People Are Calling Out "Normal" Things In The US That Are Actually Dystopian, And It's So Messed Up
The other day, redditor u/OBAMAisLIFE asked, "What's something that is accepted as normal, but is really dystopian when you think about it?" People shared tons of things that are "normal" in society that are actually bizarre or seriously dark, and it will have you questioning everything. Here are the eye-opening results:
1."All of those 'feel-good stories' about people working extra super duper hard just to barely scrape by."
"'Kids make business to help another disabled child buy a wheelchair.' 'Teacher runs out of PTO days fighting cancer so the whole school district started to donate sick days.' 'Man walks 15 miles for a job interview, community raises money for a bicycle.'"
2."Subscription for everything."
"Basically the concept of ownership is disappearing."
3."Ads everywhere you look 24/7."
"I was watching a YouTube video on my TV earlier today and was interrupted by an ad, while the guy in the video was talking about the sponsor of the video. I literally got an ad within an ad, and I actually remember thinking, before seeing this thread, how it was kind of dystopian how we’ve gotten used to this."
4."The amount of trash we humans produce — how distanced we are from the natural world."
5."In the US, the only affordable healthcare is tied to your work. Employers will often avoid giving those benefits by making people 'part-time' on paper while working them full-time or more. Private healthcare is outrageously expensive, though, so your choices for getting care are to pray you have a good job with a decent plan or go bankrupt for even small issues. And your work insurance can still deny your claim, so you might be bankrupt anyway with how expensive healthcare is. The US is a nightmare."
"Your ability to access health care is directly tied to your or your spouse's employer. Decisions about your health care are made by a company whose first responsibility is to its shareholders, not to sick people. Flu shots and dental cleanings are given to you because they cost little and are likely to keep you in the workforce, paying your premiums. It gets dicier after that."
6."Cameras everywhere...1984."
"A combination of CCTV (video surveillance), doorbell cams, in-home cameras, dash cams and when they're not around, the humble smartphone cam."
"The complete lack of privacy we have in 2023. People can record you in public for their TikTok, and everyone will say, 'BUT ITS LEGAL!!!'"
7."Running out of sick days, so you work sick."
8."Jailing people for stealing food while throwing away tons more every day."
"In Canada, we have a grocery store chain called Loblaws, and many workers have to go to food banks. Imagine working at a store that sells food and not being able to afford to eat. So ridiculous."
9."Reality TV. Remember when EDtv and The Truman Show came out, and everyone was like, 'Wow! What a wild concept — a normal person whose life is filmed 24/7 and strangers get emotionally invested in this unremarkable person’s daily life!'"
10."The prevalence of social media in daily life."
"The rhetoric and life behind social media. It's totally a landscape that determines your worth by how others feel about you. It's kinda scary the more you see its use."
11."Homelessness in countries with enough money to keep it from happening."
"This and poverty in general. If you take care of your most vulnerable citizens, it would have a positive ripple effect on many other areas that negatively impact society."
12."Working full-time for a wage that won't support a family."
13."Factory farming. Utterly horrific."
"My mom today was saying, 'Did you hear that prices of bacon are gonna go up in California because they're going to make it required to be farmed humanely?' Saying that the state shouldn't be able to tell people how to farm, and I'm like, 'I don't see a ban on inhumane farming to be a problem.' Some people don't understand that animals are living things with the ability to feel, and we just torture them so we can have a salty snack."
14."Corporations being considered people and having more rights than real human beings."
—Anonymous
15."Credit scores."
16."The way big companies have conditioned us to say things we pay for are free. 'You can watch it for free on Netflix.' 'It's free if you purchase this bundle.' 'They keep updating the game, the next DLC (downloadable content) is free!' Any time you say something is free, try saying 'it's included' short for 'included in the base price.'"
And finally...
17."The cost of rent. Or mortgages. Or the wealth gap. And the way minimum wage was ignored for decades while the top 1% took higher and higher raises and bonuses while paying very little to no tax. Trickle down economics."
What are some other "normal" things in society that are actually dystopian — or seriously messed up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
