Talk:Dystopia

Skip to table of contents

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Dystopia article.
This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject.

Put new text under old text. Click here to start a new topic.
New to Wikipedia? Welcome! Learn to edit; get help.

Article policies

Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL

Archives: 1: 2 years

Dystopia is a former featured article candidate. Please view the links under Article milestones below to see why the nomination was archived. For older candidates, please check the archive.

Article milestones
Date	Process	Result
November 8, 2004	Featured article candidate	Not promoted

Philosophy: Social and political Mid‑importance

This article is within the scope of WikiProject Philosophy, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of content related to philosophy on Wikipedia. If you would like to support the project, please visit the project page, where you can get more details on how you can help, and where you can join the general discussion about philosophy content on Wikipedia.PhilosophyWikipedia:WikiProject PhilosophyTemplate:WikiProject PhilosophyPhilosophy

Mid

This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

Associated task forces:
/
	Social and political philosophy

Politics Mid‑importance

	Politics portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Politics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of politics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.PoliticsWikipedia:WikiProject PoliticsTemplate:WikiProject Politicspolitics
Mid	This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

Literature Mid‑importance

	Literature portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Literature, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Literature on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.LiteratureWikipedia:WikiProject LiteratureTemplate:WikiProject LiteratureLiterature
Mid	This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

Science Fiction Top‑importance

	Speculative fiction portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Science Fiction, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of science fiction on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Science FictionWikipedia:WikiProject Science FictionTemplate:WikiProject Science Fictionscience fiction
Top	This article has been rated as Top-importance on the project's importance scale.

Popular culture (inactive)

This article is within the scope of WikiProject Popular culture, a project which is currently considered to be inactive.Popular cultureWikipedia:WikiProject Popular cultureTemplate:WikiProject Popular culturePopular culture

Culture Top‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Culture, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of culture on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.CultureWikipedia:WikiProject CultureTemplate:WikiProject Cultureculture
Top	This article has been rated as Top-importance on the project's importance scale.

Horror Mid‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Horror, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to fictional horror in film, literature and other media on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can edit one of the articles mentioned below, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and contribute to the general Project discussion to talk over new ideas and suggestions.HorrorWikipedia:WikiProject HorrorTemplate:WikiProject Horrorhorror
Mid	This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

dino-topia

I provisionally deleted an addition to the alternative words for dystopia. The addition was "dino-topia". All I can find on the web is a series of books and movie called Dinotopia (cf http://www.dinotopia.com/). If this is used as a real alternative for Dystopia, it seems obscure. Can anyone provide a reference? Notinasnaid 07:50, 10 Jun 2005 (UTC)

new thought: has anyone really thought about how much of that discription matches the ethics and moral values of the united states governement?(note the lack of capital lettering)i just wondered if im alone in this

No, I agree with you wholeheartedly, it does remind me of the years of having a state-comdemned enemy, you know, the communists/terrorists/socialists/anarchists ~~paul

I recently edited an article on an apocalyptic novel titled 'Children of the Dust' that contained a quote referring to humanity as "dinosaurs in bunkers" i have no idea if this is applicable to your question, but it may be a reference ~~tom

Anarchy

The word anarchy used in first sentences suggests that this concept (anarchy) was somehow defined as "nightmare thing", by the person who released the original concept of "dystopia". However this statement about anarchy from first sentences is subsubjective. The article needs a history showing: who used term - "dystopia" in widely known texts or descriptions, as this word can by formed by different people independently, to describe different situations. Previous part of this discussion has some origins of such history. Anarchy for anarchists can mean "utopia".

Weave lists into pop culture?

This is a change I'm not currently able to make, but if anyone is wishing to improve the "see also" section of this article, I would suggest weaving lists of books, movies etc. into the pop culture section to help eliminate the massive list at the article's end :) EndTheWikiEditor (talk) 08:39, 20 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]

done! Mermermery (talk) 19:47, 23 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Wiki Education assignment: The Renaissance

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 14 January 2025 and 24 April 2025. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Mermermery (article contribs). Peer reviewers: Mntagov, PP14763, Quillspire, Pradagirls.

— Assignment last updated by Maude Jolly (talk) 14:30, 25 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Introduction

I am changing the definition of dystopia to what appears as the definition on the merriam webster dictionary. The definition is referenced in the bibliography, but the definition is never up front said in a clear manner. This should be included first. I want to also include the Oxford Dictionary definition as well. It further explains dystopia, and states that it is the opposite of Utopia. Throughout this first section, I have also tweaked the wording slightly to make it more concise and consistent with the tone being used throughout the article.

I also think that the 5th source listed on the Wikipedia page needs to be taken out. After looking at the source myself, it does not seem reliable at all. It also seemed like a very sketchy website.The 6th source is linked to a page that is not found, so this should be taken out as well.The 7th source is not what I would consider a "reliable source" as it is from a ENGL 117 class in Spring 2016, meaning it looks like it was written by a student in a lower level English class, so this should be removed as well. This would explain why the beginning of the Wikipedia feels so sloppy to me. The sources are not there to back the introduction. Mermermery (talk) 16:39, 1 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]

that oxford definition is from 2013; modern definitions seem to avoid defining it as a strict opposite :) MGHNYOW (talk) 18:11, 5 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Evolving Narratives in Dystopian Fiction

Modern dystopian literature isn’t just about brutal regimes and overt oppression, but something that digs into the quieter, more personal ways we resist control. In his article The Value/s of Dystopia: The Handmaid’s Tale and the Anti-Utopian Tradition^[1], Chris Ferns argues that Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale^[2] reshapes our understanding of rebellion.

For instance, the inscription in The Handmaid's Tale “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” scribbled on the floor of Offred’s cupboard. At first, it looks like a throwaway joke to those in power. But for Offred, it’s “a coded inscription, a gesture of defiance from a woman whose death has put her beyond the reach of the State's authority.” This writing becomes a subtle yet powerful form of resistance, a way for the oppressed to share hope and connect in secret. Mermermery (talk) 16:40, 1 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Video Games list in pop culture is broken(?)

A recent edit (March 8th, iirc) changed the lists, and now bioshock is not placed in line with the other bullets. Idk how to fix this, would love someone to help out. A10GoBRRRT9584 (talk) 23:03, 12 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]

^ Leclaire, Jacques (1999), "The Handmaid's Tale : a Feminist Dystopia?", The Handmaid’s Tale, roman protéen, Presses universitaires de Rouen et du Havre, pp. 85–94, ISBN 978-2-87775-251-0, retrieved 2025-03-31
^ Atwood, Margaret, "The Handmaid's Tale: A Feminist Dystopia ?", Lire Margaret Atwood, Presses universitaires de Rennes, pp. 17–30, ISBN 978-2-86847-385-1, retrieved 2025-03-31

[1] Leclaire, Jacques (1999), "The Handmaid's Tale : a Feminist Dystopia?", The Handmaid’s Tale, roman protéen, Presses universitaires de Rouen et du Havre, pp. 85–94, ISBN 978-2-87775-251-0, retrieved 2025-03-31

[2] Atwood, Margaret, "The Handmaid's Tale: A Feminist Dystopia ?", Lire Margaret Atwood, Presses universitaires de Rennes, pp. 17–30, ISBN 978-2-86847-385-1, retrieved 2025-03-31

[1]

[2]