Technology is a marvel of our society. From simple technologies...
Read MoreWhat Factors make a Utopia or a Dystopia?
Utopia – In 1516 Sir Thomas More coined the term Utopia from the Greek meaning No Place. An imagined place where everything is perfect.
Eutopia – the closest thing we can get to Utopia meaning a good place.
Dystopia – meaning bad place. John Stuart Mill in 1868 famously described the Irish land policy as dystopian as one of the first clear examples of the word.
So what makes a utopia and what makes a dystopia? Let’s analyse several factors on a sliding scale from bad to good.
Let’s start with the big picture. A utopian society generally has a positive outlook on life and the world. In a dystopian world, everything is negative with no hope for the future. Why this is the case is a result of all the factors that we will explore. More on this element is described in this blog.
Dystopia = Pessimistic
Utopia = Optimistic
What is environment? The word derives from old French meaning surrounded or enclosed. It now means the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. I’ve provided a much more detailed analysis of the Environment in this blog – Environment.
In essence – Environment is a description of time, space relative to the observer. Both time and space are infinite therefore environment is technically infinite – we cannot truly comprehend this. So we break up the environment into digestible chunks for the reader – the observable bit.
For now, let’s keep things simple – utopia means a good environment, a dystopia is a bad environment. Which essentially is what the words mean – Dystopia meaning Bad place, Utopia meaning (no place) or rather Eutopia meaning Good Place. What is meant by a good place or a bad place is infinitely relative – things can always get worse, things can always get better. The Dys-U arrow – good to worse, worse to better – is this a transition from one place to another or one time to another? For example, going to a night club for a short period of time is Utopian, but finding yourself not being able to escape the nightclub changes the perception to a dystopian one.
Dystopia and Utopia are perceptions dependent on the observer – no environment is dystopian, or utopian unless there is an observer to make a judgement who can cross compared between the two. And that judgment can only come from moving from one environment to another, learning as we go relating one to the next.
Dystopia = Bad
Utopia = Good
A utopian society shares power – each person having an equal and ongoing voice. That said, if the people believe things are going well they may not wish to exercise their voice as they have nothing to rally against – nothing to say.
Dystopia – there are huge disparities in power and control, with a few elites having the only say with no control/voice for the general population. Control may be in a micro sense (control over an individual) and/or a macro one (control over everything) – a government. A Dystopian world, 1984 for example is categorised by a totalitarian regime that does perceived ‘bad’ things from the viewpoint of the individual.
But also power and control may be unaware of the results of their decisions. Cube for example where an experiment was set up with no one in control as a result of lack of control?
Power and Control are the foundation of society, and any aspect of the managed environment comes from how power and control are shared. Laws, Religion, (the rule books) Leadership & Judgement (the interpretation of the rule book) and Money are all tools of power & control.
Utopia – a voice for all that results in change when needed. – Laws fair for all ->route to create, examine and openly debate laws.
Dystopia – powerless for the many, no voice, no ability to change the status quo. Laws in favour of the elite. Secretive, illogical, majority powerless to change – question the law.
For more info on power and control see this blog
Dystopia = Concentrated
Utopia = Shared
We live at a time when technology is constantly advancing and surprisingly, for the most part, shared. If technology wasn’t advancing would it make it dystopian? Probably not. If a society loses its technology – this is more apocalyptic than dystopian or utopian, it’s how society adapts through the process of power and control – mindful of all the other factors. Technology does not necessarily mean dystopian, or utopian – it is how it’s implemented through power and control. You can have a utopian society which has limited technology or one that has advanced technology. The same is true for a dystopian one.
Technology is a tool for the other factors – ultimately a mechanism of power and control be it utopian or dystopian – until self-aware AI is invented technology has no direct sense of power or control.
Therefore Technology either benefits or hinders the other factors and is not a factor in isolation. More on Technology can be found here in this blog.
Dystopia = Hinders
Utopia = Helps
Communication can be a leveller or used for power and control. For example, when the Normans invaded England in 1066 they brought French with them as the language of the elites. In Braveheart, there is a surprise by the elites when William Wallace knows French and Latin. Knowledge is power and if it can be transmitted securely it protects that power.
If all communication was recorded, analysed and assessed by the state or others – the Second World War, for example, when every letter was read and redacted could be described as dystopian. Or an interfering mother who reads every letter her daughter gets before giving them to her.
