To think that we already live in a dystopian world?

[wheresmymojo]

I've seen a lot of talk about dystopian TV series and possible outcomes of the climate crisis.

But AIBU to say we actually already live in a dystopian world but we're lucky to be in the 'ruling class'?

While we mainly live in our reasonably comfortable bubbles if you actually took things that were happening in the world today and strung them together it would be a perfect dystopian novel....

• BJ in the media offering tax cuts to those earning about £50k while we have 4 million children in poverty

• People being told they are fit to work who then die

• The popularity of cheap clothing which is reliant on large sections of society being in absolute dire poverty to provide the cheap labour (but we don't care and carry on buying)

• The growth of tech companies that have bigger turnovers than many countries GDP and have a global reach beyond any other institution that exists

• The factory farming of animals and genetic modification of them beyond anything nature intended so we can get bigger chicken breasts even if it means the chickens are too large to support their own body weight

• The amount of money pumped into the food industry and levels of obesity while other parts of the world starve

• Wars over oil killing thousands and thousands, even when science says using that oil will contribute to the destruction of the planet

• Rolling back of women's rights in the US so women will have to get across state borders for an abortion if they've been raped

• Arguing about cutting foreign aid while children live by scavenging rubbish dumps in so many countries.

Sorry depressing but it occurred to me that if you put all of this together in a novel it would be pretty clear that we already live in a dystopian world and are just in denial about it...?

Scary times.

I agree.

I think the world has always been this way but is probably the best it's ever been.

For instance, in the not so distant past single mothers would be sent to workhouses would they not?

Don’t be ridiculois

*ridiculous

Typed on your iPhone that not only uses slave labour but has suicide nets in factories.

The only ones to save us is obviously labour

we do not have 4 million children in poverty. That starting point is specious.

the problem is that the fix (markedly reducing consumption) regresses us back to feudal times, and is worse than the issue that is being addressed.

The solution - and it's not a real solution, bit it is the only "solution" - is to accept reduced public services and welfare standards for the rank and file.

"Years and years" made sense up to the stupid last 2 episodes. I thought it was going to end with the meal they were eating being made out of soylent green from the reprocessed erstwhiles - which would have made more sense than a couple of activists successfully undermining a police state.

The control of society was what made sense, not the miraculous escape from the control.

Coincidentally, I watched Greg Wallace "in the factory", where about 3 people were turning out millions of plastic bottles of Ribena., recycling the pre-used bottles to some extent, to supply ready made blackcurrant squash for a relatively small amount (but on the other hand far greater amount than just diluting some squash in your own kitchen)

Amazing how relatively efficient it was to produce and distribute what they were doing, but on the other hand, hardly worth the bother.

Has the world ever been better than it is at this point, now? Has medical knowledge ever been better, or technology? I don’t think so. It’s by no means perfect, but humans have made incredible progress in most arenas.

1.6 million three day food parcels given out in a year.

320,000 people homeless or in insecure accommodation.

This is definitely not the best it's ever been.

we do not have 4 million children in poverty

That's the government's statistic. Are you suggesting they are telling lies?

Remember that poverty is relative, relative to a first world economy where everyone should be able to have a decent standard of living.

People are so blinkered. It's fucking awful. It's actually 3.8 million children in poverty so that makes it all ok.

In "The Thin Red Line", a surprisingly philosophical war movie, there's an ugly scene as soldiers leave the island through an aboriginal village, that contrasts with the same location as paradise at the start of the movie. One of the characters asks himself, has the world changed, or was it always like this, and we just didn't see it before?

In general the world is a better place than it's ever been. If you think otherwise it's probably your perception/knowledge that has changed, rather than the world.

YANBU and it's getting worse. Donald Trump and his inhumane policies, climate change, austerity cuts plunging families into poverty. It's frightening. Yes most of us still live a very comfortable life at the moment, but others are suffering and it feels we are not far from civil unrest..

YANBU and it's getting worse. Donald Trump and his inhumane policies, climate change, austerity cuts plunging families into poverty. It's frightening. Yes most of us still live a very comfortable life at the moment, but others are suffering and it feels we are not far from civil unrest..

Surely you could write similar or worse lists for every other time period in history though?

There are not millions of children in poverty in this country. There might be some with less than others. There are some whose parents don't deserve to have them.

There aren't millions of barefoot urchins without a bed, clothes, shoes, food and drink, and schooling, Sorry - there just aren't. It's scaremongering and ridiculous.

In BBC2 dystopian drama 1990 which was made in the 1970s there is a disability fit for work assesment in the the first episode. This drama has only ever been broadcast once and not repeated so many wont have heard of it.

Donald Trump and Bojo... Russia and NK. Can we not join the laughing stock of leaders please.

Rory Stewart being knocked out just makes me fear even more for the worst now.

@Gth1234 no, love. There are, in exCtly those circumstances. You ignorant muppet.

Plus climate change is about to kill us all yet there is no political will to fix it?! It's insane.

@Gth1234 there certainly are millions of malnourished children in this country, without adequate clothing or support. Rickets is on the increase fgs, you really have no idea do you.

There are not millions in poverty. Just not. There would be hundreds of thousands of school aged kids turning up in rags, and there just aren't. There would be kids with no homes, and there aren't.

Sorry - If there are increased incidences of rickets, it's to do with lack of vitamin D, either by insufficient sunlight, possibly cultural, or inappropriate diet - possibly vegan. A doctor would prescribe vitamin D if asked.

This is just madness, I believe irrational anti-Tory madness.

1.6 million three day food parcels given out in a year.
320,000 people homeless or in insecure accommodation.

Even if the above are true, this will include adults. Children will be a small fraction.

And yet the thread is claiming 4m children in poverty. It's just laughable. It really is.

We have people rowing boats across the channel every day to try and get here. They know they will be looked after.

We have people rowing boats across the channel every day to try and get here. They know they will be looked after

Only because they believe what the traffickers have told them and what they have seen on certain British newspaper websites.

We have a deficit of democracy, following destruction of local government, and a growing wave of authoritarianism. Propaganda and charisma is considered more important than information for ruling the country. Inequality has been rising for decades, and work is no longer a route out of poverty in Britain. Women's rights are under attack, teenage boys are feeling ever more entitled in the sexual arena, violence against women seems to be on the increase and we're hearing excuses for it allowed in law in a way that hasn't been acceptable since the 80s. Climate change is becoming unstoppable. I can't see much to be hopeful about at the moment.