Oscar Wilde once wrote, "A map of the world that didn't include Utopia wouldn't be worth glancing at."
[Utopia: A morally, socially, politically perfect and just state. A ficitonal island in the Atlantic Ocean."]
Do you agree or disagree with Wilde's statement?
16 comments:
Indeed, a map without utopia would be quite unexciting to look at. It would be very pleasing to embrace it within the world. However, frankly speaking, we might as well include narnia on the map of the world too.
I agree, with Wilde's proclamation that the presence of utopia on the map would bring along some thrill and amusement. To know that there is a region where each and every trifling detail is absolutely perfect brings loads of comfort. But including Utopia on a map doesn't make it materialize in the real world. In reality, utopia does not exist, wether or not we choose to label it on a map.
Oh, Oscar Wilde. You have thrown my life into so many existential crises. I love you, you great big dandy.
Anyway.
The concept of Utopia scares me because it is physically impossible unless some juxtaposed state existed next to it. Morality would not exist without immorality, just as light would not exist without dark, and perfection doesn't exist anyway so there's that.
Cartography is based on painstaking accuracy, pinning things on flawless coordinates, latitudes and longitudes, so even if Utopia did exist, WHERE does it exist?
Oops there was meant to be a continuation of that last post OKAY:
Utopia could never exist without Dystopia. We would never be able to recognize a Utopia if there wasn't some horrible, hellish place to compare it with. Even right now, I doubt we could recognize Utopia because we aren't that morally bereft. Yet.
So I'd rather live in a substandard, half-dystopic world than in a world where I was conscious of a disgusting wasteland that existed beside my heaven-on-earth. So no, Oscar Wilde, I disagree.
Besides, Cartography is a beautiful thing. We should be able to admire maps even with all its borders and divisions.
Personally I believe that some time ago long into the past even before men decided to record things down for future generations, the world or somewhere in it was a Utopia. I believe that because we have grown so much in knowledge we have had to sacrifice our purity of heart. I beleive knowledge not only opens your eyes to new possibilities, but also ones with excruciationg affects. At some point of life before oil was discovered before pollution arose, modernization and all this, when men cared more about sustaining life than becoming a billionare the world was at peace, with barely any need of a large political government to begin with. The perfect dream Utopia, that would have been a wonderful place to look at on a map.
I disagree on this point with Mr. Wilde, because with our eyes only set upon and idealistic place called Utopia, we'd lose sight of all the other beautiful, enchanting places the earth consists of: the Cape of Good Hope, the Niagra Falls, Paris, Dubai, even stalagmites and stalactites and so much more!
If a place like this existed, we would never learn from our mistakes,because we would never make any! Our lives would start becoming dull and uninteresting, and our children would never throw a tantrum, which may sound like a good thing, but rather, it would be the start of generations of robots.
I like this Uptopia-less world.
I’m actually in two heads about this one,
Honestly, one’s definition of Utopia varies within people. What I may think is the ultimate utopia, you might not. Thus being a perfect utopia isn’t capable of existing.
It is quite disheartening to know that such a place where everything is to its utmost perfection, where every single characteristic, entity or substance is flawless down to its infinitesimal detail, doesn’t exist in our world.
Although,I can agree with Edeline that if a place such as this existed, we would never learn to appreciate the magnificent and striking wonders our planet has to offer.
I agree with Neiha on this one. For Utopia to exist, there would have to be a state that is 'morally, socially, and politically' imperfect,and unjust. In that case it would be like having a heaven and hell right here on Earth.
Every state now has it's own combination of imperfection and perfect, some leaning more towards one trait than the other, and that suits us just fine.
Like Neiha said, for there to be goodness there has to be bad or evil. For us to feel happiness, we must feel sadness. In the same way, for Utopia to exist, there must be a "Dystopia", which would lead to chaos.
And also, I personally feel it's impossible for anyone or any place to reach utter perfection.
well i think that if utopia is a fictional world i would agree with raya when she said "we might as well put narnia on the map too", but on the other hand the equator is also an imaginary line dividing the world in to two hemisphere and its also on the map. So at the end of it, this topic is equally debatable on both sides,
I would disagree. If such a perfect paradise indeed existed, it would now be turned into a place much like any other in this world. If Utopia was on the map, it would be hard to imagine it not being flooded with people trying to find paradise in this upside down world with conflicts, immorality and injustice. They would expect to find a haven, a safe place to go where everything is perfect. But that's the problem. Everyone has a different view of perfection and therefore is non existent. Utopia would be 'conquered' and 'owned' by the powerful people wanting to make it perfect as they see it which may not be of liking to others and then there would be rebellion as to how other people perceive paradise, and in the end, what on Earth were these people fighting for? A piece of land that has now lost it's entire purpose?
