I consider myself to be a person of various interests, I love to read, eat, learn, exercise, and spend time with the people I love. You may think that those are things one can easily do or have access to even in the dystopia we currently live in, but at what cost?
We unfortunately live in a society that thrives off of deadlines, showcasing achievements (both physical and academic), and confining people to boxes depending on their abilities to keep up with a fast-paced lifestyle. In my utopia, people would get to finally slow down.
In my utopia, people would not have to feel guilty for “taking time off of studying” to spend it with their families instead. In my utopia, people would have the chance to do what makes them feel happy, full, and fulfilled, whatever that may look like. I enjoy the feeling of the warm sun on my skin while I sit by the ocean, and in my utopia I would be allowed to do it everyday, out of choice, without the feeling of missing out on climbing the corporate ladder.
People would also get to learn out of their own will, about anything they are interested to, and in any way they feel best suits their purposes. I have learned that forcing people to do anything, in this case studying, often results in the opposite of the desired outcome. For this reason my utopia would be a place where people are simply allowed to be curious. The individuals in my utopia would be encouraged to think about the boxes they have been confined to for so long.
I long for a place like my utopia, where people get to slow down and enjoy the little and big things in life, without that heavy feeling of competition. I know this is more of an abstract utopia, but I like to think that one day this society will stir away from its current trends of fast-paced lifestyle, precarious expectations for the future, and constant competition. I look forward to a time when I will be able to pursue all my interests, without having to pay the dues for trying to balance them all with my mental health.