Science Fiction: Utopia And Dystopian Societies

The topic of utopias have always been an interesting topic for philosophers throughout time. Many ideas and perfect laws have been discussed, however every man’s virtue, is another’s vice and there are disagreements. Both Plato’s The Republic and More’s Utopia heavily discuss their ideas of a perfect society. Their thoughts on a utopia have plenty similarities, more specifically in gender relations. They believe that for a society to truly be equal women must work as much as men and that both men and women should have an education. Plato and More, two very progressive philosophers for their time, convey ideas that defied conventions at the time, however both were still influenced greatly by traditions and while their views seem extreme yet

Although comparing one society to another does not require them to be different in government or human behavior, it does necessarily weight one’s faults against its victories to render it better or worse than the other. This comparative structure, found between Thomas More’s two books of Utopia, poses the country of Utopia opposite the broader communities of world civilization. Despite the comparison of Utopia as distinct from and morally better than widespread society, in truth Utopia is, at best, an extension.

Each person has their own vision of utopia. Utopia means an ideal state, a paradise, a land of enchantment. It has been a central part of the history of ideas in Western Civilization. Philosophers and writers continue to imagine and conceive plans for an ideal state even today. They use models of ideal government to express their ideas on contemporary issues and political conditions. Man has never of comparing the real and ideal, actuality and dream, and the stark facts of human condition and hypothetical versions of optimum life and government.

Dystopia and Utopia can be explored in many forms of media such as artwork, film, music, poetry and even dance. The easiest and most vivid way to depict these genres to the audience is in films. Films specifically incorporate visual symbolism through colors and settings and screenshot width and filters. Films may also incorporate a subliminal message to the reader through background music used in different scenes. Displaying utopian and dystopian societies through film leaves some imagination to the audience while allowing them to visually compare with the real world around them. For the purpose of exploring aspects of utopia and dystopia through films, I have chosen the films Metropolis by Fritz Lang (1927) and the episode Nosedive from

A dystopian society is described as being a community or society that is undesirable or frightening ("Dystopian - Dictionary Definition"). In the book 1984, there was a man name Winston who is the main character. He lived in London, and it is called Oceania. The people there were under control of Big Brother. They were watched everywhere they went and everything that they said. Everyone had to be careful what they did. Posters were everywhere, and they said “BIg Brother is Watching You”. This made everyone feel that there were eyes and ears that they could not see. Winston did not like what the Government was doing, and he wanted to rebel. In the movie Divergent, the main character is Tris, and she is part of Abnegation. There are five factions that people must be sorted into. The factions are: Abnegation, Erudite, Dauntless, Amity, and Candor. Tris takes her tests and finds out that her mind is divergent which means different. She

Have you ever wondered if you lived in a perfect society? A young boy named Jonas lived in the perfect world. After becoming the next receiver he starts to realize that his perfect world isn’t so perfect after all. The Giver by Lois Lowry, explains how a Utopian world would really be. The most important differences between Utopian Society in The Giver and dystopian society are Rituals, Assignments, and Families.

Living in a Utopian Bubble A society should be made up of different people, ages, religions, color, and freedom and not in a world where everyone is the same, have restricted freedoms, and where everyone worships one individual. In both, 1984 by George Orwell and North Korea are both examples of that type of society, called a dystopia. A dystopia is “an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives” (“Dystopia”) and a utopia is “a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions” (“Utopia”). I believe that utopias become dystopias, because no place can be perfect. Places that want to become utopias often try too hard to make people believe that they live in the perfect world.

Numerous societies may attempt to construct an ideal utopia, but very few are able to get close to achieving such an unattainable goal. A populace must strive to practice principles of excellent standards in order to come out on top in the face of other civilizations. Taking that into account, Anarres’ society in Ursula LeGuin’s The Dispossessed is more utopian compared to the novels contrasting society of Urras and the modern World Sate in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World because it maximizes freedom and minimizes selfishness.

As time goes on, attempts at a utopian society have failed and that means that not only have utopias been created but that dystopias have arrised. Each one is set and planned to be a utopia that only ends up taking another course and turning into a dystopian society. Utopia simply means “an ideal place or state”, where as a dystopia is the opposite (“utopia”). Dystopias is “a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding” (“dystopia”). Utopias usually end up becoming dystopias because everyone has their own vision of what they want their “perfect” place to be. Somebody’s perfect form of life is different than another person’s form or vision. A utopia is supposed to accommodate to everyone in the

Every society has the makings to be either a Dystopia or a Utopia. Thomas More outlines why he thinks his society is corrupt, and identifies the causes for its corruptness and suggests possible solutions. More talks about the differences in citizens and thievery, corrupt governments, and the problem with equality as a result of private property, between his society and the Utopia. However, many of the problems faced in More’s society still cause problems today.

In the technological age the World is in today, it is not hard to imagine a life built on the idea of total perfection. As more innovations come about and humanity continues to technologically progress toward a “perfect world” mankind is actually closing the gap between emotion and dystopia. A utopia gone astray is displayed in Aldous Huxley 's novel Brave New World. The technological advances used to pursuit a flawless society ultimately cause the deterioration of human relationships.

Things do not happen, things are made to happen. Once said by J.F Kennedy. He was talking about progress happening not to stay in one ideal. In foreign countries the United States is seen as a perfect place to live in. The truth is that it's a good place to live in but it does have its flaws. Many reasons contribute to the United States being a utopian–dystopian.

Today, we live in a world that people do not consider perfect. Different problems are the opinions concerning our government, climate change, gun control, and many more. Over the years, people have tried to solve problems like these and achieve utopias, ideal societies. Many disagree on whether it is possible to achieve these communities. Although utopias are ideal, they are not possible to achieve because they do not fit in with society’s current trend of technological advances.b

The world which people survive on has many intrications, wars, corruption and other terrible cases. These cases create dystopian elements. People are affected these cases and they made evil things intentionally or unintentionally. They create for themselves a worse world by themselves. Thus, some people need to transform these dystopian to utopian elements by dreaming the new world. People dream a better world. In this short story, the narrator has combined utopian and dystopian worlds. There are some parts of this short story which demonstrate us this combination.

The world in any society has two sides, Utopia which is defined as the perfect world and the peaceful life that is free from disasters. This word " Utopia " is derived from Greek roots by Sir Thomas More which means "a good place" (More 37). Merriam Webster defined Utopia as "an imaginary place, all life aspects are perfect, as the world suffers from nothing" (Webster 19). while Dystopia is defined as an imagined universe in which the unequal society controls the fancy of an ideal society which are maintained through technological, moral, corporate or totalitarian control " Beauty of dystopia is that it lets us vicariously experience future worlds but we still have the power to change our own" (Condie 75). in which the genre challenges utopia’s