Are We living in a dystopia?
And What to Do About it.
Let’s begin this by defining the vocabulary. The term ‘dystopia’ was first coined by English philosopher John Stuart Mill in 1868 while defying the Irish government’s policies. Dystopia can be defined as “An imagined state or society in which there is great suffering and injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic” (Oxford). It was inspired by its antonym ‘utopia’, coined by Sir Thomas More in 1516 for his book Utopia, and can be defined as “An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect” (Oxford).
Both concepts clearly point to something non-existent, fictional and intangible, therefore implying that such a society, whether utopian or dystopian, is far from real, or at least for now.
But can’t most dystopian themes be found in our modern-day society? And have they not already been part of humanity’s past? And is a utopia really out of the question?
During the first half of the twentieth century, rather unfortunate events took place, namely the First and Second World Wars, the Great Depression, The Cold War, etc. Born from this was an invasive feeling of crisis and despair among the people.
It is in this historical context, during times of great political unrest and anxiety, that writings of a darker or even sinister tale of the world found their place as well as their hype. One of the most popular classics, if not the most popular, is George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949).
His book, among others, became warnings of what could happen, encouraging people to question new innovations, trends, systems, laws, policies, ideologies and all their outcomes. It forced readers to entertain the possibility that governments could in fact be corrupt and that things aren’t what they seem, even when claimed to be otherwise.
With his story being so well renowned, it is worth considering whether any of Orwell’s warnings have become reality. It’s time to make a few comparisons.
The Two-minutes Hate: In Orwell’s novel, the Two-Minutes Hate occurs daily and forces people to watch the so-called enemy on screen with Big Brother’s commentary. People get angrier as the seconds go by until they violently express hate for the enemy. It is a ritual-like practice to instill hate in the people, as well as obedience.
How this compares to now: Most people watch the news every day. It is seen as something the well-informed do. In terms of frequency, the news is on at least three times per day in most countries, giving it a repetitive nature. The reports themselves are rarely uplifting. We’re left feeling deflated, enraged, worried or sad by the stories, images and words shared. They affect our thoughts and emotions, unless consumed objectively and detachedly, which is hard for the human species.
Just like with the Two-minutes Hate, we get our daily dosage of being exposed to things that make us react. Feeling a sense of hatred through the media towards something or someone isn’t uncommon.
And if the media can make us feel a certain way, it can definitely, through time, make us act a certain way as thoughts and emotions lead to action. You may be inclined to act nicely or cruelly towards a group of people for example.
Big Brother is Watching You: Big Brother is a symbol of authority in Orwell’s society. The character is an authoritarian leader and watches its people closely to ensure they fall in line and remain loyal.
How this compares to now: We have the technology necessary to facilitate a similar society to the one Orwell imagined all those years ago. Surveillance is already here. While said to be in place for monitoring crime activity, we as people are always watched. And watching is also encouraged. Over the years, we’ve been given a seat at Big Brother’s table, and we watch others via reality TV shows. Producers of the show often exercise control upon its participants and encourage competition, unjust situations and strange games. These shows are like social experiments, where authority and obedience are tested.
Telescreen: Orwell’s Telescreen is similar to our television, except that it can’t be turned off, it only broadcasts one channel, and the screen itself watches the viewers. It promotes conformity and thoughts that are aligned with the current system.
How this compares to now: We watch more TV than ever. And we don’t want to turn it off as we’ve been conditioned to value distraction and entertainment. A lot is promoted through television, and we conform to a consumerist greed as well as conform by imitating all that we see.
Thought police: There’s a force or group of trusted men and women who monitor the psychological ticks of those in The Party, arresting those they believe are committing thoughtcrime, which is thinking something you’re not supposed to as it goes against the ruling ideology.
How this compares to now: In real life, everyone around us is the thought police. If you say something to others that can be deemed as wrong, stupid, or impolitically correct, you’re told off and shamed. Or maybe you’re so well domesticated that you mentally tell off and shame yourself for it. If you choose to believe in something other than whatever mainstream media reports, then you’re said to be crazy, dangerous and uninformed.
And what if we look beyond these comparisons into recent real-life hardships or transitions that have a dystopian feel to them, we could easily list:
- Covid-19 and its aftermath
- War in Ukraine and Russia, as well as in other parts of the world
- Huge inflation of prices, leaving us struggling
- Technology/digital era, heightening government control
- Consumerism at the price of environmental destruction
If we had to set the scene for a dystopian novel based off the above world happenings, it could sound something like:
A disease, suspected by some to be man-made, ravaged the world by storm. Governments prohibited socializing and enforced curfews upon the people. Masks rapidly replaced faces and identities were lost behind the fabric. Deaths were incessantly reported, and fear was widespread. Pharmaceutical giants bypassed standard procedure and raced against each other to develop experimental vaccines, for which people hurriedly queued up to receive. Individuals were censored, humiliated or threatened for proposing alternative narratives to the situation at hand. Technology was used to track people’s whereabouts, grant or deny entry to events/restaurants/shops, collect data on everyone’s health status and reach the masses to impose new rules. In a short space of time, the democratic state had taken on a few totalitarian tendencies.
But just as people started accepting this new normal, things calmed down just as rapidly as they had been stirred up. Rules were lifted. Reporting of the disease steadily decreased. Masks were thrown away. Tension between those who did and didn’t get vaccinated dissipated. Indeed, life was returning to how it once was.
Unfortunately, the relief and sense of triumph wasn’t long lived as the aftermath of recent events pointed to a semi-recession with the price of food becoming sky high. And with many citizens having lost their job, food became less and less affordable and many families struggled to survive thereafter.
As if that wasn’t enough, wars that were said to be looming kicked off for real and the whole world felt the repercussions, especially with gas and energy following the trend of food with prices hitting an all-new ceiling.
The youth, feeling responsible to deal with the world left behind for them, didn’t know where to focus. They were even concerned with not having much of a planet left to live on with all the ceaseless environmental destruction. It was a direct result of society valuing consumerism, convenience and money over the natural world and a simpler life.
The future was uncertain but hope remained forever alive. It was the undying fire to warm people’s hearts in the midst of cold times.
So, back to our question, do we live in a dystopian society? Well, the above would suggest that we do, to an extent.
But none of this is meant to depress you, just as Orwell’s book isn’t mean to either. Instead, this is all meant to stimulate your resistance and make you want to use your metaphorical shield.
You beat a dystopia with the weapon that is a utopian dream. It always starts with a dream.
Of course, humanity may not possess one same utopian dream. As people are different, so will be their dreams. But before focusing on everything and everyone else, work on making your life reflect your personal dream.
That is how you make a utopia real. You create it within yourself first, through your very own thoughts and actions, which can then progressively be inspired into others.
Your responsibility isn’t to save the entire world, but it is to save yourself, and that gets us one step closer to saving the world. You save yourself by heightening your consciousness, making moral choices and integrating positive values. Become an amateur philosopher, always seeking, challenging and wondering.
Never be complacent, as complacency is one of our biggest enemies, and that is what any dystopia relies on.
If we just accept an ever-sickening, dividing, fearful, automated, consumerist, environmentally degrading society, then an ever-worsening dystopian future might as well be written in the stars.
It’s up to YOU.
While radical action to immediately transform the world from one day to the next is impossible, complete inaction is defeat. And defeat should never be possible either.
With much love,
Kind Revolutions