Communication (the presence or absence of)- 1: Language (body and spoken) 2: Depicted (art, hieroglyphics, emojis) 3: Written (email, DM, book) 4: Performed (play, film, video, clothing, makeup, song, dance) 5: Scent 6: Touch. The Circle is an excellent experiment on how communication can be limited and would like to see more on this theme. Genders in language and personal pronouns are also a sign of dominance and control.
There are plenty of ways to incorporate power, control and bias into your writing when describing a dystopian world – it is obvious when it’s there. Conversely, a utopian society goes to great lengths to be aware of bias trying to be inclusive and inoffensive. However, that can swing the other way to language being censored – therefore a utopian society has a mature debate and does not ban any words…
Dystopia = Limited
Utopia = Unrestricted
A utopian society is clean with no pollution. A dystopian society is swamped with pollution. How you categorise pollution is a complex subject and can be seen as an overall summary of the health of humans and ecology. Ensuring waste is treated and recycled is key. A pollutant can be defined as a product through human activity that has been released into the environment. A pollutant usually has little value or perceived value.
Dystopia = Polluted
Utopia = Clean
Light is a key factor for human happiness both mentally and physically. Utopian ideals are bright. In contrast, dystopia is dark and light-limited. Blade Runner is a good example of the use of light in a dystopian world. Pitch Black also makes excellent use of light, albeit through a natural mechanism.
Generally, Utopia is light – Dystopia is dark. The gradation between light and dark, and the speed of transition are also important. For example, wind turbines can cause shadow flicker. A rather extreme example of dystopia.
Therefore for humans, a utopian ideal is a balance between light and dark.
Dystopia = Dark/Light
Utopia = Balance
Colour – our senses allow us to see a spectrum of visible light. Not the full electromagnetic spectrum by any means. In a utopian society, the use of colour is not restricted – colourful clothes, buildings and so on. In a dystopian society, colour is often restricted as a sign of control and subjugation. This is often employed in uniforms – Star Wars for example uses the monochromatic scale for the stormtroopers etc. Would we see the stormtroopers differently if they were covered in rainbows? IT subverts this to some degree by the colourful clown in a dark background. There are plenty of examples where colour signifies control/mood and is a symbol of restriction – mourning clothes for example.
So, this is not a hard and fast rule but generally in a dystopian world – limited colour. Utopia’s colour is unrestricted. Not true in all cases – a medieval court controls colour, and is colourful. Peasants have limited access to colour – which group is happier?
Dystopia = Monochromatic
Utopia = Rainbow
Noise is a subjective thing and depends on the environment – time and place. By this I mean you may enjoy a band in a pub one night, but you may not want to live next to it all the time especially when you want to sleep. Generally, we can all agree on what a pleasant soundscape is – a forest for example. Compare this to a busy road with 24hr traffic. Often low-quality housing is in high (unpleasant) noise environments with no escape. Therefore Utopia – is a pleasant sound environment. Dystopia – Loud inescapable noise environment.
Dystopia = Loud
Utopia = Pleasant
After our eyes and ears, our noses are probably the most important sense we have. Human evaluation has taught us that pleasant odours are for a reason – a nice place, possibly with food. Bad odours like rotting fish or meat are met with disgust as these environments are likely bad for our health.
Dystopia – disgusting odour. Utopia – Pleasant odour.
Dystopia = Disgusting
Utopia = Pleasant
We’re all taught the five senses, sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell – but we also have other senses. The sense of acceleration, the sense of gravity, the sense of balance. These are mentioned because they could become a factor in world-building. For example, say in a dystopian future space travel is possible – you pay more for a normal gravity seat with normal g force compared to a high or low grave seat with low g force.
In a utopian world, the sense of gravity would not be taken advantage of.
Dystopia = Extreme
Utopia = Normal
Flora and Fauna is a key factor for any environment. A lush green biodiverse place is seen as ideal, compared to a barren dead place. The same is true for our oceans and water bodies – they should be healthy. Therefore we can say dystopia is barren, and utopia is lush. That may also mean we have reserves for nature where humans aren’t present – does this conflict with freedom of movement for a utopian society?
Dystopia = Barren
Utopia = Lush
In this context, health covers physical as well as mental. A utopian society is healthy with everyone having their health needs taken care of with no barrier. A dystopian society has significant poor health and/or significant health disparities.
