What’s that again? – Some initial upgrade

I really have to admit that I was, and still am, quite startled by the fact that almost everyone I asked for an opinion concerning the choice of my individual blog topic had never heard of dystopia. Okay… some of them had a vague idea of the meaning hidden behind this futuristic concept which, for the first time, emerged in the early 20th century. But it was still vague, if not to say remote guesses, and due to this surprise I absolutely felt the necessity to briefly explain what dystopia is all about. So let’s get started…

The term “dystopia” originates from the Ancient Greek for bad place and is often referred to as anti-utopia.

Alright… don’t even dare to stop reading now!!!! Even if you think it’s way too odd, all these complicated words you haven’t heard of in your whole life. Just stay with me for it’ll be fabulous 😉

First of all, utopia means no place or good place and depicts imaginary, often ideal societies, set in a distant place or the future, which are better than our current society. Throughout the 19th century people felt optimistic about technological progress. However, the speed and transformation power of industrialisation and scientific progress created anxiety and resistance in the beginning of the following century. That was when dystopia – the evil brother of utopia – came to life. The latter one portrays pessimistic visions of the future with negative, undesirable societies highlighted by a state in which the living conditions are atrocious (human misery, poverty, oppression, violence, disease and/or pollution).

Hopefully, I managed to awaken some remote memories and was able to help those who are completely new to it to dive into the myths and mysteries of my topic so that you can catch up with and eagerly comment on my weekly posts all around dystopia. 🙂

Welcome to the Brave New World

Today I want to share an extremely interesting video clip with you that dissects the vast topic of dystopia into its most important aspects… It contains almost everything that dystopia is about.

So lean back and enjoy ’cause the future is coming…! 🙂

 

Soaring into the air and maybe beyond

A dystopian state can be as powerful and strong as it can be fragile, collapsing from one second to the next. 

Skyscrapers soaring into the air easily demonstrate how oppressive dystopian states and their environment can be. There seems to be no way out of the system that is entirely aligned to govern people, to control their thoughts, to choke their feelings and to annihilate criticism.   

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gavin.watson30/INTERVIEW_01_MOEBUIS.htm

But however meticulous the concept of society and governance is deliberated it can be rapidly broken up. A single person using his or her common sense, detecting paradoxes and discrepancies within the state’s doctrine is sufficient. Others who already harbour doubts can then be encouraged to rise up against a system that forces them into an artificial state of mind, an existence that bears comparison with robots corresponding to external commands. 

http://www-scf.usc.edu/~morihisa/home.html

And when this moment has come there may be nothing left than a tremendous havoc and a suffocating cloud of dust. 

 

When privacy becomes a matter of political penetration

“War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength”

George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four

This saying is not only a guiding principle in George Orwell‘s Nineteen Eighty-Four but also a ground work upon which a dystopian society’s political structure is built.

In dystopian novels, movies and the like the state is most often conducted by a totalitarian regime whose ultimate aim is to exercise permanent control over its citizens. Since it is easiest to control people by gathering every kind of information on them (with that I mean everything, even the most infinitesimal piece you would not even think of being notable), privacy is easily eradicated through stubborn penetration. And this, in turn, is established through political means such as censorship, manipulation, propaganda, surveillance and/or oppression.

Censorship and manipulation are strongly linked to each other as people are rapidly fooled by keeping information restricted. It is therefore a convenient way for the government to align its townsfolk, to make them believe only what the state considers appropriate. Contents that may cause potential threats to social stability are immediately erased while a state’s doctrine is implanted in a person’s head. That is when propaganda gets into the game. What is desired is highly promoted (via media) allowing no space for doubts. Only then can a dystopian system work. And once the order is formed, continuous surveillance (e.g. telephone bugging) and oppression guarantee its persistence.

So, which lesson can we learn from all that?

Totalitarian regimes are by all means violent dangers to a person’s liberty as freedom of thought and expression are strictly forbidden. Hopefully, we’ll never experience actions that go in such a political direction.

Though I don’t think that the ever current discussions in Germany whether the collection of personal data is essential for security matters or just another misuse of data are hazardous when it comes to individual freedom, I still believe that it can happen. I mean, just take a quick look at the media… It jerks us around all the time 😉  

Yankees reaching for the world championship… No, thanks!

First and foremost, I’m not racist or trying to discriminate against any nation, ethnic community or whatsoever… But that the Yankees pissed on England’s parade (and on Wayne’s second anniversary) screwed my whole evening.

