Violated Words. Utopia.

Utopia.

(From Gr. οὐ, no, and τόπος, place: a place that doesn´t exist).

1. f. Plan, proyecto, doctrina o sistema optimista que aparece como irrealizable en el momento de su formulación. Plan, project, doctrine or optimistic system that reveals itself as unrealizable when worded. 

This brief definition is the one that appears in buscón from RAE, in Spanish (as it was) and translated to English.

I didn´t think of it as a violated word, but lately I have realized that this is not the meaning people use.

When I hear that asking for the rights that belong to us is an utopia. That demanding a fair and decent salary is an utopia. That the fact of citizens representing themselves, by means of a citizen system, blowing up the current political system is an utopia. That changing the education from its roots for it to be a good one once and for all is an utopia.

Basically, everything that no one has ever done is an utopia. And when we ask why, taking into account that it is possible and viable, both economically and socially, the answer ir «that thing… they are not going to do it because it would be renouncing their privileges. The system works this way.»

And that is when I realized that utopia is a violated word. Because if that is an utopia according to people, but nonetheless is possible, viable, it loses its meaning of «unrealizable when worded«. I put this in bold letters because that something cannot be done at a certain moment it doesn´t mean that it will never be possible.

What utopia means for the people, in general, is impossible. And, for an attentive listener, «thing that has never been done before, I am scared to think on what would it happen and, therefore, I rather think it is impossible».

These false utopia, these «impossibilities» that are, in fact, viable, is what those who «made the system work this way» use to get nothing to change. To keep their privileges. To not give the people what belongs to the people.

And this is what transforms such a beautiful word as UTOPIA in a violated word. And, therefore, worthy of a place in this section.

Happy Tuesday, humanies.