But – to have a healthy utopian society it means restricting things that are unhealthy – through barriers and education. It also means promoting healthy life choices – encouraging exercise for example possibly through environmental design (cycling and walking not the use of cars?). Through debate, education and agreement then a utopian society can be aware and informed of the choices they are making for the good of the individual and the community.
Also, a medicated society does not necessarily mean a healthy one. Nor does long life expectancy mean utopia if this is at the cost of health.
Dystopia = Unhealthy
Utopia = Healthy
This is an interesting one. Does a utopian society have a high level of education? Does education lead to happiness? The time machine examines this with the evaluation of humanity – less education a more contented society? Does a dystopian society have a low level of education? Does that mean fending for yourself? Is it that a level of education that suits the needs of society sufficient?
Star Trek is a good example of where ‘everyone’ supposedly excels in education, but in one episode, Lower Decks shows that not everyone can obtain a high level of education – Ryker says they are weeded out of Star Fleet. This signifies a level of elitism, a dystopian underbelly to a utopian society.
We are not robots – there is a range of skills and abilities in society- recognising this is an important factor for a utopian society. Therefore should it be said that equal access to education is important, but the pressure to study should be removed? Are exams, tests, and grading dystopian?
Also, knowledge is power – as they say. The more knowledgable you are the more powerful you are. The story and the film Harrison Bergeron expertly examine this aspect.
Therefore the spectrum we will use is access to education but not the expectation that members of the society will all be able to achieve the same standard test. If you want to know something you can without a barrier be it kept from you or a cost to learn (be it money or time).
Dystopia = Restricted
Utopia = Freely available
A utopian society has equality, age, sex, disability, sexuality and so on. There is no discrimination against one group or another. There should be no men-only space. Therefore there should be no women-only space. Difficult question. A utopian society may therefore be aware of diversity and celebrated. Maybe this should also be done with agreed segregation at times? Or is enforced equality more restrictive where you’re not able to identify as different? I do not have the answer, all I can do is pose the question.
A dystopian society is where there is marked inequality, with one group being favoured with power, education, resources and a better environment over another.
So a utopian society is likely to have an ongoing debate and awareness of what equality means and how it should be implemented. A dystopian society will not allow the debate to happen and barriers are put in place to maintain the status quo.
Dystopia = Inequality
Utopia = Equality
Similar to equality – Utopia is a free-thinking society. Dystopia – the way of thinking is restricted to the propaganda of that regime and should not be questioned. Is it that simple?
In any society, we are brought up by our elders (usually parents). They and the education system program us to societal norms. Therefore a utopian society allows all forms of thinking and encourages a mature debate – this comes back to power and control.
Plus here we can add the element of individuality vs community. The needs of the one, vs the needs of the many. The debate is – what are the needs of the individual/community and how can an individual and society accommodate each other?
Can this be summed up as –
Utopia – The system will never be perfect and should be questioned and adapted to the needs of society and the individual.
Dystopia – The system is ‘perfect’ and should never be questioned and will never fail. (Sod the individual or sod society.)
Thinking defines societal art and culture – propaganda vs criticism of the establishment, its freedom of expression in a non-violent way. Is a mix of both propaganda and criticism healthy for society, for the ongoing debate?
Dystopia = Restricted
Utopia = Debated
Okay, say you have accommodation, but you’re not allowed, or not encouraged to leave – it’s a prison would be dystopian. Being able to leave your home, visit others, visit the outside, with shops, parks and amenities – all good quality places/environments without restriction is closer to utopia? Truman Burbank would disagree! But was he happy until he found the limits of his cage? The Thirteenth Floor could be another example, or the Matrix perhaps.
You accept the reality in which you were born -> Until something shows you the limits of your cage? Is the grass always greener?
Freedom of movement without restriction, without walls or barriers is utopian? For a long time, humans were hunter-gatherers roaming free – is there something deep inside us that still wants this?
Any barriers or limitations to that movement are dystopian – Or are they in place for the good of society? At an early age we’re all taught not to walk in the middle of the road… we also have countries with passports allowing travel to one another – but with restrictions. Would a utopian society allow its inhabitants to travel to dystopian places? As we discussed in Environment – utopia and dystopia cannot exist everywhere, there are limits spatially and temporally.
