New Orbit Magazine: Issue 04, October 2018

The idea of progress, especially
technological progress runs through a lot of
dystopia and is often used as a metaphor for
humans natural urge for progression and
betterment. Though these values should be
good in themselves, they are often villainized
in dystopia. Technology has become our
modern Frankenstein, a symbol of humans
‘playing God’ and giving themselves more
power than they know how to handle. The
power technology holds in our society is
inarguable. Very few industries do not utilize
it and without it, society would collapse.
However, I am skeptical of the notion that
technology has somehow altered the essence
of humanity.
There’s always been a small place in my
heart for dystopias. Part of this may come
down to morbid fascination with the dark
and dreary. But I think it’s more likely that
my love for dystopia comes from my curiosity
about humanity in general. Dystopias rely on
tropes such as tyrannical government,
oppressive society and suppression of free
speech, but that’s not really what they’re
about. At their hearts dystopias are about
humanity and the way it triumphs, or fails to
triumph over oppressive circumstances. This
exploration of humanity has always captured
me, and I think it’s the foundation of most
literature, not just dystopia. The debate about
human nature has been ongoing and ever
changing since the beginning of time. In this
particular debate, the only certainty is that we
will certainly be having it forever. But taking
our ideas and shaping them into cohesive
stories for people to read, critique, argue and
agree with, is in my mind, one of the most
important things we could be doing.