September Big Read

[rathbone]

Oh perLEEEZE!

lay me down, I'm going to be sick.

Often the consequence of a dystopian society, I've found.

[mr magnolia]

I think I'm out of my depth.

I've used my dictionary and I'm still no wiser! (just as sick though)

[rathbone]

Wikipedia says that a dystopian society usually exhibits at least one of the following traits from the following non-exhaustive list:

social stratification, where social class is strictly defined and enforced, and social mobility is non-existent (see caste system).
a nation-state ruled by an upper class with few democratic ideals
state propaganda programs and educational systems that coerce most citizens into worshipping the state and its government, in an attempt to convince them into thinking that life under the regime is good and just
strict conformity among citizens and the general assumption that dissent and individuality are bad
a state figurehead that people worship fanatically through a vast personality cult
a fear or disgust of the world outside the state
a common view of traditional life, particularly organized religion, as primitive and nonsensical
complete domination by a state religion
the "memory" of institutions overriding or taking precedence over human memory
a penal system that lacks due process laws and often employs psychological or physical torture
a lack of the key essentials of life for many citizens, like food shortages
constant surveillance by government or other agencies
militarized police forces and private security forces
the banishment of the natural world from daily life
construction of fictional views of reality that the populace are coerced into believing
corruption, impotence or other usurpation of democratic institutions
fictional rivalries between groups that actually operate as a cartel
insistence by the forces of the establishment that
it provides the best of all possible worlds
that all problems are due to the action of its enemies and their dupes
An overall slow decay of all systems (polical, economic, religion, infrastructure. . .) resulting from people being alienated from nature, the State, society, family, and themselves. Yesterday was better, tomorrow will be worse.
Everything trends towards zero sum gain relationships rather than non-zero-sum relationships in a slowly decreasing system.

[mr magnolia]

hmm, thanks.

if that's a 'non exhaustive list' then I guess it covers all but utopia?

[mr magnolia]

Just out of interest, did anyone else manage to get through this one, or is just me and rathbone facing each other out from opposite corners?

[Maria]

I read it too Mr M and I'm definitely with Rathbone on this. I loved it too. (My head hurts too much for any deeper comment.)

I passed my copy onto Dada so he may have read some of it by now?

[Epykat]

I'm on your side Mr M. After missing out the recommended 48 pages, the book sort of got kicked under the bed, never to be seen again. Must get under there sometime (New Year's resolution). But now I'm reading Small Island and it's really good