Which of these "Dystopian Society" stories did you read/study in school, or for pleasure; and which might reflect on U.S. Society today?

[devildavid]

I read a short story that still applies to any society at any time in history: "The Lottery", by Shirley Jackson.

 

[soylentgreen]

Probably no surprise, but I am going to go with Soylentgreen. Does not reflect america today but it would not surprise me if the american government tried that as a solution to over population.

 

[TurtleDude]

I read it so long ago I can't remember the circumstances of the content of book itself. But I do recall it being a very enjoyable read. The one things that sticks with me is the digestive problems of a character and the sticky, steamy environment.

What I remember was how most of the colonial history of the country was compressed into several, generations of the same family-such as the grandmother remembering the conquistadors

 

[Captain Adverse]

Literally every society that has ever existed has had push and pull between these two forces. If your assumption is true, then its always been 1984.

Not "1984," like "Harrison Bergeron."

1984 is how a society is controlled by an elite who have identified both an external Enemy (one of the other two "nations) and a permanent internal enemy of social rebels (labeled "Goldstein') who have to be re-educated.

Those drugs are not forced on people, nor are people bred for certain tasks.

They are not forced on people in Brave New World either. If one wants they could live in the "wild lands."

Companies seek markets, A Brave New World did not have companies though.

Drugs are developed by pharmaceutical companies. "Soma" is a drug used to keep people "happy and content" in Brave New World. It is a natural reflection of the myriad legal and illegal drugs on the market today.

American society is full of people going "if this continues we will get x" and then every 20 years or so, society changes focus on something else and those old trends die. That's why movies like Network, soylent green, or THX1138 are so quaint (even though the news agency from Network can resemble Fox News if you squint).

And yet as little as 2o years ago we did not have all this divisive "equity, diversity, inclusion" which actually holds people back to let others succeed.

The Bible, a manual on Microsoft Power Bi, and a copy of Earthdawn 4ed Players Guide(its a role playing game).

Is this your added books list?

I am talking about what actually happened, not what was promised. In Animal farm, there was a period of time where life was communist and things were shared. In real life outside a commune here and there, it's never happened.

LOL Only very briefly, and only because the "pigs" kept everyone else deluded with rhetoric, while they were becoming "more equal than others."

 

[Josie]

I read short story that still applies to any society at any time in history: "The Lottery", by Shirley Jackson.

Yes. Love that one.

 

[Parrish]

@Captain Adverse , your point?

 

[Josie]

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7

7. (for class) Island of the Blue Dolphins (this may have been in middle school), Stanley Yelnats, The works of Robert Frost, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

7. (for pleasure) 1-4 of the wheel of time series by Robert Jordan, pretty much anything by Robert Heinlein, the encyclopedia my parents had in the upstairs hallway, The bunnicula series, the tao te ching, arabian nights, the bible, zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, naked lunch, tao of winnie the pooh, the te of tigger, the works of confucious, the foundations and robot series from asimov, do androids dream of electric sheep, pretty much everything by David Eddings, pretty much anything by Terry Goodkind, Xanth series, anything related to AD&D 2e and Palladium Rifts games, anything Tolkien, probably some other stuff (this is just what I remember at the moment),

Current society reflects none of those books.

1. Is literally impossible given human nature, the drive that many have to be individualists would make this scenario impossible.
2. Requires advanced genetic engineering, so that's not happening with the current technology
3. I don't hear any ball-peen hammers, do you?
4. I have three books I can reach right now

6. There was never a communist revolution where all were equal that then got perverted, as far as I know, in the history of the world

Holes?

 

[Slartibartfast]

Not "1984," like "Harrison Bergeron."

1984 is how a society is controlled by an elite who have identified both an external Enemy (one of the other two "nations) and a permanent internal enemy of social rebels (labeled "Goldstein') who have to be re-educated.

I've read the book. Its not happening.

They are not forced on people in Brave New World either. If one wants they could live in the "wild lands."

Giving them that sort of ultimatum is an example of force.

Drugs are developed by pharmaceutical companies. "Soma" is a drug used to keep people "happy and content" in Brave New World. It is a natural reflection of the myriad legal and illegal drugs on the market today.

See above, drugs in our society are voluntary, in fact they are often highly expensive on top of being voluntary.

And yet as little as 2o years ago we did not have all this divisive "equity, diversity, inclusion" which actually holds people back to let others succeed.

And we still don't.

Is this your added books list?

Earthdawn 4ed didnt exist when I was in high school (I think it was at its first edition) and Microsoft Power BI did not exist back then either.

LOL Only very briefly, and only because the "pigs" kept everyone else deluded with rhetoric, while they were becoming "more equal than others."

Even briefly, the book is still ahistorical.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Holes?

yup, that one, I just was remembering the protagonist's name.

 

[Josie]

yup, that one, I just was remembering the protagonist's name.

Great book.

 

[devildavid]

Not "1984," like "Harrison Bergeron."

1984 is how a society is controlled by an elite who have identified both an external Enemy (one of the other two "nations) and a permanent internal enemy of social rebels (labeled "Goldstein') who have to be re-educated.

They are not forced on people in Brave New World either. If one wants they could live in the "wild lands."

