tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post6575775444340628329..comments2024-03-22T12:11:58.453-06:00Comments on Michael Offutt: A Discussion About DystopiaMichael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-29318530840960226342012-02-01T23:31:07.966-07:002012-02-01T23:31:07.966-07:00Dystopian fiction nowadays is actually a glamorize...Dystopian fiction nowadays is actually a glamorized place where a handful of social issues are highlighted, but also mitigated because there's something 'cool' going on. Like wearing flame dresses or taking people down with bows and arrows. It's not any more distressing to read than other types of fiction. And I say this as someone whose current WIP could be construed as dystopian.<br /><br />Now, your real-life dystopian examples on the other hand...I found that hard to read...Annalise Greenhttp://annalisegreen.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-77181557903721822812012-01-29T15:38:03.125-07:002012-01-29T15:38:03.125-07:00Am I drawn to the sickness of humanity for a good ...Am I drawn to the sickness of humanity for a good story? No. If the story is "sick" in any way, I can't stomach it.<br /><br />I used to think I should read all these dystopian stories. I thought I needed to be aware of what was going on. I thought I should feel the pain.<br /><br />I've come to realize that I feel way too deeply most of the time, and I don't need to take in anyone else's misery. Perhaps that makes me a lightweight. Perhaps that means that I'll never achieve commercial success. So be it. Reading or seeing misery makes me physically ill, and it's not worth it.Liz A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16531953467834426316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-23701406040313718772012-01-26T04:07:40.752-07:002012-01-26T04:07:40.752-07:00Tell me a country is in trouble and I'll be sy...Tell me a country is in trouble and I'll be sympathetic, but I won't really be able to relate. Tell me about one person, and what they're going through and I'll feel for them. Maybe this is why I read fiction more than non-fiction these days.Sarah Tokeleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273148070092101085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-7520545534887597082012-01-25T23:22:05.651-07:002012-01-25T23:22:05.651-07:00Wow, this hits close to home considering the natur...Wow, this hits close to home considering the nature of my own book, who the bad guys are (sex-traffickers in the Russian mafiya.) Scary stuff.Nancy Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05735642863696266005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-40736771755575159402012-01-25T22:42:57.069-07:002012-01-25T22:42:57.069-07:00i read... and write... so i'm the worst kind o...i read... and write... so i'm the worst kind of everything out there :(laughingwolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873675614347328116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-78595157777729416872012-01-25T21:50:50.775-07:002012-01-25T21:50:50.775-07:00Well, that's a bit of a downer. The world is f...Well, that's a bit of a downer. The world is full of awful people doing awful things. I dont like to think about it very much.Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-21834792345242430402012-01-25T19:24:24.609-07:002012-01-25T19:24:24.609-07:00All you have to do is look at images of Chernobyl ...All you have to do is look at images of Chernobyl to know that dystopia exists today, but that's most Americans for you; ignore the rest of the world.<br /><br />http://thefortuno.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/chernobyl_20_years_later_2.jpgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-63607666545376081292012-01-25T18:21:45.503-07:002012-01-25T18:21:45.503-07:00This is so DARK. I'm going to have nightmares ...This is so DARK. I'm going to have nightmares tonight.CherylAnne Hamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02324135447961686703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-42259332802469742742012-01-25T18:01:45.907-07:002012-01-25T18:01:45.907-07:00Im writing a novel about the seedy underworld that...Im writing a novel about the seedy underworld that exists right under out noses, I don't typically read Dystopian; but having said that - Hunger Games is on my list of "to read". Perhaps this series will spark a love of this genre? I'll keep ya posted! ;)Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00163850266884874892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-75204812826809688732012-01-25T16:48:17.450-07:002012-01-25T16:48:17.450-07:00I think all of us have a bit of the voyeur in us. ...I think all of us have a bit of the voyeur in us. And if we can't read it, we write it. However, I haven't read the Hunger Games, though my children have. I might in the future though.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-34524918998668044012012-01-25T16:06:59.080-07:002012-01-25T16:06:59.080-07:00I think the surge in dystopian "literature&qu...I think the surge in dystopian "literature" is tied to the downturn in the American economy. People don't see a future, right now, at least not a good one, so they write about how bad things are going to be. It's like in the 80s when we expected everything to end in nuclear devestation, so everyone was doing post-apocalypses.<br /><br />I'm not into dystopians. At all.