Don’t we sometimes fancy the idea of breaking out of our daily routine in order to start a new life beyond all conventions and constraints? The idea of Utopia, of a better life in an earthly paradise, is a dream mankind has long imagined in many versions – for example, reigning as a king on your own island once in your life. But the rigid principles of a globalised world hardly allow alternatives and visions. A phenomenon finally puts an end to this: The establishing of counter worlds. In search of an ideal lifestyle, hundreds of do-it-yourself entities build their own little microcosms. Micro-nations, eco-villages and secessionists are creating an alternative way of living together, with real territories and communities. Over 500 have been invented since the late 1990s, some barely bigger than a sheep farm, a sea platform, or a laptop.
