Utopian Visions: Promise and Pitfalls in the Global Awareness of the Gifted

Utopian thinking has captured the human imagination for millennia and has exerted strong influences on societies-in particular, on their socioeconomic, political, and cultural dimensions of societies. Consequently, enhancement of global awareness requires attention to utopian frameworks, especially when those frameworks are influencing the dynamics of globalization. Some of the most gifted minds of an era create compelling utopian visions, which can be beneficial or detrimental. Utopian visions influence the global awareness of many other people, especially the gifted, so it is wise to consider the impact of these idealized versions of society on our brightest minds. This article describes utopian thought through prominent examples and outlines the dangers of neoliberal-neoclassical ideology, a currently dominant utopianism. Implications of utopianism for the global awareness of the gifted are explored.