What is a Dystopia?

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 the rule of the Taliban. A dystopian society is defined by oppressive government, surveillance, and other oppressive systems that strip people of their autonomy. This idea is similar to Michel Foucault’s Panopticon, a design that symbolizes continuous surveillance and discipline, and Thomas Hobbes’ “Leviathan,” which calls for a powerful ruling class to maintain order through fear. The concept of a Leviathan entity governing with unrestricted based on Hobbes’ “Leviathan,” brings to mind the dystopian regimes where a central government uses force and intimidation to coerce obedience. This is similar to the dystopian stories in which authoritarian regimes restrict dissent and individual liberties in order to maintain authority and law and order. Similarly, the constant surveillance and lack of privacy in dystopian environments are reflected in Foucault’s Panopticon idea, which portrays a jail layout where inmates are always monitored. In dystopian societies, where people live under the constant surveillance of totalitarian governments, the Panopticon’s idea of discipline through constant surveillance, encouraging a culture of compliance and self-censorship. Basically, dystopias are places where a lot of control and monitoring forces the residents to live dreadful lives. This is where the ideas of Foucault’s emphasis on surveillance and Hobbes’ desire for centralized power meet.