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Claudia Befu's avatar

Dystopian stories are speculations on the future based on current events. Unfortunately, many condemn dystopian stories claiming that they negatively shape narratives about the future. I think it’s a mistake to blame writers for observing society as it is. I wish I could see utopian futures spinning out of the present without having to go through pain and, yes, dystopia first. But I can’t see such paths into the future.

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𝐂𝐁 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧's avatar

You are so right. I don’t see a path either. Unfortunately we seem closer to the dystopian future now…

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Kate Schieber's avatar

Thanks for this. CB

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𝐂𝐁 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧's avatar

Did you learn something new? I feel like we never talked about how the future β€œhistory” played out to get from now to the future…

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Neela 🌢️'s avatar

Sometimes writers aren't really prophets but careful observers, just connecting dots the rest of us are too busy to notice.

It’s that idea about 'we' versus 'me' that really resonatesβ€”how do you write about a future divided when the present can’t even agree on what happened yesterday? Thank you for sharing.

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𝐂𝐁 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧's avatar

Sometimes observing the present feels like observing the past as we keep spinning in circles…

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𝐂𝐁 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧's avatar

I’ll have to check that one out!

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Larry Hogue's avatar

Great insights! And I see we both have autonomous zones in our novels. I think the first one I read about was in William Gibson's Sprawl trilogy.

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