“In Xanadu did Kubla Khan, a stately pleasure-dome decree. Where Alph, the sacred river ran, through caverns measureless to man.” These famous lines were written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge while in an opium-induced revelry in 1797. To this day, there are those who continue the search for the “stately pleasure dome” that is synonymous with “the imagined land of eternal happiness”, also called Utopia, the title of a book written by Thomas More in 1516 that describes an imagined perfect place where all things are in balance and harmony exists, so that mankind lives in a perpetual state of happiness in an environment of ultimate freedom.

For eons, men have sought such a level of perfection, only to awake to the reality that they are finite beings, subject to laws which govern societal behaviour. Slowly these laws are being eroded in the name of individual freedom which, for the protagonists of liberalism, will eventually produce Utopia. Euthanasia, also known as “mercy killing”, should therefore be legalised as in Holland to permit the painless killing of patients suffering from incurable and painful diseases. This is also happening in some states in America, where the infamous Dr Kevorkian, aka Dr Death, had actively assisted with the suicide of terminally ill people.

Eventually, the scope of euthanasia may be extended to people of advanced age – senior citizens – whose existence has become burdensome to their families. Also, by extension, for those living a marginal life as a vegetable or characterised by major disabilities. It is said that history repeats itself, and in Hitler’s Third Reich such souls were exterminated as being of no value to the state.

At another level, we see the resurgence of what is euphemistically called “ethnic cleansing” being practised in many countries around the world for reasons of religious beliefs, social intolerance and political persuasion. This practice is the harbinger of genocide, which is again rearing its ugly head in parts of Africa and Eastern Europe and now in the Middle East. By projection, there are some militant Christians who wonder if the time has not returned for the resumption of the Crusades to stem the encroaching advance of heresy, by once more dealing with infidels – this time using nuclear weapons!

High on the liberals’ list for creating Utopia is the legalisation of drug use. Why not, they argue, allow the exercise of free will so that maximum pleasure may be enjoyed during this short lifetime? “If it kills me, what the heck! It’s my life,” is a commonly heard justification. This mentality has spawned a drug culture which has no respect for life, whether it is yours or theirs. However, as long as it pleases the abuser and he doesn’t have to face the responsibilities of life in organised society, it should be permitted.

We are now well on the road to Utopia with the abolition of capital punishment. After all, as the argument goes, it’s no deterrent to crime except to the person who may be executed. So now we can see material progress towards the idealistic state, where discipline is considered obsolete, and teens and pre-teens commit murder in increasing numbers. That is what freedom is all about in Utopia!

Without the death penalty, and in the absence of discipline in homes and schools, a generation of free thinkers is emerging, which believes that individual rights are paramount and those of society secondary. This errant philosophy has cheapened life to the point where it is extinguished daily with impunity. But why wait to rid the world of those who offend us for whatever reason? While there are justifiable reasons for terminating some pregnancies, many abortions are performed on account of unwanted pregnancies. “US Government get out of my uterus”, exclaims a placard of one pro-choice protester. “It’s my body I can abuse it or kill it if I want to, regardless of whom I injure or kill in the process.” While this attitude is considered 21st century barbarism by many, it typifies true freedom to the aspirants of the Utopian way of life.

It is said that men and women are polygamous by nature, and monogamy, or being married to one person is against that nature. So let’s abandon monogamy which is unnatural, in favour of whatever number of consorts you may wish. This can be achieved by first simplifying the divorce process so it becomes a mere formality, and eventually eliminating marriage as an archaic ritual. This advance towards the Utopian state is accelerating, as evidenced by the escalation of the divorce rate to 200 cases per month; the increasing practice of cohabiting without the blessings of clergy, exploding numbers of children born out of wedlock and no longer considered illegitimate; the rapid spread of sexually transmitted diseases; and domestic violence.

However distasteful these lifestyle characteristics may sound to some people, they are born out of personal freedom which featured prominently during the collapse of both the Greek and Roman empires. Gays are no longer discriminated against and are allowed to marry and adopt children in certain parts of the world. Why not? They were born to love members of their sex, according to the popular argument. So they should also be permitted to participate in youth movements such as the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides. The world’s principal religions now consider homosexuality understandable as part of God’s creation. The result is a growing number of people enjoying the pleasures of both sexes, which is a major trait of Utopian life.

Reactionaries condemn the Utopian lifestyle as a descent into decadence. However, they are a dying breed, as can be seen on world television where the Utopian lifestyle is strongly promoted in all its appealing aspects. This is what the world wants to see and experience as the ultimate manifestation of freedom and progress. With the development of nuclear weapons in the Indian sub-continent and elsewhere, the time may soon arrive when “ethnic cleansing” on a grand scale is again possible. Mankind should rejoice at this progressive scientific development whose purpose is to protect freedom. At last, after nearly 2000 years, Utopia is at hand! Did some reactionary mention religion? Forget it! After all, it’s not seen on TV!

This writer disclaims any similarity in this article with the developments in today’s world.