Dystopia = Restricted
Utopia = Unrestricted
Would a utopian society allow drugs and alcohol? The episode of Sliders – Just Say Yes explores the use of drugs to balance society. Or would drugs and alcohol be banned for the good of society? Or would they be used as a method of control of society by the powerful?
We cannot get away from the fact that humans can become addicted – the opioid crisis for example, which occurred due to regulations being ‘bent’ to benefit (for profit) the few. Once addicted we are not in our ‘right’ minds.
So in our utopia are drugs and alcohol allowed? Probably, but with educated limitation, and support. We’ve been doing this with smoking, educating the young not to do it and now it’s on the decline. Will it ever be banned outright?
Drugs and alcohol are used to escape the reality in which you are in. If you are in a fair balanced society would you want to escape?
A Dr Alexander carried out an experiment in the 1970s that has become known as “Rat Park” When rats were placed in a cage with no company or other community of rats and offered two water bottles-one filled with water and the other with heroin or cocaine-the rats would repetitively drink from the drug-laced bottles until they all overdosed and died. When a community of rats which had access to food, bedding, space and stimulation were given the choice between water and drug-laced drinks. The rats would hardly if ever touch the drug-laced drink.
So could drugs and alcohol be used a barometer for a utopian society – if people are turning to them then something is wrong? and a discussion needs to be had that gets to the route cause. Portugal decriminalised all drugs in 2001 resulting in great societal improvements.
Dystopia – everyone is a drug addict and power/control is being gained from it.
Dystopia = Unsupported
Utopia = Educated / Supported
To some degree, this goes hand in hand with equality. Social divides occur through a disparity in power and control. Friendships and relationships are separated in a dystopian world. For example, Titanic restricts love between classes. Or The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas shows the friendship between social groups. Many (if not all) love stories are based on overcoming societal norms as the plot for the story. If there weren’t any barriers to overcome then it’s love – not a story?
Dystopia – relationships are restricted through environmental and or social segregation.
Utopia – You can have the possibility to be friends with (or in a relationship) anyone you wish.
Dystopia = Enforced / Restricted
Utopia = Unrestricted
A utopian society shares resources (and the ability to access resources – money perhaps) equally. There are no significant disparities between rich and poor – if they exist at all. But what if resources are rare? In utopia, rare resources are likely to be discussed and debated on how best to use them for the good of society rather than the individual or corporate profit.
Dystopia – there are huge disparities in the access to resources, often with the few having control, concentrating them in the hands of the few. With rare resources, individuals will see how to gain power and control. Total Recall for example where air is a commodity controlled by the ruling body.
TIME also comes under resources – one of the most important resources a human has, what do you spend your time doing and who’s to tell you what you should be doing with your time. This links closely with work – meaningless work meaningless time spent doing sod all. The worst situation to be in – if the motive is right (Clean up the oceans of plastic by picking it out of the sea, a handful at a time – your wasting your time) but the focus is wrong (ban plastic in the first place or at least regulate it as you would smoking.)
Dystopia = Concentrated
Utopia = Shared
Work – in our world work comes with a wage for us to live. If this shackle wasn’t there and all your needs were provided for would you work?
The devil finds work for idle hands meaning if people don’t have anything to do with their time they get involved in trouble and criminality. This is a Victorian point of view – if you don’t work you don’t have money so to take care of your needs you may have no choice but to turn to criminality.
If no one works in utopia what would they do? Make art? Song and Sport? That’s what they do in my Book Kurdor the Newcomer
Another option is the pursuit of science like in Star Trek. We have one of the largest brains in the animal kingdom and it needs to be kept occupied – Boredom is probably very destructive for society – it needs a goal.
So instead of calling it work let’s call it a challenge worth pursuing personally or for society? – a legacy for humanity. Be it artistic, environmental or scientific. What is the legacy of humanity to the next generation? Are we proud of our life’s work? or is this too much pressure on the individual and curtails choice?
The ultimate work without benefit is slavery which is dystopian. Therefore work should be seen as optional and not a mechanism for achieving all your other needs – would this be utopian?
