Dystopia is a type of fictional society in which the world has become an oppressive and unpleasant place, characterized by extreme authoritarianism, totalitarianism, or other oppressive social conditions, typically featuring environmental disaster, war, or other forms of societal collapse. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a prime example of Continue reading
In “Dystopias Now,” Kim Stanley Robinson categorizes thinkers into four groups based on their attitudes towards utopias and dystopias: dystopian thinkers, utopian thinkers, anti-utopian thinkers, and anti-anti-utopian thinkers. Based on my understanding of Robinson’s essay, I would classify myself as an anti-anti-utopian thinker. This means that I sees both utopian Continue reading
One way in which panopticism has been embedded in our society is through the pervasive use of surveillance technologies such as CCTV cameras, facial recognition software, and other forms of monitoring and data collection. These technologies create a sense of constant observation and scrutiny, which can lead people to modify Continue reading
Climate change, caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, poses significant risks to human life, particularly to the most vulnerable populations, including the poor, the elderly, and children. Climate change can be considered a form of oppression in that it disproportionately affects these populations, who have Continue reading
In the 21st century, technology has indeed replaced the prison imagined by Jeremy Bentham in the 18th century, but it has also brought with it new challenges related to privacy. As we continue to adopt new technologies in our daily lives, we are increasingly required to give up some of Continue reading
The least dystopian form of government would be a constitutional democracy, in which the power of the government is limited by a constitution and the citizens have the right to vote and participate in government decision-making. This form of government is based on the principle of individual rights and the Continue reading
It is well known that Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, said that “government is, in the end, repressive of human nature.” Despite decades of debate, it is important to examine the implications and meaning of such a statement for our society today.The first thing to consider is what Freud Continue reading
Recently in class we read Five Faces of Oppression by Iris Young. We learned that oppression is not just something exercised by a ruling group or class, but it’s something that creates injustice in other aspects as well. In a society, oppression can be caused by unquestioned norms, habits, and Continue reading
