Hip Glossary: Utopia

‘Utopia’, in its most common and general positive meaning, refers to an imaginary, ideal civilization, which may range from a city to a world, and may be regarded as possible in the future, although not currently existant.

Human efforts to create a better, or perhaps perfect society are called utopianism. Ideas which could be/are considered able to radically change our world are often called utopian ideas.

"Utopian" in a negative meaning, which is considered bad, is used to discredit ideas as too advanced, too optimistic or unrealistic, impossible to realize. Hence, for example, the use by Marxists, of such expressions as "utopian socialism".

It has also been used to describe actual communities founded in attempts to create such a society in order to better themselves in an economic and political fashion. Although some authors have described their utopias in detail, and with an effort to show a level of practicality, the term "utopia" has come to be applied to notions that are (supposedly) too optimistic and idealistic for practical application. Utopia, however, is difficult to achieve.