I mean, I was so eagerly awaiting this derby: England, the motherland of football, REAL football, playing against the United States, a nation that is so exorbitantly self-absorbed, swaying in the belief that they cannot only conquer the world but also the World CUP which is the first on the black continent, more precisely in South Africa.

I was absolutely looking forward to watching Wayne Rooney spank the Yankees and he was really trying hard to make the English football fans burst into flames, cheers, deafening whoops but, unfortunately, the English goalkeeper took one nap too many to the detriment of the three lions.

What’s been even more unfortunate is that the American goalkeeper wasn’t as dizzy as Robert Green. Okay, I have to admit that this is barely possible with a man who does not only look stupid but who also seems to live it up! Well, the English national team was never known for brilliant keepers. It is the excellent strikers, defensive and attacking midfielders as well as defenders that push the team forward… Ashley Cole for example is one of the world’s best left-back.  However, as the football nation England should make it to the knockout phase still.

http://livefootballwatchsoccer.com/details.php?newsid=415

So, you may ask yourself what all that got to do with dystopia. Imagine the Yankees would really win… not only the first round but the entire world cup… wouldn’t that be horrific… dystopia-like? If you ask me: Yes, it would!! The Americans are famous for other things… fast food, infinite environmental pollution, a malfunctioning healthcare system… but please not football or soccer how they may call it. The victory and prestige coming along with such an international sports title should be reserved for a team that knows how to play… therefore Germany! And if they don’t go all the way, England should (have) be(en) the triumphant winner!

Gattaca – Denial of identity for the sake of happiness

What do you think? Fair deal? Certainly not! However, it is indeed what the 1997 movie Gattaca by Andrew Niccol portrays.

It tells the story of Vincent Freeman (played by Ethan Hawke), a young man who is, without any technological interference, born into a society where human perfection and thus genetic manipulation are conceived as top priorities on the agenda.

http://chenjyu.blogspot.com/

As chance would have it, his life expectancy doesn’t amount to more than 30 years caused by a high risk of heart disorder. Being constantly exposed to discrimination and prejudices of all kind, Vincent decides to turn his current status of invalidity into one where he is perceived as valid, which means nothing else than having appropriate genetic advantage. Only then is he given the possibility to pursue his epitome of happiness: becoming an astronaut at the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation.

Therefore, he sees himself forced to circumvent law by adopting the perfectly valid identity of Jerome Eugene Morrow (played by Jude Law), a former swimming star. In order to be admitted to Gattaca, Vincent must pass meticulously run genetic tests for which he uses Jerome’s DNA in blood, hair, tissue and urine samples.

Once granted access to the aerospace corporate, his career begins to boost up into the atmosphere. But it does not take long until some severe problems are approaching and Vincent’s life-long dream is at stake.

Since I don’t want to blow the end of this really great film, and as pictures are worth a thousand words, I leave you for two and a half minutes with this:

By the way, its opening titles are…

“Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what He hath made crooked?”

Ecclesiastes 7:13

“I not only think that we will tamper with Mother Nature, I think Mother wants us to.”

Willard Gaylin

 

Now imagine you were living in such a society, embedded by values that are overall driven by genetic engineering and biological perfectionism.

Would you then be willing to give up your own unique identity to find felicity?

Literary guide

As the concept of dystopia inspired not only film makers but also writers a small anthology of dystopian books which are the most famous and readable is by all means indispensable for my blog. And here it comes…

19th century

• The Time Machine (1895)
• When The Sleeper Wakes (1899)

20th century

• Brave New World (1932)
• Anthem (1938)
• Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)
• Fahrenheit 451 (1953)
• Lord of the Flies (1954)
• A Clockwork Orange (1962)
• A Scanner Darkly (1977)
• The Running Man (1982)
• V for Vendetta (1982-1988)
• Neuromancer (1984)
• The Handmaid’s Tale (1985)
• The Children of Men (1992)

21st century

• Oryx and Crake (2003)
• The Traveller (2005)
• The Road (2006)

What does that list tell you in case you haven’t heard of most of these books? You should start reading!!! They are compelling 😉

Cinematic overview

Since there are probably hundreds of dystopian movies and another thousand films that could be easily confounded with what is dystopia as such, I thought a little, condensed cinematic overview could help you to not get lost in the vast dystopian jungle.

Governmental/social

The main focus of such dystopian movies lies on governments and societies striving for overall authority and surveillance which are achieved through rigid censorship (denied access to information) on the one hand, and control over free thought on the other hand. Restrictions and disparities are created with respect to age and intelligence as well as genetics and fertility.

