"UTOPIA? NEVER!" By THOMAS M. DISCH _The stranger would not admit that New Katanga was a paradise, though he accepted citizenship willingly enough. Little did he know that he was right._ [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories August 1963. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] "But I assure you ..." his guide replied. "There's always a fly in the ointment," the visitor continued. "Injustice is part of human nature. A society can't do without it." "These are special conditions." "_That_ is the first injustice. Other planets don't have gobblers." "But they do!" "It's not the same thing. You've seen the gobbler-fleece from Morpheus IX. It's no better than wool. Only here in New Katanga...." "Utopia," his guide corrected. "Only here is their fleece as tough as iron--" "And soft to the touch as watered silk." His guide sighed deeply; truly, there was nothing like gobbler-fleece. "Your planet's prosperity is possible, however, only at the expense of Federation worlds that can't raise gobblers." "True," his guide agreed wanly. "If New Katanga would reveal to the Federation the secret of the gobbler-fleece--the special process you have developed here, I assure you...." "On your right," his guide pointed out, "you will observe our new Civic Auditorium, renowned throughout the galaxy for the classic beauty of its proportions...." "I _assure_ you that I would not be so apt to suspect the motive of your utopian pretensions." "Each panel of the glass wall is in the ratio 2:3. The sculpture in the center of the fountain was executed at enormous expense by Berndt Thorwald, the Terran--who was since naturalized. It is an allegory of Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom." "--!" the visitor grunted. "Perhaps it is necessary, as you suggest, for a utopia to be isolated to a certain degree. We do enjoy advantages here that are wanting on--what did you say your home-world is called?" "Aridity VI." "Just so. Yet, our chief advantage is not our monopoly of gobbler-fleece but the perfection of our social institutions. Here there is no crime, no war, no politics, no hunger, and little disease. Our Utopians are not greedy, envious, wrathful, lazy, or bedeviled with lusts...." "Come again! Every night, there's a line outside my bedroom door, five deep. Not that I object, but in the Land of the Pure it seems a strange thing." * * * * * His guide tried to conceal his smile. "It is because you are a visitor. A certain romantic charm attaches to your peculiar position. An aura. On the whole, our citizens are more moderate in their appetites. Puritanism, too, is a short-coming. You have been enjoying your stay, I take it?" "Oh yes!" "The food?" "Excellent. I must have gained thirty pounds."