Dystopia = Slavery / Unemployment
Utopia = Optional
In a dystopian society violence and aggression are likely commonplace. There is probably an underlying level of paranoia in society with everyone knowing they are walking on eggshells. The lives of others is an excellent film covering such a society during the stasi. Any film covering the Nazi regime and the hate towards the Jewish community also demonstrates the dystopian use of violence. You can also see this in the treatment of criminals with capital punishment…
So – in Utopia, there would be no aggression or violence. That’s the ideal, but we are human. Aggression will be shown at some point, it’s in our nature. Maybe a utopian society will teach their children how to cope with it through thoughtfulness/meditation. But how might a utopian society deal with criminality – restriction, not necessarily imprisonment and counselling? In Gattaca aggression was supposedly edited out of humans through genetic selection.
Ultimately violence and aggression are unlikely to be eliminated but they can be limited in a Utopia. Whereas in a dystopia violence and aggression are common place and used as tools of power.
Dystopia = Frequent
Utopia = Rare
Now this is a hard one. Should a society be free to reproduce without limit? The more educated a society is the lower the birth rate. Is this a reason to educate society?
A dystopian world is overcrowded, unlike a utopian one. So given all the above, about sharing resources – there is a finite amount of resources a world provides to support a utopian world, after which it may slip into dystopia.
A dystopian world is overcrowded such as Soylent Green. But it can also be one that is dying out such as seen in The Children of Men Or one heading towards the world of Mad Max perhaps.
So there’s a healthy middle ground as to what a healthy population size is. The question is how is it maintained. Logn’s Run for example gets rid of the old to make way for the young – is that utopian? Or The Handmaiden Tale where extreme measures are carried out at the expense of individual freedoms. Or Starship Troopers where you can only have a child if you do military service.
Dystopia – too many, too few people – forced to have children / unable to have children.
Utopia – Just the right amount of people – up to the individual choice to have a child. [There is a paradox here]
Dystopia = Over / Under Populated
Utopia = Ideal Population Size
Personal Expression covers clothing, make-up, hair, jewellery (including piercings), and tattoos. But it also covers all aspects of creation – art, song, writing, sport, crafts – not only what you make yourself but what you enjoy of others in an act of Kurdor.
In a utopian society, the freedom to express your personal appearance without being restricted is the ideal. Whereas in a dystopian society, there are limitations or expectations on how you should appear – everyone is forced to wear a uniform. That could be a boiler suit with a shaved head. Or a lavish gown, big hair, make-up – you have no choice but to dress up and make the effort (all the time). There is a range of ‘usual’ and ‘casual’ clothes, you are not intending on making any statement – or there is naked which has its own societal norms 1984. We send a lot of signals with our clothes and there is plenty of historical and cultural variations to draw inspiration from.
The Handmaid’s Tale is an excellent example of how clothing and personal expression are repressed. It is also used to enforce a class system that stems from power and control. The Hunger Games subverts this by showing the power of personal expression through the use of dramatic clothing – a sign of rebellion against repression. Personal expression can also be used as a symbol of power and control – the rich are covered in gems, the poor in rags.
We want to hear your story however you want to tell/show it and we want you to leave a positive impression on the world. We also want you to hear the story of your fellow humans through their own voice, not filtered through an App with an algorithm, or through a dystopian corporation that controls our acts of Kurdor. We understand the reason for copyright – Power & Control but what if Kurdor appreciated rather than monetised? Would we need copyright?
Dystopia = Supressed
Utopia = Unrestricted
Having a sanitary environment where human waste is processed in some form is a basic human right. Before the invention of the flush toilet, the upper class had servants to dispose of their waste. Lower classes had to deal with it themselves. Sanitation also covers cleaning of one’s body and clothes. In a dystopian world, this would be limited, in a utopia all taken care of with minimal effort.
In modern times we have a complex about human bodily movements – counter that with the Romans who had shared toilets. In the film The Help – there was a theme of social sanitation segregation with a childish, but fulfilling conclusion.
Dystopia = Dirty
Utopia = Clean
As humans, we all need to sleep. For sleep it needs to be for a long period (8 hours) and restful. So you would assume that in dystopia you would be sleep deprived – but the opposite could be true, forced to sleep for longer than needed as shown in Level 16 or even The Matrix.
