Utopia is Dystopian in real life by Rod Eccles
This is a little different from what I am known for. Actually its very different but its still recognizable as all Rod Eccles.
Last night, I watched the latest two episodes of the Hulu original series, Handmaid’s Tale. The series is based on a book written and released back in 1985. It is classified as a Utopian and Dystopian work of fiction.
First you must understand by whom the work of fiction was written. Funny enough, it’s a work of fiction about the United States of America written by a Canadian woman by the name of Margaret Atwood. The setting of the novel? Well the setting in right smack in the middle of the cradle of American freedom. The recognized birthplace of the USA. It is set in New England. Boston to be exact. Yes, Boston.
How can it be both Utopian and Dystopian at the same time? Yea I asked myself that question. But then I remembered a line by one of the main characters. Doesn’t even matter who it was. The point was made loud and clear.
The line was made after the main character, the Handmaid, asked a question in response to being told “we are making it better”. She asked better for everyone?
The answer actually stunned me to my core. “Better for everyone always means worse for some.”
Now in a Utopian society, would I be wrong in believing that it should be better for EVERYONE? I don’t think I would be wrong in thinking that. However, there is a problem with Utopia. It doesn’t exist. It never has and it never will, at least not by human standards and by human hands.
You see, Utopia comes at a terrible price. It comes at the price of freedom. It comes at the price of individual choice. It comes at a price of many human lives. It comes at an unbelievably terrible and heavy price.
This is why the book is also classified as Dystopian. You see, Utopia doesn’t exist and cannot exist so therefore it has to be Dystopian.
Why is this important to know? Because we have a political and social class that believes we can reach Utopia. They believe we can have a Utopian society. If only we let them run everything. If only we put them all in charge. If only we would fully and totally trust them.
They believe Ronald Reagan was wrong when he said “the nine most terrible words in the English language is I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” No truer words have ever been uttered by a human being on this planet.
This was more than a warning issued by President Reagan. It was a true vision of the future. The future which is now the present.
We are now living in a day when we have a growing number of people, Americans, that actually believe the lie that the government is here to help. In fact too many Americans now believe that ONLY the government can help.
The reality is that government probably caused the problems that every day Americans face on a daily basis. The reality is that government broke many of our institutions and traditions simply because they believed they knew better. The reality is that our government today actually thinks that it has the answers to just about every single problem we have, if only we would let government take over and control our everyday life so they can fix those problems.
The reality also is that if we do that, we will be enslaved by our government. We will lose our freedom. We will lose our ability to choose save one. We will have the choice to live or to die. To live, you must bow down before the government elite and pledge your undying loyalty and obedience. If you don’t do so, then you choose to die.
There will be no other choice available. Except one.
Fight.
Fight for freedom.
Fight for your right to choose what kind of life you want.
Fight for your God given right to exist on your terms.
Fight. Capitulate. Die.
In a Utopian society, those are the only choices you have.
In a Handmaid’s Tale, those are the only choices available to them.
Funny how art imitates life. Or is it life imitating art?
You choose.
My state, the great state of New Hampshire, we have a very simple four word motto.
Live Free or Die.
Notice the word capitulate is not there.
Now you know what I choose.
How about you?
Rod Eccles is the host of a fast growing, syndicated radio talk show, The Rod Eccles Show. He is also an in demand key note speaker having already given addresses all over the country. He delivers his wit, wisdom, truth and logic daily via the Zinc Media Arts group. You can listen to Rod at his website rodeccles.net. The show airs live weekday mornings 9am to noon eastern time.
