Isaac Asimov pointed out that Orwell's 1984 wasn't really a complete critique of totalitarianism, but 1984 actually reflects his personal bias against Stalin:
https://www.newworker.org/ncptrory/1984.htm
"Other forms of totalitarianism play a small role. There are one or two mentions of the Nazis and of the Inquisition. At the very start, there is a reference or two to Jews..."
Anyhow, I doubt authors of dystopian novels were really trying to warn us. That genre was obviously conceived with a view of driving people into slavery, serves as a constant reminder that things can only get worse, and deprives people of their desperate escape from reality. The fantasy genre. which seems to occupy most people's attention, is no better, but at least it helps stimulate the artist's creative imagination.
Case in point for dystopian genre achieving the opposite desired effect:
Disney has been milking the Star Wars franchise, endlessly churning out trash, but Andor was praised as a cream in the crop and showrunners boasted that it was the most "realistic" show ever made in a special episode ("A Disney Day Special Look").
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhgXXhcPQEM#t=10m22s
"It's stepping away from this huge feeling of destiny, fate, and mythos that runs through most of the canon."
Translated: It's throwing out the one thing that made Star Wars unique. And no wonder why the franchise went downhill.
A Russian user pointed out to me, "They turn into a brand, and from that time on they lose their identity, uniqueness and destiny. Characters and universes without destiny are usually of no interest to anyone. Their existence is not interesting to follow."
https://old.reddit.com/r/Own_Thyself/com...e/fwtzf65/
"Brand names, logos, famous quotes, etc. all served as touchstones for our remembered reality as they no longer matched a lifetime of experience."
Napoleon reportedly told Goethe, “Why, today, do they keep giving us destiny? There's no destiny, only politics.” Surely Napoleon would've approved of 1984. Like Hitler, these modern showrunners and writers believe art and politics are inseparable. Hitler was influenced by Schopenhauer and Wagner, both of whom believed art should reflect reality. Then they did not fully know what Art was.
Instead of 1984, I'd recommend Asimov's Foundation, which revolves around Harri Sheldon and emphasizes his ideas. Here's one of my favorite quotes from the show:
"Would that happiness have made us complacent? You take the pain and the what-ifs, and you weave them into a narrative that propels you forward."
https://www.newworker.org/ncptrory/1984.htm
"Other forms of totalitarianism play a small role. There are one or two mentions of the Nazis and of the Inquisition. At the very start, there is a reference or two to Jews..."
Anyhow, I doubt authors of dystopian novels were really trying to warn us. That genre was obviously conceived with a view of driving people into slavery, serves as a constant reminder that things can only get worse, and deprives people of their desperate escape from reality. The fantasy genre. which seems to occupy most people's attention, is no better, but at least it helps stimulate the artist's creative imagination.
Case in point for dystopian genre achieving the opposite desired effect:
Disney has been milking the Star Wars franchise, endlessly churning out trash, but Andor was praised as a cream in the crop and showrunners boasted that it was the most "realistic" show ever made in a special episode ("A Disney Day Special Look").
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhgXXhcPQEM#t=10m22s
"It's stepping away from this huge feeling of destiny, fate, and mythos that runs through most of the canon."
Translated: It's throwing out the one thing that made Star Wars unique. And no wonder why the franchise went downhill.
A Russian user pointed out to me, "They turn into a brand, and from that time on they lose their identity, uniqueness and destiny. Characters and universes without destiny are usually of no interest to anyone. Their existence is not interesting to follow."
https://old.reddit.com/r/Own_Thyself/com...e/fwtzf65/
"Brand names, logos, famous quotes, etc. all served as touchstones for our remembered reality as they no longer matched a lifetime of experience."
Napoleon reportedly told Goethe, “Why, today, do they keep giving us destiny? There's no destiny, only politics.” Surely Napoleon would've approved of 1984. Like Hitler, these modern showrunners and writers believe art and politics are inseparable. Hitler was influenced by Schopenhauer and Wagner, both of whom believed art should reflect reality. Then they did not fully know what Art was.
Instead of 1984, I'd recommend Asimov's Foundation, which revolves around Harri Sheldon and emphasizes his ideas. Here's one of my favorite quotes from the show:
"Would that happiness have made us complacent? You take the pain and the what-ifs, and you weave them into a narrative that propels you forward."