Utopia in History
In 1516 Thomas More published Utopia, which depicts the traditions and laws of an island nation by the same name. In many ways this book represents the beginning of a new type of fiction: one in which the reader is invited to explore a world entirely apart from their own.
Since then the word "utopia" has taken on many meanings. We often hear about utopias in our religious discussions, or argue politically about how to make our world more utopian. Even more often we see flawed utopias depicted in our fiction - usually as a way of exploring issues that come from our own society. This trope has become so common that it's exhausting now.
But there is one genre where I still find the idea of utopia to be not only bearable, but incredibly satisfying. This is a genre that goes back to the themes of exploration and new worlds that first inspired More, and once again invites its audience to join the author in exploring a new world together.
Utopia in Modern Fantasy
In 1974 Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson published the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons. This game drew from a long legacy of tabletop war-games, but like Utopia would define a new genre all of its own. D&D and games like it would come to be called "role playing games".
Many players play role playing games because they love the larger genre of fantasy. Some enjoy tactical challenges or war-game like combat, but I like to play because D&D invites me to make a larger impact on the world. Our modern world is an enormous system of interlocking lives. Unless one is born into a position of power it's very unlikely for a single person to have an impact on the world as a whole. In a fantasy world however, it's practically inviting you to make that sort of difference.
Many players play role playing games because they love the larger genre of fantasy. Some enjoy tactical challenges or war-game like combat, but I like to play because D&D invites me to make a larger impact on the world. Our modern world is an enormous system of interlocking lives. Unless one is born into a position of power it's very unlikely for a single person to have an impact on the world as a whole. In a fantasy world however, it's practically inviting you to make that sort of difference.
To me D&D represents the opportunity to make a positive difference in a larger world. A group of players come together to take part in something larger than themselves, something truly magical. A game about improving the world, improving yourself, and building a utopia together.
This is awesome. I love how you applied the history with something in where a utopia actually seems to succeed because let's face it in reality utopias will most likely never succeed. Though I wonder how Sir Thomas More would react to all the dystopian literature that has been produced lately.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to take this further: how have social experiments from the past been a kind of role playing game? Or, how do modern role playing games (with their very tight communities) reflect on the Utopias imagined or explored in history?
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