Sir Thomas More coined the word “Utopia” in his 1516 novel, describing a perfect, fictional place with dual meanings of “no place” or “goodly place.” Following this, the term “dystopia” was created as an antonym based on the Greek roots meaning “ill” or “bad.” Jeremy Bentham later introduced “cacotopia” as a worse alternative, emphasizing bad or evil qualities. Other terms like “agathotopia” and “kalotopia” have been suggested as opposites to Utopia. The concept of “eutopia” in healthcare, like the NHS, remains debated, with some seeing it as a dystopia or even a cacotopia. Wish fulfillment and non-existent medicines are also explored in such fictional settings.
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When I use a word . . . Utopias, dystopias, cacotopias, agathotopias, kalotopias, and the NHS
