Utopia: From the Greek words ou (“no”) and topos (“place”), meaning “no place” or “nowhere.”
The Story of Nowhere” is an educational multimedia project which began in the year 2020. It includes a book and a podcast, both of the same name, each exploring problems and solutions associated with Utopian thinking.
“Utopianism” is defined by this project as:
The inherently and internally contradictory belief that a theoretical vision of an ideal society, based on ideological assumptions about human nature, can justifiably be implemented by way of deception and/or violence.
This project contends that Utopianism, defined this way, lay at the root of history’s most destructive and tyrannical man-made catastrophes. Operating under the assumption that the ends justify the means, the Utopian thinker concludes that a better society can and should be attained at all costs. Unfortunately for the vast majority of people, such contradictory acts only ensure that the stated ideal will not be achieved, and thus, wherever we find Utopian projects in history, we find a trail of devastation leading to and from them.
One of the most important ways in which Utopian thinkers maintain power and are able to leverage the masses is by making the masses dependent. If the majority of a population must rely on a set of central institutions for food, wealth, education, and information, that population becomes clay in the hands of those who control the centralized institutions.
Therefore, the ultimate solution proposed by this project to the long-standing problem of Utopianism is, quite simply, independence; independence when it comes to food, wealth, education, and information. It is by holding these basic human needs hostage that cunning criminals and irrational Utopians are able to so easily steer the masses time and time again. Producing our own food, creating our own wealth, educating ourselves and our own children, thinking critically, and scrutinizing information for ourselves—in other words, independence—is the best way to break the pattern of abuse.
Exploring the root of our problems—Utopianism—and the root of our solutions—independence—is the mission of this multifaceted project.
Your first step in engaging with The Story of Nowhere Project is to read the book—before beginning the podcast. Because people vary in how they consume information, and because it is recommended that the book be consumed before the podcast, it is available in three different formats: as an eBook, an audiobook (both free for everybody), and is available for purchase as a paperback (for those interested in financially supporting The Story of Nowhere).
Another aspect of this project is “In Pursuit of Utopia,” an audio show started by myself and Brett Veinotte of The School Sucks Project in June of 2019. Kevin Cole of Unity of the Polis has since joined us, and together, the three of us move more-or-less chronologically through history following the American Colonial Period, and discuss what we consider to be the most significant Utopian endeavors of each era. “In Pursuit of Utopia” is typically premium content for Brett’s and Kevin’s subscribers, but in honor of the first anniversary of The Story of Nowhere, the first five episodes are freely available for a limited time only, so be sure to catch them while you can! And, please consider supporting Brett’s work at schoolsucksproject.com and Kevin’s work at unityofthepolis.com.
“The Story of Nowhere” is authored and hosted by Daniel McCarthy, an independent researcher from Cleveland, Ohio.
