Dystopian Fiction As We Know It

When I hear the word utopia, I imagine a place that is perfect in every way. A world that doesn't have to worry about injustices, or global warming, or any kind of conflict whatsoever. And yet when I hear the word dystopia, my mind doesn't immediately register a society that is the exact opposite.

An example of a utopian society- from the happy depicted family to the warm colors of the environment. Overall, it looks like a very inviting and cheerful place.

Ironically, most dystopias transpire as a result of trying to achieve utopian societies. Along the way, they pick up inhumane practices or find conflict that ends in a majority of people exposed to injustice and suffering.

For instance, a post-apocalyptic world. A world demolished of technology and resources, devoid of life or rules. Not the type of place I would add to my top ten list of travel locations. This type of world would be considered a dystopia for this exact reason- it isn't a desirable place to live in. 

An example of a dystopian society-there are no people, and the colors of the environment are very dark. Unlike the utopia, this image is dark, foreboding, and very unwelcoming.

And yet, while post-apocalyptic worlds are dystopian, not all dystopian worlds are confined to being post-apocalyptic. Science fiction welcomes dystopian societies with open arms. Obviously, science fiction isn't real. But the genre itself has the ability to imagine futuristic advancements, scenarios, even life forms. In fact, there is a lot of potential for overlap in all of the discussed terms. Post-apocalyptic worlds can be science fiction, as well as dystopias that may have once started as utopias. But not all science fiction is post-apocalyptic or dystopian, and vice versa. 

Wall-E is a good example that falls into this dystopian fiction category. This movie takes place on a post-apocalyptic Earth where humans were forced to find sanctuary in outer space after life on Earth became uninhabitable. Having quite literally trashed the planet, humans left behind robots in their place to clean up their mess in the possibility that they might be able to return one day. 

The opening scene of Wall-E shows what's left of Earth. All we see are mountains of trash- devoid of life and color.

While humanity was grateful for having been saved, they inadvertently subjected themselves to being controlled by the very technology that helped save them. The robots lured humanity into being lazy so that they eventually took control of humanity and their freedom.

Once humans realize the predicament that they were in, they fought back against the technology in order to reclaim their lives and their freedom. This is important, because they thought they had been living in a grand utopia with everything they could ever want. Until it was revealed that nothing was really how it appeared to be, and their utopia was actually a dystopian nightmare. 

Dystopian fiction's such as Wall-E have begun to gain popularity throughout the years. I think social media has played a large role in the accessibility and awareness of the specific genre, just as it's helped bring awareness to a myriad of other topics and ideas. On top of this, dystopian fiction as a genre has been able to connect with audiences on a personal level. 

According to Geir Finnson, people are able to relate to dystopian fiction as a result of "the common struggle to fit into societal norms" (7). Characters in this genre face struggles and adversity that's an "exaggerated version of our own lives" (7). This way of thinking has endorsed a dominant culture way of thinking. Present day dominant culture is very sensitive towards ideas and concepts expressed across platforms and social media. Which translates to the idea that dominant culture, whether they experience it or not, look for ways to be or feel oppressed. 

The issue with dominant culture yearning to feel oppressed, is that it takes away from the value of cultures and minorities that are actually facing adversity. It's difficult to focus on, improve, and take certain situations seriously when there are so many situations that draw attention away from actual conflicts. 

So while dystopian fiction may be a great resource for people to be able to relate to, perhaps it's also a source of distraction for irrelevant issues that result in the inability to break free from the cycle of oppression.

Works cited:

Finnsson, G. (2016). The Unexpected Popularity of Dystopian Literature. [online] Pdfs.semanticscholar.org. Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/755a/12a107fa94c5c5256b9913fbee8015c7650a.pdf.