Definition

Frankly speaking, I don’t think that before taking this class I have ever been asked to define the word dystopia. This is quite ironic because the specific side of my generation, 1999-2004 Generation Z , so happens to be the select few who group up during an odd boom of dystopian novels. Think about it: the 2010s was inhabited with children and adolescents pouring over The Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, The 100, Red Queen, The Selection, and many other novels and series in which society as we knew it was completely torn apart and rearranged inside out where oppression ran rampant and moody teens were the only one’s who could take down tyrannical global super powers. I distinctly remember hours my late elementary, awkward middle school, and crazy high school years being dedicated to consuming these realities. If I were to utilize what I’ve learned from the plethora of dystopian books that encompassed my childhood coupled with the first couple of weeks’ worth of material this class has provided me with thus far, I would define a dystopia as a society in which one group, whether it be at a global, national, or local scale, has assumed complete power over its society. Said power is implemented through oppressive tactics to the point to where every group beneath the top level is marginalized to a rudimentary point; it is the societal norm. However oppression is not the only key factor that plays into what a dystopian society is. There must be chaos and an overall sense of hopelessness that the masses feel as well. What separates a dystopia from everything else is the fact that going back to what would be normal simply isn’t realistic nor feasibly attainable. With this definition established, I challenge you to ask yourself whether or not we are currently living in a dystopian society with regards to race, gender, sexuality, social class, and everything in between.