Definition of Dystopia

In the terrifying real world of DYSTOPIA, social structures have collapsed, trapping people in a life of injustice, dehumanization, and constant fear. The gripping true story of five innocent Black teenagers facing unfair prosecution for a crime they did not commit is told in the critically acclaimed television series “When They See Us.” There is a startling parallel between the imagined dystopian worlds and the criminal justice system’s institutional failures, systematic racism, and loss of fundamental human rights. Comparably, in the post-apocalyptic video game “The Last of Us,” players encounter moral ambiguity, scarcity, and the disintegration of civilized society in a world devastated by a fatal virus. In both narratives, people are deprived of their agency, subjected to injustice, and required to make their way through barren environments. These illustrations highlight the fact that dystopia, whether real or imagined, appears when basic human rights and dignity are violated, leaving an agonizing landscape in their wake.