Authors such as Watzlawick et al. (1974) explain the formation of problems and their possible causes. One of the causes that can lead to the formation of problems is utopia syndrome.
Everyone has a vision of how things are, and more importantly than that, of how they should be, if there is a discrepancy between these premises, a change is needed to resolve and make sense of this dissonance.
“As we pursue the unattainable, we do the impossible. ” – R. Ardrey-
Human beings tend to always seek meaning in life. The utopian syndrome to which Watzlawick et al (1984) refers to the gap experienced by humans between their “being” and their “should be”.
In relation to this concept, the authors speak of a potential, that is, that this gap requires a change, so it can be inferred that human beings have resources that they do not use or do not know.
When we have very high expectations, problems such as despair and existential frustration can arise. Utopia syndrome is one of those forms of existential despair.
Authors such as Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky and Camus refer to this concept, which implies a firm belief that there is meaning in life and that we must discover it to survive. define it utopianly and this affects both the instruments and the path we choose to follow and achieve change.
In this kind of existential despair, the search for meaning occupies a central point and extends to all aspects of life. The thinker wears glasses with this questioning for everything he looks at, except this premise, that is, the firm conviction that there is a meaning and that it must be discovered to survive?. – Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky and Camus-
“Research has shown that utopia transcends the limits of the known world. ” – Guillaume Budé-
Simplifyers don’t see any problems even when there’s a real problem; on the other hand, utopian people see a solution where there isn’t. Extremism in solving human problems often seems to lead to behavior called utopia syndrome, which can take three different forms. Forms:
Thoughts with, or should, are heavy and trap us. They are very characteristic of introjective utopia, because the mental map is usually quite rigid, when this obligation is very strong, the objective is not reached and the means to achieve it become diffuse objectives.
Stevenson’s aphorism, “It’s better to travel full of hope than to get to the port,” is very representative of harmless utopia, also called denunciation or delay. They are also known as eternal travelers who never manage to complete their journey, such as a perfectionist or an eternal student.
We all love to be heard and others share ideas, but life is not always like this, we must accept that everyone has their own truth, in relation to this, when a projective utopian is unable to accept or listen to his utopian. idea, thinks this is due to acts of bad faith or even that seek to destroy his idea.
In conclusion, the best reference is that of Karl Popper, who warned that utopian trickery must necessarily lead to other crises, that is, it says that it is easier to propose a utopian, ideal and abstract goal than to solve specific problems.