When examining the definition of an utopia, “an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members” it describes a world that has no flaws. No need for government, no crime, no injustice. These are all dreams that many historical leaders have set out to accomplish and many people in society long for as well. I agree with Kim Stanley Robinson when she implies that utopian thinking is key to overcoming dystopia. I think that thinking and training your thoughts are the initial steps. Many times, in a dystopian society, the government uses fear tactics in order for everyone to think they cannot escape the world they are in. It takes the brave individuals who can imagine a change. If one can imagine better for themselves, they can plan out how to achieve better.
The next step in doing that also takes the action of finding better. Imagination can only take you so far. It requires work and dedication to get things done. All great discoveries begin with a thought. Being able to imagine a world outside of suffering will bring forth great results. For example, in the novel “Brown Girl in the Ring,” Ti-Jeanne imagined a better life for herself than the dystopian world she was living in. She used that thought and how it could get better in order to create better for herself and ultimately escape. A real-world example of this could be a star basketball player. It is very common to hear that African American basketball players come from low-income communities where they had to use their dream to overcome adversity and have a better life. That dream is the key that drove them to work hard and continue to be the best they could to get out of their dystopia. Utopian thinking is the key, but it also takes determination in order for the imaginations to come to life.
