Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio ’14, FLEFF Intern, Ashland, Massachusetts.

You can’t have my microtopia.

Sorry, but not really.

My personal definition of microtopias reflects my own personal experiences.  I believe that each person has their own microtopia as a result of interacting with different environments.  No two people have the same experiences.

I grew up in the suburbs of Massachusetts.  I am a Television-Radio major (the most popular at Ithaca College).  I’m a girl.

There’s a good chunk of people who fit that exact same description, but none of them are like me.  While a group of us may be defined by these vague terms, they don’t actually fit anyone.

The term “one size fits all” is silly because there is no such thing.  No term fits everyone because everyone is different. No microtopia belongs to everyone, because everybody has their own.

You can’t have my microtopia, but you can explore it with me. 

We can share my microtopia, but only for a little while. 

You have your own microtopia to discover.  Once you discover yours, I’m sure you’ll be spending a lot more time there.

Invite me over, will you?

Blog posting written by Andrew Ronald, Film, Photography & Visual Arts '15, FLEFF Intern, Mahopac, New York

The theme of FLEFF this year explores the concept of microtpias, and because this definition varies on a number of levels,  I figured I would tackle my own definition of the term. And you can put the dictionary down because the idea behind microtopias is too abstract to be defined in a single sentence (and isn't even in the dictionary in the first place).

Alright, here's the English lesson for all you language aficionados out there. Microtopias is coined from the prefix micro, meaning small, and suffix topos, meaning a place. Microtopias therefore, are essentially small places. Logical, right? But is that really where the definition ends?

Microtopias are portmanteaus of reality and unification. The reality is that one singular, harmonious utopia cannot be achieved. In fact, to distinguish utopia from communism may call for a very interesting conversation. But microtopias are still unifying nonetheless, and this accounts for why they can be found on such a global scale. Utopias preach for a marriage between perfection and peace. But realistically, we must divorce ourselves from this idealistic society and strive to achieve unison in compartmentalized divisions - divisions we would call microtopias. 

FLEFF understands this notion. It's a microtopia of its own and leads to interminable conversations revolving around complicated situations. It makes us strive to perfect sustainability, mesmerizes us through music, gain insight through international films and disrupts the premise of a utopia. Microtopias are now and they are here to stay.

How would you define microtopias? Do you think the foundation behind building a utopia is unrealistic? 

In every academic paper I have written, I am always told to define my terms. But with a term as complex as microtopias, declaring a definition becomes daunting. The meaning of the complex concept of microtopias depends on personal perspective. But the same is true when defining utopias in general because perfection or the characteristics of a perfect society differs from person to person. So here are my terms. 

A utopia is an ideal, perfect society. We imagine this society without limits or constraints, reminding me of the inspirational quote, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” For me, that means creating a sustainable community with a systems thinking mindset that utilizes nonviolent communication.

That being said, I define microtopias as a society that recognizes one cannot create a utopia for the entire world. Instead we strive to bring this concept to the little piece of world surrounding us. What makes up my entire world may not even be on someone else’s radar. It doesn’t make it any less important; it just makes it mine. Through this concept we localize, which is a vital characteristic to my utopian sustainable society that I defined above.

FLEFF itself can be defined as its own microtopian society. It’s here. It builds community. It sparks conversation about limitless solutions to local struggles.

How do you define microtopias? Is it possible to turn ideal into actuality? What would you do if you knew you could not fail?