of delivering food, and made by those who have the real job as a chef. It was grown on farms. As, half a year, you go to work at your job, and for the other half, you go to work on the farm.

Of course, there are other people who do the farm job when you're not, and the doctor job too - that way, there are always people there. Now, if we assume that every job is like this, then there is no need for money to buy food, as people already work that job to make, provide, and prepare food - and thus there is no need to gain money from work. As for rent, everyone lives in already built family homes, where there are many rooms for many members, which you can stay in as an adult, or move to a private home, which is also already prebuilt by a builder who doesn't need pay because he already has his food and home.

What about buying wants you ask? Well, with limitations to things such as age, and how many are available of course, you'll basically be able to get whatever you want at the store - though it will be limited based on time. For example, perhaps you can only get 8 toys, every month, or something like that. I think this is a nice system, because people can receive what they want without having to worry about costs, and can live life open and free - not wondering if they'll have enough money for next week's rent.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think that it might also be important to talk shortly and briefly on what my vision of utopia looks. Socially, it's a place without suffering, pain, worry, negativity, and bad thought - where positivity rules the people, who are led in unison.

For architecture, I think that utopia needs to be beautiful, but still functional. What this needs to be described as, I might describe in the future.

But I do like to imagine an electricity-less world.

I just read the utopian book "News From Nowhere" by the English socialist William Morris from 1890 and I think that Morris's vision of a new, and simpler society is spectacular in many ways. Morris suggests a society in which humans abandoned the technological and industrial world for a better connection with nature and artwork.

​

I wanted to ask, what are your favorite utopian books? or just utopian visions in general?

An ideal utopia for me would be to have technology/science coexist with nature, it is entirely possible if there were more fundings towards sustainable projects. A new garden of eden is possible here on earth right now.

We could live in harmony and get in touch with our higher/divine selves. We as humans are capable of deeper emotions and love for one and another. Heaven on earth is entirely possible, we as a specie have so much untapped potential.

Our potential lays dormant.

We are too busy with paying the bills and addicted to distractions.

We no longer dream of possibilities.

A paradise lost. We have lost our connection to the sacred.

We have lost our purpose.

We live our lives with little to no care towards the future.

We rarely talk of a utopia.

Our calling is to better ourselves and the world around us, we must safeguard the future.

The way we are living is beyond destructive and will leave very little for future generations to come.

Imagine a world where automation benefits us as a whole instead of only a few individuals.

Automation could free us from most of the laborious tasks. Automated vertical farming for example is the future in food production. A means to safeguard our future (food security), and a means to tackle the ongoing climate change.

We are losing more and more farmable land each year due to soil degradation and agricultural malpractice. We are in a dire need of an agricultural revolution! We could grow food without using pesticides and use 99% less water and land than traditional means.

An ideal utopia for me would be to have an education system based on fun, having fun is the best way to learn. Maybe with the advent of new VR/AR technologies we would have fun ways to learn new things. Maybe have a grading system based on games. It could bring upon a new era.

We the people contribute enough value to end poverty, starvation and drug addiction crises. There’s enough resources to go around. Unfortunately, it’s poorly distributed. Most resources don’t go where they need to go. Creating unnecessary suffering.

The problem is that the minority are withholding the majority of the wealth, which is creating mass inequality. Corporations don’t pay fairly. It doesn’t make sense why those in management gets away with most of the money, management is simply a role just like any other. People should be paid for the value they create. It doesn’t make sense that a few gets to hoard all the wealth.

People are left poor and they don’t have the means to invest in big sustainable projects.

The people at the top don’t care about sustainable projects and invest their money elsewhere.

In my ideal utopia there would be fair pay, you get paid for the value you contribute. You don’t get to steal value off others.

Hello!

For my thesis project (I'm doing Media Design), I'm creating a short animation, that will feature a utopian future, that's grounded in reality. So more 'science' and less 'fiction'. The aim here is to create a 'white mirror' type of vibe (basically the opposite of Black Mirror). It'll have a solar punk type of style to it, where the society harnesses technology to aid them (and a whole load of other things that I detail in the project).

What I need help with is things like figuring out what kind of clothing would people in this society wear? As in, what kind of fabrics, which would dictate what they look and feel and behave like. I'm not sure where to start looking for this, so if anyone can help brainstorm that would be great! I want to basically take existing tech, and push it to see what kind of stuff we might have, if we focused our energies on those things.

