Utopia?

I think I've always been fascinated by dystopian scenarios.

Half terrified! But curious.

Maybe part of it is wanting to be prepared.

I read The Handmaid's Tale in the 90s. And watched Series 1 of the televised dramatisation.

Then I devoured Lionel Shriver's novel The Mandibles when it came out in 2016. This is a story, set in 2029, when America's soaring national debt has grown so enormous that it can never be repaid and the dollar is in meltdown. The repercussions flow - a breakdown of law and order, water shortages, no health services, little food, gang violence on the streets, no jobs to go to, no money (all savings and investments gone) and nothing to spend money on anyway.

As The Observer noted in a review of the book:

‘All too chillingly plausible…profoundly frightening.'

If you live in the UK/follow UK Politics, you will remember the ongoing media presence outside the Houses of Parliament during the MPs' debates on Brexit legislation. And the ongoing months of protestors with their placards back of shot.

I came across the novelist (and ex-journalist) Richard Harris then (not the Irish actor). He was being interviewed on Sky News. This would have been in 2018/2019, prior to the Covid Pandemic. One thing he said really stuck with me:

'London is only six meals away from starvation.'

This was the seed of an idea for the novel.

And the six meals? - is because of the finely honed supply chain, 'just in time' food being delivered to the supermarkets. Possibly to avoid city supermarkets needing to have expensive storage space. (Also indicating our reliance on supermarkets and shops for our food. And our dependence on the internet for the operation of the supply chain. ....what would happen in a full on cyber attack?)

I read this novel over the Christmas holidays that year, and the quality of my sleep was seriously affected for two weeks!

Recently in our book group, we covered Dr Gabor Mate's latest book: The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture. The early part really drew me in - describing 'what's gone wrong' in our Western Society. For example, the rates of mental health decline (depression, anxiety and loneliness epidemics); the decrease in our health despite our Western privilege (cancer, obesity, auto-immune diseases), etc.

When you suspect something is amiss, it's actually reassuring to have it laid out in a book. 'I'm not the only one worrying about this' type thing.

I've also remembered, in writing this piece, that in my late 20s, whilst training as a psychotherapist and starting to see therapy clients, I came across a book entitled: Intimate Death: How The Dying Teach Us To Live, by Marie de Hennezel. I discovered I actually still have it on my 'therapy book bookshelf' - it's survived several house moves.

I learnt so much from this book, about how to approach death, how to view it, what it is like to be in a hospice. But I also wondered to myself (and perhaps had it reflected back to me by my therapy supervisor!) - 'Why so interested in death, for someone still in an early stage of life?'

'Understanding things' is just so important to me. I need to wrap my head round stuff. Even if it's scary, bad stuff. I need some points of reference. Some things to anchor myself into. THEN....I can get onto the good things. The hopeful things. The causes for optimism.

When we were coming to the end of the Gabor Mate book we were so looking forward to the '...and here's the way forward. Here are some suggestions, answers, to the dire state of our world!'

Unfortunately, they weren't overly descriptive, on-message, or inspiring!

I googled 'utopian books' but it wasn't really happening.

So....if you identify with what I'm saying, I want you to know there ARE sources of hope, and there are utopian books, and positive-message books about the state of our world (and not Pollyanna-type positive books....). I have since come across them.

Let me share a few sources.

Firstly, following our book group's collective search for something more positive, we decided upon Jon Alexander and Ariane Conrad's book: Citizens: Why The Key To Fixing Everything Is All Of Us (2022).

Here are two Reviews which give a glimpse into the book:

'I couldn't agree with Jon's diagnosis and prescription for how we need to revitalise our civic institutions and communities. The wonderful thing is that he not only gives us hope but more importantly he lights a pathway to make this new paradigm a reality.' Jason Stockwood, Vice Chairman, Simply Business, And Chairman, Grimsby Town Football Club

'Jon Alexander's work has had a significant influence on my understanding of the role employees, investors, and customers could play in shaping the role of business in society. To harness this potential, leaders must first see people as the creative, empathic, collaborative members of communities that they truly are: as Citizens. In this engaging book, Jon lays out his full vision for how this mindset shift can transform not just business, but NGOs and governments too.' Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance, London Business School

Secondly, I was delighted this week to come across Professor Kristen Ghodsee of the University of Pennsylvania, and her latest book: Everyday Utopia: In Praise of Radical Alternatives to the Traditional Family Home.

I took time out to listen to her engrossing interview on Della Duncan's Upstream Podcast (June 2023).

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/everyday-utopia-and-radical-imagination-with/id1082594532?i=1000617633447

I urge you to listen to this, if you have questions (and few answers) about our society and lifestyle; about the climate crisis; about the role you play in the world. E.g.

• gender inequality: in the home, workplace and society
• the difficulties of childcare in our society (e.g. with two working parents) - also of raising teenagers
• The housing crisis
• The excessive strains on our education system
• Loneliness, isolation and anxiety in our world
• The design of our built spaces (e.g. creating community in cities, in new build housing schemes)
• The environmental impact of our designed living spaces
• The thorny dilemma some young people are facing into: do I want to bring children into this world?

I was inspired! To hear, and imagine, what could be possible. To know that what were once seen as 'utopian ideals' in the past, some - have come to be, in our society. It's not a blank slate. There ARE precedents. Pockets of success.

Ghodsee pointed the listeners to a list of 10 Utopian books she recommends:

https://lithub.com/just-on-the-horizon-nine-utopian-books-to-deprogram-our-brains/

And finally, I have been inspired this week by the work of Rupert Read and Liam Kavanagh, and The Climate Majority Project.

https://climatemajorityproject.com/

(Actually, another book just out.)

I was delighted to listen to the conversation between Rupert, Jon Alexander (as per Citizens book), Caroline Lucas (outgoing Green Party MP), and Lord Deben (former Chair of the UK Government's Committee on Climate Change):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgQ4l3elsL0

It's worth a listen. To hear some inspiring stories and strategies, to bring about change in our communities and our country/countries. Not sugar-coated. And not neatly plotted out. But lots of green shoots, and bigger plants which have already grown. I was particularly enamoured with Jessica Townsend's account, towards the end of the conversation, of the project 'MP Watch'. Check it out!

My concluding thoughts on 'Utopia'?

(Taken from Ghodsee:) Dystopian novels/movies/scenarios are there to frighten us. To support beliefs that we will end up unloved and alone and scared. That primal fear. To cut down on our 'social dreaming' - our dreaming that humans CAN live in a connected way, we can have egalitarian communities, we can look to 'the whole' rather than us as individuals.

....and so Utopia?

Utopia is closer than we think. It is being envisioned, imagined in smart peoples' minds all over the world. Written about. Designed-in. Into architecture, buildings, town planning, education, food production. Designed in to policy. Into literature. It gives confidence to our ability, as a species, to be creative, to be collaborative, to be flexible and adaptable, to care for each other, to live together in a way which brings joy.

So I've maybe had enough of the dystopian novels. I'll stick with the utopian ones for the next wee while!

To get in touch with me: [email protected] or Comment on LinkedIn.

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‘Til Next Time ….Go Well