Dystopia- an environment in which there is either heavy government control/lack there off, oppression of groups, elements of war, mind control, and elements of survival being enforced onto the population.
From all of the examples where we learned about dystopias I have seen at least one or all of the examples listed in the definition. For instance, in Young’s “Five Faces of Oppression” she mentioned how violence, exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, and cultural imperialism are all ways in which groups can be viewed as oppressed. In many dystopian societies this is supported whether it be that the weak do not survive, they have to fight to survive, exploit others in efforts to save themselves, or even use culture and marginalization in order to make a group feel less than or live a more difficult life. Another way this definition is supported is with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Vladimir Putin insisted that Russia invade Ukraine and cause damage to their environment and people. Though this is real life it goes to show that dystopian societies do exist and in this case it is violence, war, and the act of survival all present. All in all the material this semester has solidified my definition and view of what a dystopia is which is not simply the opposite of a utopia. It is much more than that, and I have come to realize that I view them more often than I thought.
