My name is Julia Zalewski and this is my version of a multimedia essay. I will be stating the thesis of how the seeds of dystopia are current in our world. Dystopia is defined as an imaginary and futuristic world, typically
bad and abnormal, due to a totalitarian government as well as the illusion of a
perfect society owed by corrupted morals. On the homepage, you will find the multimedia form of this essay; while this page contains the written analysis. To acknowledge the original sources throughout the text, the citations are found on the following section. Thank you for visiting my website and I hope you
enjoy it!
enjoy it!
The seeds of dystopia are present in our current world
There is a constant threat of a future distinct from our present, one that embodies corrupt morals and ideas. Humanity’s tendency for war and destruction, forces those in power to make decisions that will ensure the safety of our species. In our modern and technologically advancing society, maintaining even basic privacy is becoming a daily challenge as we’re immersed in a world of media and social networking. While technology benefits some, it also drives a gap in the inequality between the rich and poor, nationally and globally, creating distinct class boundaries, while political systems drive the unequal distribution of global wealth. Aspects of our modern society have served as inspiration for dystopian fiction and it is evident that the seeds of dystopia are present in our current world through the corruption of war, inequality, and the growing influence of technology and media.
Firstly, war is historically one of the most important elements that has shaped the dysfunction of human society. This is evident from the events of the Second World War, and the actions of the German Nazi party. Under Hitler’s dictatorship, the Nazi’s established thousands of concentration camps and murdered millions of innocent civilians due to their race or religious values. The Nazis successfully used propaganda to brainwash Germans and citizens belonging to the Axis powers, to commit violent and immoral crimes against others. World War II, resulted in sustained military and political tension between countries in Europe and caused the destruction of many urban and rural areas, and environmental damage from the use of chemical and nuclear weapons. War-torn or post-war areas, in environments littered with fear and paranoia much like Europe was after World War II, are often used as settings for dystopian fiction. Development in technology and advanced medicine during wartime is slowed due to the amount of money, resources, and man-power required to succeed in war. While the world was fearful of entering another world war, particularly nuclear war, following WWII’s end, as time passes it seems the lessons of previous wars are being forgotten. Currently, the United States of America is in armed conflict with the Islamic State of Iraq. Terrorism attacks across the world, meant to fuel fear, are developing tension and causing the deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians living in and out of war zones. Dystopian fiction warns against war and its cause: morality and values being sacrificed for power and defending parties meeting violence with violence as a means of achieving peace. In the novel 1984, Winston Smith describes the futility of war: “War, however, is no longer the desperate, annihilating struggle that it was in the early decades of the twentieth century. It is a warfare of limited aims between combatants who are unable to destroy one another, have no material cause for fighting and are not divided by any genuine ideological difference” (Orwell 1984). In Winston’s statement, Orwell captures the pointlessness of war, from beginning to end. Orwell suggests that throughout our history, our reasons for going to war are not from “any genuine ideological difference” between groups of people, and are illegitimate. Instead, we should perceive ourselves as global citizens and humans who act as allies, rather than groups divided by race, culture, and religion.
Secondly, inequality is present around the world and is increasing since the distribution of wealth discriminates against the lower classes. When half the world’s finances are held by one percent of the population, it is challenging to promote equality amongst humanity. At a recent economic summit in Switzerland, Byanyima stated, “The message is that rising inequality is dangerous. It’s bad for growth and it’s bad for governance. We see a concentration of wealth capturing power and leaving ordinary people voiceless and their interests uncared for.” Equal wealth distribution is important because it affects the growth of human society as a whole through social exclusion and unemployment. Furthermore, in modern day, proletariats within labouring classes work harder for less money, while the minority bourgeoise make an increased revenue off the work of these lower classes. Considering this, society becomes closer to a dystopian world like the one presented in 1984. In Orwell’s novel, the Ministry of Plenty, in charge of economic affairs, unequally rations food among the different social classes, favouring the Inner and Outer Party which makes up a small minority of the nation’s population. As the majority of our world’s population is starving, we need to identify this unequal distribution of resources as immoral and a violation of basic principles of fairness. Malnutrition, lack of water and daily necessities cause vulnerability amongst the poor that prevents development. Lack of infrastructure and government services for impoverished areas, also aids in the spread of deadly diseases and endangers the surrounding environment through pollution by unsafe use of toxic materials. Orwell suggests that, much like in our own society, equal education of the masses is vital for countries to evolve and that without it, as creative intellect decreases, substance abuse and violence increases. This is evidenced by higher rates of prostitution, gangs, and dangerous drug trafficking in areas of poverty, from entire nations, to low income city neighborhoods. Orwell states that if the majority would, “become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realise that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away.” (Orwell 1984) Orwell seems to caution his majority audience against allowing the minority upper class of this world to control their existence and quality of life.
