Blog #2 Utopia and Dystopia

Utopia

Meaning- Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a desirable socio-politico-legal system. The word was coined in Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both international communities that attempt to create an ideal society, and fictional societies portrayed in literature. "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, line 1-3"

The word refers to an imaginary ideal place where nothing can possibly go wrong. It is a state in which a person is not bound by any negative aspect of life such as fear, aggression, cruelty, pessimism or helplessness. Generally, it is termed as a far away island where happiness, prosperity, satisfaction and love fill the world. Basically, the meaning of utopia can be summarized as a “perfect place”.

                The first example of Utopia that crossed my mind was heaven where nothing can go wrong. There is no fear of death, restlessness of poverty or greed of money in heaven. Each soul is content and happy. Similarly, the “happily ever after” of a fairy tale could also be considered as utopia. The prince kills the devil and then, the prince, along with his princess lives a peaceful life in his kingdom. These are however myths or stories and no one living at the present could have experienced these. If we consider the practicality of a situation, it has to be experienced by the common people. But for the common people, the “perfect place” might not exist in the “perfect” sense. And it could be different for different people. For a child, who has nothing to worry about, that Utopia could be achieved easily. But as the child grows up, his expectations and desires will increase and then for them, the utopia slides further away.

Dystopia

Meaning - An imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror. “Free dictionary.com”

In my understanding, the word refers to a place where there is no social understanding among people. It is a place where sin, misbehavior and wrong doings take place. There is fear, threat, anxiety and apprehension everywhere.

As I went through the meaning of dystopia, the first example that struck my mind was today’s world. The world in the current age is filled with chaos, desperation, insecurity and misery, all of which symbolizes characteristic of a dystopian world.  Corruption, terrorism poverty, prejudices and pollution has been signified as a major problem in today’s world. However, only a handful of population is ready to lend a helping hand for the elimination of these severe problems. There is no integration and respect among each other. One part of the world is filled with luxury and comfort while the other is filled with grief and disappointment. The world has been separated in terms of caste, country, race and class. Thus, the ruthlessness of today’s world can serve as a good illustration of a dystopian world.

BLOG #1 Autobiography

BLOG #1

It’s amazing how time flies. I feel like it was yesterday when I used to be a little child running around with a hairstyle like a boy, around Kathmandu (capital of Nepal), feeling as though the entire world revolved around me. As I look back today, I realize nothing much has changed, except for that euphoric childhood feeling of superiority and name of the city I live in (well, of course the length of my hair as well).

Talking about myself, I am an ordinary Nepali girl with height of about 5 feet (I guess I should not have revealed it). I was born and raised in a family with an elder sister (one year older) and a younger brother (5 years younger). Perhaps it’s because of the less age gap, I have always looked up my sister as a friend than an “elder” sibling of the family. My father by profession is a scientist and my mother is a house wife. Since I come from quite an educated background, my parents have always tried to provide me with the best educational resources that they could find.  

I started schooling in a catholic convent girl’s school in Nepal, “Saint Mary’s High School”.  I know it sounds quite dramatic, but, I spent 12 beautiful years of my life gaining knowledge from that school. To be honest, it would not have held this special place in my heart if I had not met my friends there. Well, I have spent most of my life (considering that I am 19 right now) around those buildings with those people who have now been glued in my life after having spent so much time together.  Sometimes, as I go down the memory lane, I try to recall those memories, “that smell of grass, those giggles of young pretty girls, those prayers, hymns”, ending up hurting myself by realizing the fact that times change and so do circumstances.

When I turned eighteen, I moved to New York. Actually, I visited United States yearly or half yearly, to maintain my green card for continuous four years. However, after my high school graduation, my parents decided to send me to US for further studies (just like my older sister). I live with my sister here in NY.  My parents come here once or twice every year for legal reasons. (On a happier note- they will be coming here quite soon).  My parents have decided not to stay with us because my grandmother, who is ninety, has to be taken care of in Nepal.  Actually, this sacrifice of my parents has made me respect them more now. Moreover, their decision to stay in Nepal has also made me grow personally since I am learning to be on my own now, here, in NYC.

Currently, I hold two jobs. I work in one of the coffee shops near Flushing during weekends. Other days, I work in an eyebrow place (I love this job). So, I kind of have a busy life.  Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the two jobs and college. However, somehow, I console myself. Actually, holding two jobs is my necessity as well. Well, my expenses mostly get higher than my revenues. I ought to work to pay my bills. Nevertheless, somewhere down the line, I like this life. I mean, sometimes I feel really proud of myself for working, studying and enjoying all at the same time.

So, in a nutshell, I describe myself as a confident,( quite boring though), happy person who is positive about her future regarding studies and career. I hope to achieve success in my future endeavors and all in all be a happy person.   

Last but not the least; I am really looking forward to my college life at LAGCC.