The barstool u-utopian regularly argues two things. First, utopia is a mere opium dream because human nature does not allow of a perfected society. Second, those attempted ("actually existing") utopian programs have turned out imperfect societies.
These two complaints may seem to accompany each other, but are in fact contradictory: in order to be dismissed, utopia must be non-historical and historical at once. But the situation is even more curious. Joined together, these two claims do not rule out all utopias, but rather argue on utopia's behalf: we all know it won't be perfect, and so the only mater at hand is whether aiming at some utopia might improve currently unacceptable conditions.
If such refutations nonetheless help one accept current conditions, then it is this u-utopian thinking — not utopian thought — which is the opium dream.
Posted by jane at February 17, 2008 01:12 PM | TrackBack