Lastly, our world is becoming highly influenced by media and technology. The ideologies of those in power are disseminated through the use of propaganda from the news to advertising - creating illusions of the perfect bodies, lifestyles, families and existence. This is a construction, and not reality, just like in dystopian fiction. The truth lies deeply hidden in false advertisements, photoshopped magazines, TV, film, and video games. These reflections of the ideal lifestyle, thought up by the rich and powerful, have a tremendous impact on our culture and the way our society operates. Furthermore, revolutionary developments in technology, particularly internet for the use of social networking has greatly impacted methods of communication and understanding in Western society. This literal virtual universe, made possible by technology, creates an alternate reality. Our advanced societies are quickly coming to place dangerous emphasis on the unreal, virtual, and ideal world they have been introduced to. Furthermore, the false sense of connection formed by social media, creates an imaginary bond with a society that exists primarily virtually and sets unrealistic expectations on identity and lifestyle in the modern world. Our reliance on this technology and its messages makes it easier for governments to manipulate citizens, as we believe that the internet holds the answer to everything. The internet is a clear threat that could lead to the development of a dystopian society. For example, privacy and security is at risk on the internet more than ever. Modern technology makes it nearly effortless to investigate and observe, the personal details of almost any individual at any given time. Despite the social aspect of the internet, isolation in today’s society is common as limited electronic relationships take priority over quality real experiences with friends and family. Social networking tends to create false friendships that would not have otherwise prospered if they were created in reality. “Privacy is dead, and social media holds the smoking gun,” captures this idea perfectly. As a society, we need to realize the importance of limiting the influence of technology on our daily experience to avoid a dystopian society.
Dystopian fiction warns against the problems of modern society such as such war, inequality, and media and technology, threatening to extend their influence even more dangerously into our future. A dystopian society is not formed overnight; its seeds are deeply embedded in the history and ideologies of our world. If people continue to close their eyes to these problems, our society may become its own kind of dystopia, as George Orwell suggests, “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever” (Orwell 1984). But education and an awareness around the issues surrounding modern society, can help prevent the dystopian worlds of fiction and Orwell’s prophecy from coming true, driving us to brighter horizons.
Julia Zalewski
There is a constant threat of a future distinct from our present, one that embodies corrupt morals and ideas. Humanity’s tendency for war and destruction, forces those in power to make decisions that will ensure the safety of our species. In our modern and technologically advancing society, maintaining even basic privacy is becoming a daily challenge as we’re immersed in a world of media and social networking. While technology benefits some, it also drives a gap in the inequality between the rich and poor, nationally and globally, creating distinct class boundaries, while political systems drive the unequal distribution of global wealth. Aspects of our modern society have served as inspiration for dystopian fiction and it is evident that the seeds of dystopia are present in our current world through the corruption of war, inequality, and the growing influence of technology and media.
Firstly, war is historically one of the most important elements that has shaped the dysfunction of human society. This is evident from the events of the Second World War, and the actions of the German Nazi party. Under Hitler’s dictatorship, the Nazi’s established thousands of concentration camps and murdered millions of innocent civilians due to their race or religious values. The Nazis successfully used propaganda to brainwash Germans and citizens belonging to the Axis powers, to commit violent and immoral crimes against others. World War II, resulted in sustained military and political tension between countries in Europe and caused the destruction of many urban and rural areas, and environmental damage from the use of chemical and nuclear weapons. War-torn or post-war areas, in environments littered with fear and paranoia much like Europe was after World War II, are often used as settings for dystopian fiction. Development in technology and advanced medicine during wartime is slowed due to the amount of money, resources, and man-power required to succeed in war. While the world was fearful of entering another world war, particularly nuclear war, following WWII’s end, as time passes it seems the lessons of previous wars are being forgotten. Currently, the United States of America is in armed conflict with the Islamic State of Iraq. Terrorism attacks across the world, meant to fuel fear, are developing tension and causing the deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians living in and out of war zones. Dystopian fiction warns against war and its cause: morality and values being sacrificed for power and defending parties meeting violence with violence as a means of achieving peace. In the novel 1984, Winston Smith describes the futility of war: “War, however, is no longer the desperate, annihilating struggle that it was in the early decades of the twentieth century. It is a warfare of limited aims between combatants who are unable to destroy one another, have no material cause for fighting and are not divided by any genuine ideological difference” (Orwell 1984). In Winston’s statement, Orwell captures the pointlessness of war, from beginning to end. Orwell suggests that throughout our history, our reasons for going to war are not from “any genuine ideological difference” between groups of people, and are illegitimate. Instead, we should perceive ourselves as global citizens and humans who act as allies, rather than groups divided by race, culture, and religion.
