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Dystopian Novels
Contributing to the Dystopia Article:

Dystopias are often characterized by dehumanization,[2] tyrannical governments, environmental disaster,[3] or other characteristics associated with a cataclysmic decline in society. Dystopian societies appear in many fictional works and artistic representations particularly in stories set in the future. Some of the most famous examples are George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Dystopian societies appear in many sub-genres of fiction and are often used to draw attention to society, environment, politics, economics, religion, psychology, ethics, science or technology. Some authors use the term to refer to existing societies, many of which are or have been totalitarian states or societies in an advanced state of collapse.

In society [edit source] [icon]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2017) See also: Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction § In society

People Leaving the Cities, artwork by Zbigniew Libera picturing a dystopian future in which people leave dying metropolises Dystopias typically reflect contemporary sociopolitical realities and extrapolate worst-case scenarios as warnings for necessary social change or caution.[14] Dystopian fictions invariably reflect the concerns and fears of its contemporaneous culture.[15] Due to this they are a subject of social studies.[citation needed] Syreeta McFadden notes that contemporary dystopian literature and films increasingly pull their inspiration from the worst imaginings of ourselves and present reality, making it often hard to distinguish between entertainment and reality.[14]

In a 1967 study Frank Kermode suggests that the failure of religious prophecies led to a shift in how society apprehends this ancient mode. Christopher Schmidt notes that while the world goes to waste for future generations we distract ourselves from disaster by passively watching it as entertainment.[16]

In recent years there has seen a surge of popular dystopian young adult literature and blockbuster films.[17][16] Theo James, actor in Divergent, notes that "young people in particular have such a fascination with this kind of story", saying "It's becoming part of the consciousness. You grow up in a world where it's part of the conversation all the time – the statistics of our planet warming up. The environment is changing. The weather is different. There are things that are very visceral and very obvious, and they make you question the future and how we will survive. It's so much a part of everyday life that young people inevitably — consciously or not — are questioning their futures and how the Earth will be. I certainly do. I wonder what kind of world my children's kids will live in."[17]

Some have commented on this trend, saying that "it is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism".[18][19][20][21]

Wikipedia Reflection:

Over the course of learning about wikipedia I've learned a lot that I did not know before. I did not know that there were edits going on constantly and that everyone can make a contribution to one single article. I feel like I have learned that wikipedia is more accurate than I assumed. Anyone could put whatever they wanted into an article but if it inappropriate or incorrect someone else will see it and change it immediately. It is also very helpful when doing background research for papers. I learned that it is not as easy as it seems to edit an article and add good information to it. You have to really do research about the topic before contributing to the article. When editing the article I chose, I thought of it as though it were my paper. I tried to make the article better and more readable and understanding to the audience. I organized the paragraphs a little differently so that the information flowed better and the transitions worked better. I also changed around some sentences because I didn't feel like they were very informative the way that they were put. I felt as though the description of a dystopia should be one of the first things explained in the article because you have to know what it is in order to learn more about it. The wikipedia assignments that we've done are very different from ones that I've done in the past. First you have to learn how to navigate wikipedia which is a challenge in itself so not everyone can just put whatever they want on here. After I learned how to edit and navigate through the website it was very interesting to see how everything works. I think that wikipedia is so different from other assignments because you are actually contributing to the world and putting information out there for others to read and learn. It is like you are helping others through knowledge and putting your work out there for the public which you don't normally do. It is intimidating but it also feels great to know that your information could help others and that you could be making a difference however small it may be.