• Aeon Flux (2005)
• Blade Runner (1982)
• Brazil (1985)
• Children of Men (2006)
• District 9 (2009)
• Equilibrium (2002)
• Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
• Gattaca (1997)
• Metropolis (1927)
• Minority Report (2002)
• Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
• The Island (2005)
• The Matrix Trilogy (1999-2003)
• V for Vendetta (2006)

Post-apocalyptic

This category depicts the emergence of dystopian civilizations as a consequence of catastrophes such as wars.

• 12 Monkeys (1995)
• 28 Days Later (2002)
• 28 Weeks Later (2008)
• 2012 (2009)
• I Am Legend (2007)
• The Book of Eli (2010)
• The Postman (1997)
• WALL-E (2008)
• Waterworld (1995)

Miscellaneous

• Idiocracy (2006)
• Planet of the Apes (2001)
• Pleasantville (1998)

I tried to restrict the list to the most common and popular films otherwise it would have got way too extensive and confusing 😉

http://www.soa-world.de/echelon/category/interesting-stuff/page/2

Disclosing the enigma of Science Fiction

To spare you more bedlam than you will come across or have already encountered while dealing with the dystopian world, I briefly explain what Science Fiction is. Of course, the differences between dystopia and science fiction may be tiny, if not to say barely discernible… but they exist!

The industrial revolution gave not only rise to dystopia (due to the anxiety people felt because of extremely rapid technological changes) but also aroused science fiction as this era was largely shaped by scientific discoveries and technological inventions. Science fiction is set in a distant world full of new and fantastic technologies, if sometimes implausible, with imaginative, action-laden plots. It focuses on speculative scientific advances and, most often, considers the adventures that have become possible through such progress (e.g. travelling in space and time or encountering aliens). Nowadays, Sci Fi is a popular genre which often includes strong utopian or dystopian elements. However, equating it with dystopia would be misleading.

Departure for Pandora

The most vivid and convincing creation of a fantasy world ever seen; thundering our way for more than a decade; dazzling and immersive, a ravishing techno-dream for the senses…

Well, this is how three newspaper reviews that I picked coincidently assess James Cameron‘s cinematic 3D masterpiece of the 21st century.

Don’t worry, this is not going to be another review ’cause there are tons of them out on the worldwide web. I wouldn’t even find appropriate words for such an epic journey this genius director and screenwriter is taking us on.

Anyhow, it is my favourite movie of all time and probably one of the best films ever made for movie theatres. Though Avatar isn’t considered to be overall dystopian, it still displays some insinuations:

• entering and conquering new, remote spheres (Pandora)
• mankind’s scrupulous thirst for power and prosperity
• artificial growing of creatures (Avatars) by mixing human DNA with DNA of the natives (Na’vi)
• clash of a highly advanced society and an uncivilized, nature-based tribe
• utter destruction of what is known as paradise or comes close to it (Hometree)
• extinction of the savage race

Maybe you’ll pay some extra attention on these points when you watch it again. And if you haven’t seen this visually stunning motion picture so far, go watch it – in 3D! Only in 3D because otherwise you would miss out on a lot. I will definitely go and get me the BluRay version or – if I’m patient enough – wait until the 3D version will be released (which can take another year). The bad news: I left my 3D glasses at home 😦

By the way, did you know that Pandora is a moon of the Alpha Centauri star? I didn’t 😉 However, enjoy this little teaser!

Not yet enough? Cut across the ultimate gateway to Pandora to meet the phosphorescent Na’vi!

Are scientists playing god? It depends…

…on your religion claims a New York Times article from November 2007. 

Nowadays, the vexed issue of human cloning does not only seem to separate scientists from churchmen but also to split the entire world into Asia, a strong proponent of stem-cell research and genetic engineering, and Western societies, who pretty much consider duplicating the human embryo crossing the line and therefore ban the asexual reproduction of human organisms. 

http://www.futuresteve.wordpress.com

Anyways, isn’t the very thought of having an identical twin scary? I mean, there are tons of people who barely manage to distinguish twins even if they know them for their whole life. And these twins still have quite different personalities. They probably do! But your reproduced twin wouldn’t just look like you from head to toe. He or she would think what you think and feel what you feel… 

I would never favour a duplicate version of me even though it might be helpful, e.g. when it comes to curing diseases. I want to be unique! Normal but still different from other people. 

Thus I believe that equating human cloning with recycling life through reincarnation isn’t justifiable. Cloning always remains a violent interference in nature and in the circle of life. And this point of view doesn’t depend on religion! I am not at all attached to the Bible nor do I go to church regularly. I’m not even baptised 😉