To sum up an accurate definition of the term dystopia based on my prior knowledge, I would say it is the opposite of a society that is perfect or ideal and can be viewed as a society that is corrupt. My justification for this definition is based on prior knowledge of utopian societies. In high school, I took a course that focused heavily on utopian societies. A movie we watched called The Giver, exemplified many aspects of utopian societies including no fear, conflict, or hatred of any kind is present, almost like a perfect world.
I can relate the term dystopia to multiple forms of media but the biggest dystopia is the world we live in today, depending on how you look at the situation. For the African American community, it appears that we have been in a corrupt society since the very beginning. From the harsh treatment of slavery, the fighting for equal rights for all, and the unnecessary killings of black people are just a few reasons alone to prove that we are living in a dystopia. Not only is society corrupt but there is nothing perfect or ideal about our world. We have racial tensions, government issues, family and personal issues, people who are homeless, inflation, etc. How could we not call our society a dystopia?
Certain movies and books that I have encountered in the past have also contributed to my overall definition of a true dystopian society. Almost all of the movies I have watched about dystopian societies involve an apocalyptic event happening that gets rid of most or all of the human population. In every dystopian film, I have watched the main goal is to be able to survive. In I Am Legend, actor Will Smith is the survivor of a man-made plague that transforms humans into alien-like creatures. At this point, all of the odds are against him as he tries to find survivors and a cure by using his means of survival. This can relate so much to how it is in our society not only for African Americans but for most other races as well. The ultimate goal is to be able to survive in a society with unfortunate circumstances.
Although there are media that reference utopian societies in fictional ways, I firmly believe that we are living in a dystopian society and always have been.