Dystopia = Unbalanced
Utopia = Balanced
There are standards as to the ideal room size and house size for a human. When standards fall below this they can be described as dystopian on a sliding scale to a coffin. Lexx for example, Stanley Tweedle and Zev Bellringer live in boxes. The Fifth Element is another example. We call them Coffin Cubicles
Is this better than having no accommodation at all and living homeless? This is debatable on the counts of both physical and mental health – possibly depending on the individual. It’s also what society or an individual has become accustomed to. Schitt’s Creek for example – going from one extreme – a mansion to a motel may be described by the characters as dystopian.
Optimum accommodation – the ideal size for someone to live without the worry they will lose the roof over their heads? Is this utopian? Is that a flat or is it a house with a garden?
Mansions – too much for someone to inhabit in any meaningful way. A sign of greed? Or aspiration – the perfect environment? In Downsizing this could be the standard if resources allow. But if there is disparity then this could lead to jealousy like in The Good Place
So, is utopia uniform adequate size housing for all, without the fear of losing your home – does this restrict freedom of expression in terms of architecture?
Is Dystopian living homeless Or is it worse to have substandard accommodation in terms of size, which is overcrowded – Coffin Cubicles? Is dystopia – to have disparities between large mansions for the minority vs coffin cubicles for the majority? Is dystopia worry you may lose your home at any point?
Dystopia = Poor
Utopia = Good
This is a simple one. In utopia, everyone has access to ample, good quality, nutritious, unpolluted food. Should food be unrestricted or rationed? If food was free would we all be overweight? We ration our food by putting a price tag on it and we implement taxation on certain food stuffs – are these nudges in the right direction?
Should food be restricted to the nature of the environment – for example, bluefin tuna are being fished to extinction. Or should we be encouraged, forced to eat a low-carbon diet – or go vegan? Isn’t that control and dystopian? Or is it society having a mature debate? Is that the difference between utopia and dystopia? Dystopia is for the good of a few, Utopia is for the good of the many.
In Dystopia – hardly any food and water is available – what food there is, is poor quality. The Hunger Games uses this element to great effect with the districts starving and the capital gorging themselves. Of course, our world is perfect and we don’t have any of these problems –Food Foundation
Dystopia = Limited
Utopia = Plentiful
Humans can survive in a relatively small range of temperatures too hot or too cold and we die. 18 degrees c is supposedly the ideal temperature (with clothes?). Star Trek The Undiscovered Country – in the prison scene, cold temperature is used as punishment. In Dune, hot temperatures are used as a feature. Game of Thrones also makes use of temperature ‘Winter is Coming’
Dystopia = Extreme
Utopia = Pleasant
Dystopia = Limited / Polluted
Utopia = Plentiful / Clean
Without clean fresh air our health struggles. With no air, we die. Simply, we cannot survive without it.
Dystopia – air is polluted and or limited, Total Recall for example. Poor housing – bad air, good housing clean air. Polluting the air is also a weapon such as the use of mustard gas in the first world war. The extreme is – If there is no air -> no people = therefore no society to talk of.
Utopia – clean, everywhere, unlimited.
Consideration should also be given to the mix of gases and the atmospheric pressure.
Dystopia = limited / polluted
Utopia = clean / unlimited
Human names are a powerful thing full of family, cultural, societal, gender and historical meaning (or baggage). We draw a lot of identity from a name – when we change our name it usually means a significant change in our life, our identity. If a name is stripped from us some of our identity goes with it. Say for example being given a prison number rather than a name – The Prisoner At birth we are given a name which is usually defined by our gender. Or we have several names depending on the group we are in – I’m Elizabeth to my friends, Lilibet to my close family and Your Highness to my subjects. All signify different degrees of closeness to the individual – we also get offended when someone gets our name wrong. Names are one of the most sensitive personal things we have in our lives – we use prefixes and suffixes to denote status – status over who??
Breaking Bad makes excellent use of a change of name. Utopia makes use of mentioning a name several times before you even meet the character building suspense as to who that person is. It also makes clever use of the definite and indefinite article – The Tramp vs A Tramp. Is it possible to write a story without names? I don’t think it is, but would like to see it attempted.
Above all names probably signify a culture more than any other act of creation. When England was conquered in 1066 by the Normans many old English names were scrubbed from existence. The Normans also brought in a long list of titles signifying the elites.
Group names and place names are also culturally important and usually bind a society together by knowing their shared markers.
