Why We Can't Have Nice Things: The Problem with Utopian Thinking

Exploring the Human Nature Obstacle to Utopia: Why our inherent selfishness makes a perfect society nearly impossible to achieve

Hello there and welcome back. Please accept my heartfelt apologies for the missed newsletter the last time. Exams forced my absence. I'm done with them, and there should be no more interruptions in transmission from now on. I thought I'd be able to figure something out for the previous edition, but there wasn't enough time to develop any ideas I had, and I'm still struggling with a bit of that, so this week's newsletter introduces you to a discussion, and I hope it sparks conversations you have with people throughout the week.

There are a number of things that are scarce in Nigeria right now, but the main ones that are bothering a large portion of the population are fuel and cash scarcity. These two factors combined are making life extremely difficult for many people. Naturally, as humans do, there are those who are taking advantage of the masses' desperation to make a tidy profit. The cost of obtaining cash and favours while queuing for gasoline is enough to bring one to their knees and make one wonder what crime was committed to warrant such a punishment.

All of that is true, and there is nothing this writer can do about it but the situation led me towards a philosophical spin. Note that I am no expert and this could all just be crap you’re reading but stick with me for a second. There is a concept known as Utopia.

A utopia typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It is a happy and content place where there are no conflicts, poverty, or suffering. The concept of utopia has been used to explore various ideas of what a perfect society might look like, but it is widely acknowledged that achieving a true utopia in the real world is likely impossible.

It is easy to understand why the word “imaginary” is very important in the definition of a Utopia. People are wired to think of themselves first in situations, which is beneficial in survival situations but harmful in society. To have a Utopian society, people must be willing to put the benefit of others first. That is nearly impossible.

The world is suffering right now, and the majority of the population is bearing the brunt of it, so what can be done to make the world a better place? That is a question and discussion for another day. The question at hand right now is how a human handles a less-than-ideal situation like the one we're in right now.

Do we attempt to care about others in the current world we live in and bear the costs of trying to live a good life in a bad society or do we succumb to the system in order to survive?

That is a personal question that can only be answered by you, the reader.

The survival route is more frequently taken, but the results push us further away from the ideal society that could exist. Politics is a prime example of this scenario. There are numerous reasons to support or oppose a person, political party, or idea. You could cast your vote based on your expertise, religion, tribe, history, or affiliation. Every person has a driving factor, a motive that leads them to the decision they make. This newsletter will not sway you one way or the other but will encourage you to consider the reasons for your decision. Is it for personal gain, or are you attempting to make the world a better place for everyone, including yourself?

I discussed it with a couple of my friends, and we came to the conclusion that it isn't possible. Someone said:

Yeah an utopia is impossible. Cos everything tends towards disorder. And even if you think about the various utopian vs dystopian outcomes as different states, there's more dystopia than utopia so the probability of we getting it right is close to zero. We could try tho. But it won't matter. Eventually. Unless of course everyone loses their individuality. But then that takes away the very essence of our humanity.

This is not a public relations campaign. It's just something for people to chew on and consider. What actions do you take to make the world a better place? How will you go about it? Do you accept wrongs and try to make things better from within, or do you take the moral high ground and refuse to waver despite the fact that it is infinitely more difficult to do so in society? Think about it, and share it with others in the hopes of either reinforcing or completely changing their perspective. Have conversations that can inspire people to do better, and we'll see how the world accepts us.

What decision do you make?

Sadly, there are no book recommendations this week. I have been reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series because I’m a huge fan of Greek Mythology. I also recently discovered I have communication issues and I would be trying to rectify that in the future. I’ll share any steps and resources I find that help me solve that problem. Until next time, thank you.