The Great Depression was a time when societies had to reinvent themselves and build from the ashes of world war. The pain and hardships of the Great Depression subsided enough for societies to envision idealistic, obtainable, utopias for man-kind. Throughout the 20th century science had made advancements that were thought to be impossible. Industrialization had created the middle man in society with the ability to change culture, science and politics.
A common utopia dreamed up from the pages of comic books and children cartoons was that of exponential scientific evolution, feeding of the common place inventions of the 20th century as a muse for unrealistic and unbelievable inventions. In the 1960's it was widely believed that by the millennium humans would have robotic waiters and hovering cars. These ideas and beliefs are key examples of a symbolic universe. A universe inspired by fictitious and non-fictitious inventions alike. Today's symbolic universe is not much different to back then except our utopia resides in the stars. Colonialization of near and distance worlds is a widely followed utopia for man kind.
Media, science, advertisement and politics have huge implications on the growth of symbolic universes because they inspire belief. Belief in utopia drives creation. If the public believes something is possible then the line between what is possible and what is impossible becomes blurred. Science and politics nowadays have constant reminders that our world is fast becoming over populated and the threat of environmental change pushes our gaze to the stars and planets. Film and literature have huge utopia influences these days.
Symbolic universes are everywhere and in numbers but at the end of the day they are simply ideas that humans clutch onto in hopes of one day achieving them, exploration and creation is what makes us human and utopias are symbols of what we can never attain but will always hope for.