Drugs are developed by pharmaceutical companies. "Soma" is a drug used to keep people "happy and content" in Brave New World. It is a natural reflection of the myriad legal and illegal drugs on the market today.

And yet as little as 2o years ago we did not have all this divisive "equity, diversity, inclusion" which actually holds people back to let others succeed.

Is this your added books list?

LOL Only very briefly, and only because the "pigs" kept everyone else deluded with rhetoric, while they were becoming "more equal than others."

No evidence that anyone is held back to let others succeed. Sorry, we can't use a highly skilled person to help our company compete and succeed. We need to stock up on diverse failures because we want to go bankrupt. I guess that's what caused the failure of crooked investment firms. Too much diversity.

 

[Josie]

I don't remember who said it, but someone on this forum said the dystopian novel we are the closest to is Hunger Games. I laughed out loud.

Edit: Oh, here it is: https://debatepolitics.com/threads/...tary-for-the-us.334053/page-3#post-1069162550

I'm sorry -- I had to stop right here and comment.

We're closer to the Hunger Games than any other dystopian storyline? Really?? I find that actually pretty hilarious. We are close to entire states being starved to death by the government and randomly drawing victims/citizens of that state to battle it out for food by killing citizens of other states once a year? LOL!

 

[Helix]

That's a pretty good list of books. I'll add The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King.) Go, Go Garraty : Maine's Own. It's as good as it was when i was 17 every time i read it.

 

[Centrist]

I love the idealogues freaking out: "What is your position" ???

Is torture for the idealogue to not agree or argue with them. This is what they are programmed for. Agree or argue.

I hope you don't tell us your point and keep that mistery to yourself.

Great list. Will add to my notes.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Man this thread is making me remember books I need to add to my goodreads list.

Stephen king was mentioned, so there's the dark tower, the stand, the mist, and the shining while in high school as well.

 

[Captain Adverse]

That's a pretty good list of books. I'll add The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King.) Go, Go Garraty : Maine's Own. It's as goos as it was when i was 17 every time i read it.

Never read that one. I see it's by Stephen King writing under a pseudonym. I'll check it out. Thanks.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Lately I have been trying to read anything Neil Gaiman who is my current favorite author.

American Gods is a gem and I would recommend it to anyone.

 

[Helix]

Never read that one. I see it's by Stephen King writing under a pseudonym. I'll check it out. Thanks.

I think that you'll like it. I read it as part of The Bachman Books compilation. Roadwork is also a favorite of mine.

 

[Josie]

@Captain Adverse , your point?

Seems that the point is to let everyone know what dystopian novels you read and which ones you think might reflect on US society today.

 

[Captain Adverse]

Seems that the point is to let everyone know what dystopian novels you read and which ones you think might reflect on US society today.

Exactly.

It's not like the purpose was hidden, or less than obvious.

 

[MaryP]

I don't think we are "like" any of the dystopian books listed in the poll, but each of them makes points that I'm reminded of at times. When they cloned the sheep, I thought of Brave New World. Alexa made me think of the spying tv sets in 1984. I think of Farenheit 451 everytime another book is banned from a library or school.

 

[Captain Adverse]

I don't think we are "like" any of the dystopian books listed in the poll, but each of them makes points that I'm reminded of at times. When they cloned the sheep, I thought of Brave New World. Alexa made me think of the spying tv sets in 1984. I think of Farenheit 451 everytime another book is banned from a library or xchool.

I don't think any one book I listed reflects American society.

I think each of them reflects something the author saw brewing in either their own society or the times, and tried to express how such roots can eventually express in a future reality.

I think there are roots growing in American society from each and who knows where they might lead if not addressed.

 

[MaryP]

I don't think any one book I listed reflects American society.

I think each of them reflects something the author saw brewing in either their own society or the times, and tried to express how such roots can eventually express in a future reality.

I think there are roots growing in American society from each and who knows where they might lead if not addressed.

Good way to put it.

 

[Josie]

I don't think we are "like" any of the dystopian books listed in the poll, but each of them makes points that I'm reminded of at times. When they cloned the sheep, I thought of Brave New World. Alexa made me think of the spying tv sets in 1984. I think of Farenheit 451 everytime another book is banned from a library or school.

I remember my high school English teacher saying he thought 1984 was more how Europe would be in the future and Brave New World was more like how the US would be. Not sure on that one. None of the dystopian novels that I've read has predicted, as a whole, a modern day society. Not a novel, but I do remember watching Back to the Future II back in the 80s and thinking it would be cool to see whoever I was talking to on the phone.

Did any dystopian novel predict anything like the internet?

 

[MaryP]

I remember my high school English teacher saying he thought 1984 was more how Europe would be in the future and Brave New World was more like how the US would be. Not sure on that one. None of the dystopian novels that I've read has predicted, as a whole, a modern day society. Not a novel, but I do remember watching Back to the Future II back in the 80s and thinking it would be cool to see whoever I was talking to on the phone.

Did any dystopian novel predict anything like the internet?

I was interested that you studied The Giver in school. I read it with one of my students not knowing anything about it (there just happened to be two copies on the shelf) and we read a chapter each time and wrote down our thoughts/reactions. Very informal. It was fun.

What freaked me out when all was said and done was that all that stuff in their society no doubt started with the very best intentions.