All names can be subverted – dominated and controlled. Dystopia names are weaponised against an individual and or a group. Or done unintentionally – the name Alexa has been taken over by the robots. There’s a balance between a name being individual and collective, where is that balance? Should we call each other Brother and Sister like in 1984? On the news we hear of migrants not humans… we have a common name and we should use it more.
Utopia – acceptance?
Dystopia = Weaponised
Utopia = Acceptance
If someone is trusting they have no fear (or anxiety). In our complex society, we have a lot of abstract trust and fear. Fear in the government, trust in medication. Dope Sick explores the erosion of trust through the corruption of regulations.
Fear and trust don’t exist in isolation – there is a reason for them. Therefore this element, similar to outlook is a consequence (viewpoint) of other elements. If trust is being eroded – utopian -> dystopian (Rebellion) if trust is being built dystopian -> utopian (Nationalism)
Dystopia = Fearful
Utopia = Trusting
Texture is how something feels not only to touch but to sight and sound. This has been proven with the Bouba/Kiki effect not only in humans but in chickens. We have an innate understanding of what is course/sharp/rough/hard compared to round/smooth/soft. As babies, we explore the world around us with our senses and the memory stays with us for the rest of our lives (or until our memory is changed/destroyed).
Dystopia – Is likely an extreme one way or another Full of Kiki – Hard, Rough, Sharp, wet? Or the alternative is full of Bouba – soft, rounded, smooth, blunt, dry. Neither is perfect.
Utopia – Some Kiki, Some Bouba – the mix is personal and depends on a time and place. Do you like a hard chair or a soft one?
This can be used to describe buildings, cities, cloth, beds, food and can transcend to experiences (that was smooth, that was rough). If all food was Bouba – soft, liquified baby food we would crave something Kiki. If all we had to eat was raw dried paster we would want something soft.
Dystopia = All Kiki / Bouba
Utopia = Balanced
Taste – Taste covers sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness and savoriness (umami). Probably due to evolution to ensure our bodies are getting a balance of nutrition which was skewed from the environment we evolved from. For example, we enjoy some tastes more than others because the environment we evolved from had these tastes in short supply. If we eat just sweets (let’s say) we can make ourselves feel sick – too much of one thing isn’t good.
Dystopia – Skewed to one taste profile with no variation, or no taste at all – bland – there is no choice.
Utopia – All tastes available and can be chosen (not forced)
Supposedly most people associate colours with different tastes – red is associated with sweetness, yellow and green with sourness, white with salt, and brown and black with bitterness (not sure what colour umami so I’ll say it’s blue)
Taste is also mixed with odour to make flavour.
Dystopia = Bland
Utopia = Varied
Emotions can be complex and are a result of many factors in the environment. In a dystopian world, emotions are probably erratic or suppressed verging on madness from the point of view of an external observer. In a utopian society, emotions are more likely to be balanced.
Dystopia = Erratic / Suppressed
Utopia = Balanced / Acknowledged
Sport is a great way for a society to focus energies and allow aggression to be released in a positive way. In a dystopian world, sport can be used as a tool of repression (Hunger Games, Logans Run?) in a utopian world it can demonstrate role models to aspire to.
Dystopia = Repression
Utopia = Enjoyable
You may have thought that we would lead with architecture as it is often used to described a dystopian world. It is often depicted with brutalist concrete structures. Utopia is shown to be solarpunk a mixture of textures, colours, with room for flora and fauna.
Dystopia = Brutal
Utopia = Inviting
Weather is something that we do not currently control. In the age climate change our weather will become more erratic. In utopia we would expect relatively clam weather that is predictable. In utopia we would likely see extremes, often raining, with storms. Other to the other extreme being a drought.
Dystopia = Extreme
Utopia = Stable
Money is a means to buy things and pay our way in life. Could a society live without money? Well yes, money is a relatively recent invention, especially in the form we have it today.
If money is concentrated in the hands of the few, it leads to significant inequality between the rich and the poor. With a lot of money, you have significant power and control compared to the poor masses. We are not saying money is a bad thing. What we are saying is that if the system is broken, money concentrates in the hands of the few.
Dystopia = Concentrated
Utopia = Shared
The blogs below expand and use the framework described above to analyse and develop storylines with a variety of themes.
Dys-U Story Analysis – Titanic Quantification
Here we will use the Dystopia Utopia framework known as...
Read More