It is a human tendency to go out looking for something that will cause a state of unrest. No matter how comfortable and content you are, there is a 99% chance that you will still be analyzing possibilities for a time when there is at least something that is going wrong. And this trait is clearly reflected in the shows, movies, and stories that we decide to consume. Be it classic novels like George Orwell’s 1984; shows like Love, Death + Robots, and Black Mirror, or movies like Chaos Walking. We all lean towards stories of the dystopian future.

Let us look at some reasons that might explain people’s obsession with the genre.

People see honesty and caution when they look at dystopian stories like Love, Death + Robots and Black Mirror

Even though any medium of entertainment is popularly believed to be an escape from reality, it is not possible to completely cut your ends with it. In fact, many people look for a depiction of reality when they choose what entertainment to consume. That is primarily the reason stories like Netflix‘s Black Mirror, involving a chaotic future are something they land on. People constantly see the horrors that the political leaders and people in power are capable of. Thus, they see stories of a dystopia not as an escape from reality, but as an accurate portrayal of what may befall them in near future.

And that is the exact reason these are tales of caution. An alarm for them to maybe bring changes to the current society before something as horrific as the story they read/saw happens. Hence, it is not about the obsession to see the world end up in misery. It is about analyzing all ways things can go wrong, and then using that knowledge to avoid the downfall of society.

While the general idea about these stories is that they are primarily pessimistic and negative, it is quite the opposite that they inspire. Sure, dystopian shows and movies are built around a rather destroyed and decoding world. But in reality, they inspire people to do something before reality becomes a resemblance to the story.

The alluring appeal and room for conflict in the stories

Compared to cheerful, utopian stories, dystopian fiction allows room for conflict. Which leaves a very little window for the viewers to get bored of the story. The characters of dystopian stories have a compromised moral compass, which indeed makes their characters more believable. These characters are predominantly flawed, and audiences just accept them the way they are. As it makes them feel more connected to the story, rather than seeing a rather perfect story where nothing goes wrong.

Another reason dystopian stories appeal to the audiences is because of the visuals. The apocalyptic-like backstories arm creators with a license to be as creative as possible for their stories. Add to that the tropes and themes of science fiction and you have the perfect concoction to serve the people. All these images, themes, and visuals stimulate the senses of the viewers. Hence, they are more inclined to these stories.

Tell us which are your favorite shows or movies that belong to the dystopian sci-fi genre?