A dystopia is a fictional or hypothetical society characterized by oppressive societal control, dehumanization, and often a totalitarian government, resulting in the suffering or misery of its citizens. This definition relates closely to Iris Marion Young’s Five Faces of Oppression, which identify different forms of societal oppression: economic, cultural, social, Continue reading
Dystopia /disˈtōpēə/ noun a subjective term that refers to a society of poor, brutish, and nasty living; a dangerous society Dystopia is defined as a society of poorness, and brutishness because it reminds me of the state if nature, with no laws, with no regulations, and with pure competition, as Continue reading
What is a dystopia? throughout the course of this class we have discussed the key elements of what makes a dystopia, the many different forms in which people can experience dystopian society, and even finding real world dystopian regimes across the nation such as the one occurring in Afghanistan under Continue reading
Panopticism is embedded in our society, most obviously through cameras. Traffic cameras, security cameras, people’s cameras on their phones, cameras. Panopticism operates on the principle that because you assume you are always being watched, you act differently even though you might not necessarily be watched. Traffic/speeding cameras are tall in Continue reading
One way in which panopticism has been embedded in our society is through the proliferation of surveillance technologies. The concept of the panopticon, originally proposed by philosopher Jeremy Bentham in the 18th century, describes a prison design where a central watchtower allows a single guard to observe all inmates without Continue reading
In my opinion, a big factor in dystopias is the type of government. The most common governments I have seen in dystopias are totalitarian and authoritarian governments. Totalitarianism, according to Oxford Languages, is a system of government that is centralized, dictatorial, and requires complete subservience from the state. A couple Continue reading
A utopia is an imagined place that is perceived as perfect. Since humans are imperfect beings, a true utopia where everything is perfect is not feasible. Still, within the realm of perception, a utopic society would address all of the problems that plague our society and lead to all the Continue reading
According to Gonzaga University, Panopticism is defined as a “kind of internal surveillance [where] the watches ceases to be external to the watched”. In today’s society, panopticism has been embedded into our society in various ways such as through the advancement of surveillance technologies especially within public spaces and within Continue reading
Aristocracy is a type of government where a small group of wealthy and privileged people, often called aristocrats or nobles, hold the power and make decisions for everyone else. Timocracy is a type of government where power is based on a person’s honor and military service. Oligarchy is a type Continue reading
Dystopia and utopia represent polar opposites in societal visions. A dystopia is characterized by oppression, inequality, and suffering, often governed by totalitarian regimes, environmental degradation, and societal decay. In contrast, a utopia embodies harmony, equality, and prosperity, with just governance, sustainable practices, and societal well-being. In most dystopian societies citizens Continue reading