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DEATH OF UTOPIA
Some people get scared by Stephen King.
I get scared by George Orwell.
Where Utopia is the
land of dreams, Dystopia is the land of nightmares.
Today, most sci-fi tales are depictions of chilling, dehumanised
societies. Star Trek seems to be the only remaining
defender of Utopia.
One explanation might be the
forbidden charm of Dystopia, especially in cyberpunk
litterature and cinema. Although we don't really want to live
in the gloomy and violent Los Angeles in Blade Runner,
there is something exotic and appealing with the kaleidoscopic
neon streets, the motley street crowds, the flying jet cars,
the monstrous art deco architecture. Dystopias are simply more
exciting...
Another explanation might be
the world is turning faster. The acceleration of technology
and globalisation removes all boundaries and makes it difficult
to predict the future. Maybe we have reached an important
turning point where our dreams as well as our nightmares may
come true. Maybe we ought to be careful.
Let's all pray those dark visions
of the future are fantasies and not prophecies. Nevertheless,
they might be warnings and perhaps we should listen to them.
It is a bitter truth: It takes forever to realise a dream,
but a nightmare can come true really fast. We better be vigilant
and keep an eye on those in charge.
Remember, Big Brother
might be watching you this very moment.
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MY
MODEST VISION The purpose
of Exploring Dystopia is not to kill time, play with web
editors, stimulate the ego, build a virtual momument or
something like that. The
raison d'être of Exploring Dystopia is simply to promote
dystopian fiction, thus stimulating people to think for
themselves.
Dystopian fiction is quality
science fiction: innovative and imaginative, political and
critical, realistic and alarming. As such, it engenders
intellectual growth, vivid imagination, political awareness and
basic solidarity. It may tell
us something both about our own time and days to come. In a nutshell,
dystopian fiction may be a means to expand as a human being. I
honestly believe that.
The approach to dystopian
fiction is usually either esoteric or shallow, and I want to
avoid that on Exploring Dystopia. I want this site to be a rich source of information and inspiration, entertainment and
analysis. Everyone fascinated by dystopias should be able to find something of
interest. As long as there is a dystopian angle, everything
goes.
I also want this site to be, however pretentious it may sound, a battle cry
for democracy and humanism. I believe we take these things for granted
today and tend to forget what the alternative is.
If you wish to participate in
this project, don't hesitate to to contact me. Exploring
Dystopia is a thematic site, but I'm always open for
suggestions, even weird ones...
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