[DID YOU KNOW]: During moments of uncertainty in the world, we see a rise in talk about dystopian literature?
Dystopian literature has evolved to keep up with the happenings of the world
World War I
Dropping of Atomic Bomb
Fear of losing women's rights
Presidential Inauguration and Covid-19
1914
1945
1980
2016-
1925
1971
2001
Rise of Fascism in Europe
First personal computer
9/11
Rise of
Political Dystopias
Continuation of
Political Dystopias
Rise of
Nuclear Dystopias
Rise of
Technological Dystopias
Rise of
Medical Dystopias
Continuation of
Political Dystopias
Rise in popularity of
Classic Dystopias
Dystopias are our real life fire drills
We aren't escaping from the chaos, but finding ways to prepare for it
Tool 1: Mirrors to reality
They offer an exaggerated form of current societal issues but also give readers a way to safely examine it.
"The books hold up a terrible kind of mirror: This is what our society could be life if we became desensitized to trauma and to each other's pain."
- Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games
"Everything in the book has precedent. I didn't put in anything human beings haven't done, somewhere, sometime."
- Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale
Tool 2: Emotional Outlets
Even though dystopias have desperate moments, they offer an emotional release while also suggesting that humanity and hope can endure pain and sorrow.
"I don't know if people are reading for solace or for intellectual pursuit. I think it really depends on the mood that they're in."
- Jessamine Chan, author of The School for Good Mothers
"There are limits to this, of course, but fiction has helped me through some very difficult times in my life. After about 2 decades, it still provides comfort
- Reddit User r/AO3
Tool 3: Mental Simulations
These scenarios give readers practice of how they would respond if these disasters came to fruition.
"I think people respond to dystopian stories because they're ways of acting out anxieties that we have and fears that we have about the future. So much media is coming at you over the internet, your brain gets overloaded. You don't know what to do with it. And one thing you can do with it is read a story."
- Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games
"People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it."
- Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451
Tool 4: Moral Reflection and Growth
Dystopian narratives can influence moral perspective and increase justification for protest and political action.
"We are watching America slip into dystopia, with too many people either consenting or choosing to turn a blind eye."
- Neal Shusterman, author of Unwind
"The beauty of dystopia is that it lets us vicariously experience future worlds - but we still have the power to change our own."
- Ally Condie, author of Matched
Those who read this type of literature are activists in their own way
They think climate change is a serious threat
They keep up to date with current news and affairs
They've attended some sort of political rally, speech, or protest
They claim they always vote in elections
[KPIs: KACEY'S PROFESSIONAL IMPLICATIONS]
1.
2.
3.
Brands that feel overly automated, optimized, or AI-heavy risk feeling dystopian themselves.The opportunity is to lean into warmth, imperfection, and human connection as a competitive edge.
Brands can’t sell optimism without acknowledging anxiety
Brands that tap into these underlying anxieties (without exploiting them) can feel deeply relevant.This means moving beyond surface-level trends and into cultural truths that feel slightly uncomfortable but real.