Based on my experiences with various books and movies that display a “dystopian” society, a dystopia is a society where most people live in constant chaos, apprehension, and life-threatening conditions.
I believe the definitions of dystopia and utopia are primarily subjective, which is why so many different interpretations exist. According to Merriam-Webster.com, the definition of DYSTOPIA is “an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives.” This definition is slightly different than mine. In my definition, I emphasized the word most. Every individual that lives in a “dystopian” society isn’t going to lead “wretched lives” or live in constant chaos. For instance, in the Hunger Games, a considerable part of the population was content with their lives. In fact, they were living in complete bliss. Of course, these people were members of the high class, but if someone were to ask them if they believed they were living in a “dystopian” society, many would probably say no. Despite how disturbing it may be, these people actually enjoyed watching children fight for their lives.
We all have our own ideas of what a dystopia or a utopia looks like based on personal values, experiences, and desires. In high school, I read “The Giver,” which is supposed to represent a utopian society. A utopia is the exact opposite of a dystopia; it is a world where everything is perfect. However, the Giver doesn’t entail aspects and characteristics of my idea of a perfect world.
In conclusion, I genuinely believe a dystopia is a person’s personal outlook on what a world of chaos looks like to them. A world of chaos to me is one where I have no control over my life and am in constant fear for my life, but this may look different for someone else. Some people believe we are already living in a dystopian society. There are particular characteristics of a dystopia that many may agree on, such as life-threatening conditions. However, for the most part, I believe it is something that is specific to each person.
