Monday 5 March 2012

Utopia

Imagine three cities, all of which are full of happy, content citizens who believe themselves to be living in the perfect Utopia. Call the cities Primus, Secundus and Tertius. In Primus, every citizen has whatever they need delivered to them without any need to work themselves. They are free to spend their time however they choose, realising their creative potential or fulfilling their every dream. But this life of leisure is only made possible because they exploit the citizens of Tertius and force them to do all their manual labour and necessary tasks.
In Secundus, the citizens have limited resources and must work extremely hard to meet their needs. However, Secundus is controlled entirely by a police state. Every citizen lives alone, with minimal social interaction, in a square apartment that fulfills their needs and no more. The government brainwashes the citizens from an early age and makes them believe that they live in a paradise like Primus. No citizen has ever questioned their happiness.
Life in Tertius is objectively the worst of all three cities. Every citizen is essentially a slave to those living in Primus, and must work long hours in appalling conditions in order to survive. They live in flimsy, overcrowded lodgings, without access to proper nutrition, healthcare or education. Despite this hardship, the citizens are happy. They are resigned to their lot and believe that as long as they have each other, their city is the most perfect to live in.
Which of these cities is a true Utopia?

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