Secondly, inequality is present around the world and is increasing since the distribution of wealth discriminates against the lower classes. When half the world’s finances are held by one percent of the population, it is challenging to promote equality amongst humanity. At a recent economic summit in Switzerland, Byanyima stated, “The message is that rising inequality is dangerous. It’s bad for growth and it’s bad for governance. We see a concentration of wealth capturing power and leaving ordinary people voiceless and their interests uncared for.” Equal wealth distribution is important because it affects the growth of human society as a whole through social exclusion and unemployment. Furthermore, in modern day, proletariats within labouring classes work harder for less money, while the minority bourgeoise make an increased revenue off the work of these lower classes. Considering this, society becomes closer to a dystopian world like the one presented in 1984. In Orwell’s novel, the Ministry of Plenty, in charge of economic affairs, unequally rations food among the different social classes, favouring the Inner and Outer Party which makes up a small minority of the nation’s population. As the majority of our world’s population is starving, we need to identify this unequal distribution of resources as immoral and a violation of basic principles of fairness. Malnutrition, lack of water and daily necessities cause vulnerability amongst the poor that prevents development. Lack of infrastructure and government services for impoverished areas, also aids in the spread of deadly diseases and endangers the surrounding environment through pollution by unsafe use of toxic materials. Orwell suggests that, much like in our own society, equal education of the masses is vital for countries to evolve and that without it, as creative intellect decreases, substance abuse and violence increases. This is evidenced by higher rates of prostitution, gangs, and dangerous drug trafficking in areas of poverty, from entire nations, to low income city neighborhoods. Orwell states that if the majority would, “become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realise that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away.” (Orwell 1984) Orwell seems to caution his majority audience against allowing the minority upper class of this world to control their existence and quality of life.
Lastly, our world is becoming highly influenced by media and technology. The ideologies of those in power are disseminated through the use of propaganda from the news to advertising - creating illusions of the perfect bodies, lifestyles, families and existence. This is a construction, and not reality, just like in dystopian fiction. The truth lies deeply hidden in false advertisements, photoshopped magazines, TV, film, and video games. These reflections of the ideal lifestyle, thought up by the rich and powerful, have a tremendous impact on our culture and the way our society operates. Furthermore, revolutionary developments in technology, particularly internet for the use of social networking has greatly impacted methods of communication and understanding in Western society. This literal virtual universe, made possible by technology, creates an alternate reality. Our advanced societies are quickly coming to place dangerous emphasis on the unreal, virtual, and ideal world they have been introduced to. Furthermore, the false sense of connection formed by social media, creates an imaginary bond with a society that exists primarily virtually and sets unrealistic expectations on identity and lifestyle in the modern world. Our reliance on this technology and its messages makes it easier for governments to manipulate citizens, as we believe that the internet holds the answer to everything. The internet is a clear threat that could lead to the development of a dystopian society. For example, privacy and security is at risk on the internet more than ever. Modern technology makes it nearly effortless to investigate and observe, the personal details of almost any individual at any given time. Despite the social aspect of the internet, isolation in today’s society is common as limited electronic relationships take priority over quality real experiences with friends and family. Social networking tends to create false friendships that would not have otherwise prospered if they were created in reality. “Privacy is dead, and social media holds the smoking gun,” captures this idea perfectly. As a society, we need to realize the importance of limiting the influence of technology on our daily experience to avoid a dystopian society.
Dystopian fiction warns against the problems of modern society such as such war, inequality, and media and technology, threatening to extend their influence even more dangerously into our future. A dystopian society is not formed overnight; its seeds are deeply embedded in the history and ideologies of our world. If people continue to close their eyes to these problems, our society may become its own kind of dystopia, as George Orwell suggests, “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever” (Orwell 1984). But education and an awareness around the issues surrounding modern society, can help prevent the dystopian worlds of fiction and Orwell’s prophecy from coming true, driving us to brighter horizons.
Julia Zalewski