Additionally, I want to design the city that's in harmony with nature. Tech infused, nature inspired, basically. So I would also need to research what kinds of buildings might we make, what kind of construction materials, how might our designs change?

Any help, questions, links, anything at all will be helpful!

Here are some references for the kind of vibe I'm going for:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/51/36/fe/5136fe30e7aeb3acd5e06373d3741347.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/19/4e/70/194e70bc0f53604e63ceab137bcfd931.jpg

​

https://www.designboom.com/architecture/ai-futuristic-sustainable-city-air-purifying-biophilic-skyscrapers-manas-bhatia-08-22-2022/

What ideas of ownership you have got for Utopia?

My idea is businesses exist and are owned by the public. Their purpose is service to society, not profit. Since no one specifically owns the business, no one specifically stands to profit. Money can still exist, but only as a token of appreciation. People work not for corporates, but to keep the society running smoothly.

Would love to hear your ideas

I have seen many, many proposed utopian cities over the internet. In one way or the other, they all seemed doomed to fail, never to be built (or to be abandoned, if built). I found some common mistakes their thinkers seem to make. If you envision a utopian city and actually want it to be built someday, consider adapting these rules in your design:

1. You cannot build a city entirely by yourself: Unless you have a PhD in Urban Planning with 10+ years of experience, you are not really competent to design a city. This doesn't mean don't try to design a city. By all means, do. Just know when to say "I want X in my city, but I am not an expert. I need help/inputs/suggestions from the people who know more than me".
2. You cannot build your city in a day: You might have a hundred cool ideas for your utopian city, but you can't implement them all the same time with no delays and no problems. You probably get a chance to implement just one at any given time. Implementing that one idea takes time, resources. Then, if it works (or doesn't work), you move on to the next idea. So you need to have priorities. Which of your ideas get implemented first? Which ones afterwards?
3. You will never fully be in full control of your city: The point of a city is that it has thousands of people living in dense neighborhoods. Those people will often have their own visions of what a utopian or ideal city should be. If you don't listen to them, your citizens will fight you. So leave some design room for other people to design your city. By which I mean a lot of room. A very large amount of design room.
4. You will only get a few of the things you want in your city: Between your lack of universal expertise, time/resource constraints & other people trying to implement their utopian ideas over yours, you will not achieve MOST of the things you want in your city. So you need to pick & choose your battles. What features in your utopian city are absolutely essential to you? What features you can do without? Only fight for the essential stuff.
5. You can afford to lose, your city can't: Suppose your city needs a public transport system. You propose a urban gondola (like the one in Medejin, Columbia) cause it looks cool & futuristic. Your colleague proposes a rapid bus system because it's cheaper or easier to implement. Whose proposal will win in your utopian city? You might get to win with your gondola proposal, but your citizens have to put up with more expensive public transport & fewer stops. Your utopian city needs to first serve the needs of its residents, not its designers.

View Poll

Can utopia be thought of as a way of life rather than a structure of society that must be engineered in some way? In that sense, any individual can live utopia regardless of the current structure of society. If the foundational values of utopia are living authentically and respectfully without expecting anything or victimizing oneself, anyone can choose to do that right now.

Living authentically is a personal journey of discovery and examination. Which values do we hold on to (both personally and culturally) that hold us back from becoming something new (both as individuals and collectively)? What values do we want to adopt but can't because they conflict with old systems of thought that we're habituated to?

​

Anybody got comments on Yanis Varoufakis book 'Another Now'?

A very credible Utopia. If you can dream it, you can make it happen.

Hi. I had an idea for a utopian city. I need someone to draw it in some detail. Where can I find such a person?

P.S. I live in India. I will want to draw an Indian city. Also, I would prefer to pay in INR (I can arrange to pay in USD if required).

Do you think a Solar punk society could be achieved, if so how long? What economy would fit this sustainable utopia? What could the infrastructure be constructed out of?

