WHAT IS A DYSTOPIA?

Every faction conditions its members to think and act a certain way. And most people do it. For most people, it's not
hard to learn, to find a pattern of thought that works and stay that way. But our minds move in a dozen different
directions. We can't be confined to one way of thinking, and that terrifies our leaders. It means we can't be controlled.
And it means that no matter what they do, we will always cause trouble for them. Veronica Roth, Divergent

Definition
Dystopia
Afuturistic,imagineduniverseinwhichoppressivesociety
controlandtheillusionofaperfectsocietyaremaintained
throughsometypeofoutsidemeanssuchas:
Corporatecontrol(WallE)
Bureaucratic/governmentcontrol(TheHungerGames)
Technology(I,Robot,TheMatrix)
Totalitarian/Dictatorship(TheGiver)

Dystopias,thoughctionalandimaginative,useworstcase

scenariostomakeacriticismaboutcurrenttrends,politicalissues,
orproblemsinsociety.

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#1:Propaganda
Propaganda, or information of a
biased or misleading nature,
used to promote or publicize a
particular political cause or point
of view, is used to control
citizensofasociety.

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#2:Restrictions
I n f o r m a t i o n ,
independent thought,
and freedom are
controlled
or
restricted.

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#3:WorshippingaConcept
A
gurehead
or
concept is worshipped
inasociety
EqualityinTheGiver

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#4:ConstantSurveillance
Citizensperceivethey
areunderconstant
surveillance.
Someoneisalways
watching,viacameras
orspies.

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#5:FearofOutsideWorld
Citizensfeartheworld
outsidetheboundaries
oftheircountryor
area.
Evenifallowedto,
citizenswouldlikely
notleave.

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#6:Dehumanized
Citizensliveina
dehumanizedstate.
Thiscanvary:
Livingwithoutlove
Livinginabjectpoverty
Livingwithtoomuch

technology

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#7:FearofNaturalWorld
Citizensfearthe
naturalworld(nature).

CHARACTERISTICSOFA
DYSTOPIANSOCIETY
#8:Conformity
Citizens conform to
universalexpectations.
Individuality, or being
dierent than what is
expected,isbad.

TypesofDystopianControl
Most dystopian works of fiction present a world in which
oppressive society control and the illusion of a perfect
society are maintained through one or more of the following
types of control:
#1-CORPORATE CONTROL
One or more large corporations control society through
products, advertising, and/or the media.

TypesofDystopianControl
#2- GOVERNMENT CONTROL
Society is controlled by a mindless
bureaucracy through a tangle of red
tape, relentless regulations, and
incompetent government officials.

#3- TECHNOLOGICAL CONTROL

Society is controlled by technology
through computers, robots, and/or
scientific means.

TypesofDystopianControl
#4- RELIGIOUS CONTROL
Society is controlled by a religious idea that is often
enforced by threat of physical harm.