I'd say the true Utopia is any place where one chooses to accept what's happening and the difficulties and hardships one would face and is content with their life in spite of these. And so every map of the world contains Utopia, you just need to look for it.
A perfect world… Now that’s an interesting thought. But do I actually want to live such a world?
It’s like a yin and yang situation for me. With the existence of good, bad must reside and vice versa. You can’t just have one and not the other; otherwise the balance of unity just wouldn’t work out. The world has its black and white with some shades of grey emerging in between. To experience Utopia would be life-fulfilling for an individual but to live in a world where only goodness and perfectionism exists, is not a world that I would like to be a part of.
Without pain, sorrow or struggles, some of the greatest creations wouldn’t have been made. The formation of a majority of twisted or heartfelt art pieces would not have a place for appreciation. By being classified as humans, we are known to be imperfect, wavering in spirit and emotions, as well as famous for making repeated mistakes throughout our lives, inevitably impacting our environment.
I believe without some sort of conflict arising in our daily lives, no one would actually encourage the existence of that ‘silver lining’ behind every dark cloud. It would be as if the world was made out of plastic – artificial and unnatural. Progress would not be possible if we allow ourselves to be stuck in a crystal snow globe that projects this picture-perfect image of the universe where no problems arise. It is only with the occurrence of trials and tribulations that we feel or find the will-power, to move forward and let changes take place. Utopia should always be present in our minds but for the world to showcase complete Utopia would not be of much benefit to the society.
If such a state existed, what would happen to the people who migrate from there? Would they be able to adapt to other countries?What about the people who enter this perfect Utopia? would they abandon all their personal thoughts and beliefs to fit in with this,'perfect and just state'?
I disagree with Mr. Wilde on this one particularly because I think he is being a bit irrational. The world map was created to show actual places that exist in the world, not a made up Utopia were everything is a fairy tale. If by some miracle this Utopia existed, I would ask for the UN to send troops in and destroy it, as it would eventually disrupt the balance of our world.
A map is designed to give people accurate directions and locations (emphasis on ACCURATE). To create a map with a fictional island would be both pointless and nonsensical, I would compare it to false advertising and there are severe laws against deceiving people in such a manner. I think it's quite safe to say that I strongly disagree with Mr. Wilde on that particular statement.
Ok i think its time for Nnmadi to see things in a different point of view.
Oscar says A map of the world that didn't include Utopia wouldn't be worth glancing at.I think we have all established the fact that Utopia in no way what so ever exists,and I believe Oscar was a rather brilliant man so why on earth would he write something which seems quite pointless.
In my eyes he didnt write anything pointless and i believe that he also knew the fact that Utopia does not exist.What i understand by reading this is that every map upon the billions and billions of them made and owned by people who were at the time of Oscar and people who will own maps miilions of years from now,in those maps no matter how different the earth's atmosphere,levels of sea countries and continents may seem,there will never ever be a Utopia.Thus Oscar indirectly stating in his quote,what is the point of owning, going through or even looking at a map when we know that there is so much chaos,distruction,anger and hate in our world.
I believe that Oscar Wild Longs for a perfect world no matter how distant it may seem, and i do to.
Oh and Zayaan,what are you on about?
I'm saying that if there was a Utopia, people would probably want to go there...possibly causing mass migration. Also what I meant by disrupting the balance of the world, is not like if everyone moves to the Utopia the earth will slowly sink and in a billion years time enter a whole new galaxy...no, what I meant was that if everyone moves to the Utopia, We will all eventually become the same race, speak the same language, have the same financial status and possibly even act the same way. That to me, is repulsive and something like that should never exist.
I'm saying that if there was a Utopia, people would probably want to go there...possibly causing mass migration. Also what I meant by disrupting the balance of the world, is not like if everyone moves to the Utopia the earth will slowly sink and in a billion years time enter a whole new galaxy...no, what I meant was that if everyone moves to the Utopia, We will all eventually become the same race, speak the same language, have the same financial status and possibly even act the same way. That to me, is repulsive and something like that should never exist.
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