Hi all, I'm doing my Masters dissertation on the effect that utopian thinking has on our wellbeing & behaviour and would love for you to take part! You also have the chance to win up to £100, and at the rate I'm currently recruiting you'll have a very good chance of winning ¯_(ツ)_/¯ It only takes about 10 minutes and there'll be a short follow-up in 7 days. If you get assigned to the control condition (asking about recent events), feel free to close and start again where you'll probably be assigned to the future condition. Thank you loads in advance for helping and I'm happy to share the results with you afterwards! Just drop me a message :)

https://kingstonpcs.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0lfDWrxc4312GZU

I intend to slowly install a utopia in my city, starting from the periphery and moving into the big centers.

Solidarity economy, creation of solidarity banks and a type of social currency. support the weak and make them a united majority. I'm looking for help on how to develop the writing of good bylaw rules, good guidelines.

Are there people interested in writing this manual?

Hello fello Utopians and thank you all for your time. I believe that chatting and sharing thoughts we may have the opportunity to create a memorable movement. Communities of Eden is a SOCIAL experiment that I believe must be done in efforts to get a full unbiased understanding and feedback on the use of Market Socialist principles as we try to reach UTOPIAN level of freedoms, abundance and happiness within the community.

I am seeking comments, feedback, thoughts and opinions on my idea about How exactly to start MARKET SOCIALIST UTOPIAN'LIKE COMMUNITIES.

Currently we have Philanthropic Charity Crowdfunding as our tool to raise the money needed to start populating this Community of Eden.

Here in the USA we have selected a state, city and a community in that city. This community is bordering a great lake and consists of 30 street blocks with every block having 100 Single family homes. The goal of Communities of Eden is to Crowdfund money to buy all 3,000 houses cash and then VOTE on what loving, caring family will voted into being blessed to receive the house PAID in full. This completes ONE Crowdfund and we have now set ONE family to become enlightened with love and passion for life because we have all crowdfunded money, purchased a house cash and then using democracy and voting to ensure that the loveliest and most caring family receives this blessing of a new PAID house.

Repeating this Philanthropic Charity Crowdfunding will allow us to 1 by 1 populate this community of eden with the loveliest of all families. These families will now enter Individual financial freedom and happiness due to the reduced stress. These families will 1 by 1 become our marketing campaign because they will use social media to let EVERYONE know that this idea of Communities of Eden is real and not a scam.

The idea eventually to start ONE community of Eden in ALL 50 states of the USA. At first WE THE PEOPLE will rally behind just ONE Community of Eden because once we set financially free this entire Brigade of 3,000 families living at this first community of eden we can then get the ball rolling easily to start Communities of Eden: Chapter 2 where we start another community of eden in another different state we all vote for.

The way this all works is that we will create a NEW app and we hope to find 500 of the most loveliest, kind and Philanthropic American Citizens in all 50 states and 500 Loving Citizens × 50 states = 25,000 of the most Philanthropic citizens can now start populating Communities of Eden.

Basically 25,000 Americans × 6 dollar donation each = 150,000 cash and now inside the community of Eden we can buy 1 Single family home cash . As we noted the community of eden consist of 30 blocks with 100 houses per block.

So once 150k is raised then a RANDOM number is voted for from the 30 blocks. Example: lets pretend block number 23 is voted for. Now in the community of eden on block 23 all 100 citizens are advised to join the app and all 100 houses will all write a spiel on the app on why THEY should be selected to receive a free home to live in the community of eden.

From all 100 houses on block 23 the house that collects the most votes we can assume is the most loving and caring neighbor on block 23 thus why most of the 99 neighbors on that block 23 gave that particular house their vote.

Using this 100 neighbors idea of them voting on eachother I believe to be a great social experiment in its own. I am confident that from 100 neighbors that live on the same block, when we approach the they all 100 will "know" who the most loveliest, religious, caring family on the block that deserves this blessing.

Repeating this process I believe will create the healthiest community ever because it will have the most individually, financially free citizens.

Looking for thoughts, ideas or anything to add to this elaborate social experiment that literally has the potential to get as close to the Garden of Eden as possible.

Kang Youwei was a Chinese scholar, reformer and writer. He died in 1927. In 1935, after his death, his Book of Great Unity was published. This utopia is described in a 1 minute podcast clip from The Chinese Revolution here.

https://lnns.co/9xDaoL5RsQT

You can also read the episode transcript here:

https://chineserevolution.info/f/transcript-of-episode-25---kang-youwei