(Warning: This post discusses the general state of the world. It covers topics including but NOT limited to: the far-right, general bigotry, rape, abortion, violence.)
The year is 2019.
In America, a reality TV star, and well-documented sexual predator* (by his own admission,) is enjoying his third year of power.
*(Warning: Link discusses rape and sexual assault)
Backed by the Russians, this son of a KKK supporter holds on despite numerous scandals and allegations.
In the South of the country, cisgender women and people with uteruses (uteri..? I can never figure out which one to use,) are subjugated when Alabama decides their bodies belong to the state, to the cisgender men who legislate there.
Alabama claims to be pro-life, and supports the death penalty. They cannot see the irony.
Arkansas makes steps in the same direction. (Warning: Link discusses rape.)
Across the country people who are different are made to feel afraid.
People's rights are slowly stripped away. People have no access to affordable healthcare. Life is a pre-existing condition.
And yet many cling on to their guns despite the graves of their children, thinking that a wall will somehow solve their problems.
The year is 2019.
In the UK, lies breed more lies. Against a backdrop of political confusion, fascists take advantage of the uncertainty to spread their venom.
A toad posing as a man, abandoning his previous racist and bigoted party, begins another one. Despite his vile and potentially corrupt qualities, people still listen to him.
Exploiting a loophole, he gains members of the National Assembly for Wales.
He takes his corrosive heart to the place where the Red Flag was first raised for a workers' rising, and to the place where men were martyred for their Socialist beliefs.
Despite standing, in his own words, for Anglo-Saxons (mostly White, and ethnically English,) he somehow finds support amongst local Welsh people.
They betray the sacrifices of their people - people who fought against fascism when it was illegal to fight against fascism - by listening to this bitter bile.
The year is 2019.
Back in Westminster, a man who wants to be Lenin, and a woman who can't seem to win, end their cross-party talks on Brexit. No-one knows what will happen to the country.
In Northern Ireland, same-sex couples cannot marry, abortion is still banned, and blood is still spilt by a Catholic/Protestant divide.
Scotland meanwhile is pulled into a decision - to leave the EU - that it voted against.
The year is 2019.
Across Europe, the far-right gains traction.
People drown trying to achieve a better life, fleeing from war and persecution. Many are from countries which were once Europe's play-things.
The US cages children and calls it good.
The year is 2019.
The planet is dying.
Carbon chokes the atmosphere while air pollution chokes the people. Plastic clogs the oceans.
The reality TV president claims the changing climate is a lie, ignoring the increase in hurricanes and wildfires, ignoring the rising sea-levels, melting ice-caps, and rising global temperatures.
While human dramas play out across the globe, the world itself is dying. It kills as it falls.
The year is 2019.
And we have to ask ourselves... is this what dystopia looks like?
And if we have to ask... does that mean we're already there?
The year is 2019.
And there is still hope. There are still wonderful people in the world. There is still a movement towards inclusion and tolerance.
As long as there is a single person still (metaphorically... sometimes literally, but mostly metaphorically) fighting, then the fight is not over.
The year is 2019. And where there is life, there is hope.
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Last updated: 29th May 2019
Great post and I love all of the topics included because they all make a point. It bottles my mind why people care what others do. If it has nothing to do with your life, then stay out of it. A lot of it gets my blood boiling but like you said, there are so many people fighting for those rights and to help the planet.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! And so very true <3
DeleteWithout a doubt, when I read this post title I thought you were gonna be breaking down books and whether or not they fall into the dystopia category. BUT THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER.
ReplyDeleteHaha, books on a book blog?! That's the kind of radical thinking we need around here ;) And thank you! I'm glad you weren't disappointed :)
DeleteIt heartens me that so many people haven't given up, because it can be depressing at times. Climate change denial just kills me, not to mention the other things going on in this country!
ReplyDeleteGiving up's for the fascists ;) the rest of us are in for the long haul!!! XD
DeleteThis is an amazing post, Cee Arr. I think a lot of us do feel isolated by the extent of what is happening in our countries and around the world. It's difficult to find the hope needed to work towards an opposite future to the one it seems we're headed for.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! <3
DeleteI think that a lot of what we're seeing is fear and backlash to tolerance... which just creates more fear. Fear can motivate people to do some very not-good things, and we have to come at things from a place of love and hope! :)
Thanks - and I totally agree. These are the problems of 50+ years ago - problems we thought we were moving passed. But the far-right will always lean on hardship to demonise others and capitalise on fear - we just have to be the light in the dark!
ReplyDelete