Utopia vs Eutopia.

Eutopia is means “good place” and it is spelled ευτοπία (say EVTOPÍA). Unlike Utopia, which was always considered an impossibility, Eutopia was seen as a practically achievable goal.

The (modern) Greek pronunciation of eu (ευ), which means good, is actually a lot closer to ev (as in euphoria, being pronounced "ev-foreea"), while Utopia sounds rather like “YOUtopia” when pronounced. “Ev-to-pía” (the modern pronunciation of Eutopia) is self-evidently a different sound. But not even the ancient pronunciation of “eh-oo-TOP-ee-ah" (εὐτοπία) has a U sound in it. Try it for yourself and say “Youtopia”; then say “Ev-to-pía” or “Eh-oo-TOP-ee-ah”. They sound different, right? Different vibration, different frequencies. Especially since “topía” simply means “place”. Hence, here on forth I will make an effort to address “EUTOPIA” by its proper pronunciations “EVTOPÍA” or “EOOTOPEEAH”.

You can HEAR the (modern) greek pronunciation of “Eutopia” using this Google Link:

1. Go here: https://translate.google.com/?sl=en&tl=el&text=eutopia &op=translate

2. Press on the speaker button.

For confirmation - listen to the modern pronunciation of “Euphoria” in greek https://translate.google.com/?sl=en&tl=el&text=euphoria &op=translate

Beautiful aren’t they?

THAT BEING SAID…

This is a very meaningful distinction, guys.

Utopia seems to have been part of a “strategy” to make humans think that “the best possible World made by humans” is in fact impossible.

Sounds Crazy? But it worked!

After reading one dystopian novel after the next, seeing one dystopian movie after the other, today most humans have come to the seemingly unavoidable conclusion that Utopia is in fact impossible. Which, technically, it is, but that is a topic for another day. BUT hundreds of years ago, when Thomas More first published his Novel “Utopia”, he actually “fabricated” the Word “Utopia”.

And mind you, Thomas More was a Renaissance scholar educated in Greek and Latin. He deliberately created and KNEW about the pun between:

• "Utopia" (from Greek "ou" meaning "not" + "topos" meaning "place") = "no place"

• "Eutopia" (from Greek "ev" meaning "good" + "topos") = "good place"

Yes, not only was there a word for the concept of the “Best Possible World Made by Humans” called “Eutopia” (good place), but it was deliberately hijacked and tampered with. For now lets shelf the true meaning of ευ for another day - until then let's keep it at: he knew very well that Eutopia and Utopia are not the same and don’t pronounce the same way. He intentionally created a new word. He knew that by cutting off the E of the “Evtopía” or “Eootopía” people would start confusing it with Utopia (“Outopia”). Hence creating new word with the sense that it is a “a good place” that is also “no place” hence doesn’t exist. This creates the existential tension.

Misunderstandings, enforced by his narrative of a far away island where people first were very impressed by the shiny amazing appearance of a wonder-some new world, when then - all of a sudden - the dark secrets are revealed. They reinforced the idea of “a good place being impossible”. That is precisely the point behind the concept of Utopia. To trick us into thinking “a good place is impossible”. ALTHOUGH previously “a good place”, Eutopia, was an accepted concept. It was accepted knowledge that the best POSSIBLE World is indeed possible. Duh. Right? An ideal we could realistically and practically achieve.

However, after hundreds of years propaganda the term “Utopia” is what people know. Even though the narrative makes no logical sense. Utopia = Good Place + No Place = Impossible. One reason why it makes no sense is, because you can either be “a place” or “no place”. Not both. In other Words:

Eutopia = Best Possible World Made By Humans = Impossible. Is nonsense. Since Eutopía as defined as “the best possible World made by humans” is by definition “possible”.

Yet, the concept of Utopia was let out of Pandora's Box. Many people, still to this day, believe “Utopia” is a “thing”. Which it isn’t. It’s a nonsensical fabrication created by Thomas More, quite possibly to slander the very idea that we could succeed in creating “a drastically better World” (Eutopia) - and it succeeded. As evidenced by the fact that today way more people have heard about “impossible Utopia” than about “achievable Eutopia”. One of the most important concepts in regards to “striving for the best possible Future”.

This is not just wordplay, this has drastic implications. Imagine a World where a mayority of humanity KNEW we could build the best possible World and actively work towards it. In comparison to our current Utopian/Dystopian disillusionment.

People talk about choices between Utopia and Dystopia like they are opposites. They are not. Eutopia and Dystopia are “opposites”. Utopia is defined as a place that does not exist. Eutopia is the best possible place made by humans, dystopia the worst possible place made by humans. It’s that simple.

So let's “right the ship”. Start with getting clear on what Eutopia (”EVTOPÍA”/”EOOTOPEEA”) actually means and how it works. I have been writing about this for a while now. If you need more context. I recommend starting with this article on Eutopian Philosophy.

We build Eutopia by stripping away what makes no sense and does not work. We add what makes sense and does work. That's it. Yes, easier said than done, I know, but this makes it pretty clear what needs to be done in order to move towards the best possible Future made by humans. All we really have to do is to deduce all the impracticality, our self beliefs issues and preconceived notions from the word Utopia to get to Eutopia (”EVTOPÍA”). But we can do it with one simple realization:

The Best Possible. Is indeed Possible.