<br /><br />I do think we should start looking more closely at areas of the world that need help. The problem there is that we are at the mercy of the local governments (who are usually at least part of the problem) that don't want us involved.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-68091381809055454802012-01-25T16:06:34.323-07:002012-01-25T16:06:34.323-07:00I've been to Russia twice, once before the iro...I've been to Russia twice, once before the iron curtain came down. It's a pretty rough place. Way back when my dad worked for the CIA, he had to travel there. He has some pretty brutal stories to tell.<br /><br />None of what you said is news to me. It's a gruesome world we live in in many ways. Maybe that's why I'm not drawn to stories of misery and strife and I don't love dystopian generally. I've already seen enough to know how it ends. <br /><br />I loved MCS's Rose, btw.Julie Daineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08350205936357263571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-80800215234705487652012-01-25T15:41:46.407-07:002012-01-25T15:41:46.407-07:00Another thought-provoking post, Michael - I'm ...Another thought-provoking post, Michael - I'm going to look this book up, if only to look behind the curtain at this Arkady Renko character....Mark Koopmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03634424953074803816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-36436323454986275532012-01-25T15:34:35.689-07:002012-01-25T15:34:35.689-07:00I learnt some new things here - didn't know ho...I learnt some new things here - didn't know how prison ink was made... wouldn't want that used on me though. I love dystopia, but it is like surviving a train wreck and then living in the train - it's the curiosity that makes us want to know what life would be like in such a world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-65685582130042120072012-01-25T12:23:57.636-07:002012-01-25T12:23:57.636-07:00That prison ink thing will be burned into my brain...That prison ink thing will be burned into my brain forever.Alyson Burdettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16916059117572619004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-15076154660002750652012-01-25T11:49:18.958-07:002012-01-25T11:49:18.958-07:00Not much of a dystopia reader (although I've w...Not much of a dystopia reader (although I've watched dystopian movies) probably for the reason that there is so much crap really happening in the world.<br />I remember seeing a series of videos from two reporters who were allowed into North Korea for a couple days. It was about as weird and dystopian as you can get.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-22157890694164279042012-01-25T11:40:45.790-07:002012-01-25T11:40:45.790-07:00Your description of Three Stations as a fast paced...Your description of Three Stations as a fast paced read makes me want to see what it's all about. Have to confess, though dystopian fiction is all the rage, I haven't succumbed yet.J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-63920012936495441892012-01-25T11:27:38.989-07:002012-01-25T11:27:38.989-07:00I just got Hunger Games as a gift. Read the first ...I just got Hunger Games as a gift. Read the first page. I was a little surprised that it started off with her waking up, but the relationship with the cat drew me in. Thanks, cat.<br /><br />Incredible what terrible things are really happening. And have always happened. Makes you wonder where humanity is headed.David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-69844635650644327652012-01-25T11:27:30.870-07:002012-01-25T11:27:30.870-07:00I think we're heading fast toward dystopia in ...I think we're heading fast toward dystopia in America. I lived in Russia during the crazy 90's, and my in-laws are still struggling to live there. That's partly why I'm writing my own near-future dystopian sci-fi set in Moscow.<br /><br />I like reading dystopian and cataclysmic stories partly because I want to see everyone get what's coming to them. People keep voting for the worst politicians, like Bush, so they deserve what they get.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-81991932969677154652012-01-25T10:49:50.982-07:002012-01-25T10:49:50.982-07:00Just reading your post and some comments made my s...Just reading your post and some comments made my stomach hurt and my heart drop. No, I cannot read about people's misery. I could when I was young, but not any more. To read about what these evil people do other human beings horrifies and disgusts me. My husband and I do try, by donations, to help people who suffer from the sex trade etc. I guess that is the best we can do.Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-46457404909852556122012-01-25T10:41:04.466-07:002012-01-25T10:41:04.466-07:00True, there are a lot of terrible places and terri...True, there are a lot of terrible places and terrible people, more than enough sad stories. We almost moved to North Africa for a year (for my husband's work)- I suspect I would have seen things there I could not imagine.Tonjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08652479946102909276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-84491687017480870602012-01-25T10:33:04.714-07:002012-01-25T10:33:04.714-07:00Doesn't the urine and soot tat get infected? I...Doesn't the urine and soot tat get infected? I can't get this look of disgust off my face.Brindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09809660700359597836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-35857335503495798392012-01-25T10:08:22.433-07:002012-01-25T10:08:22.433-07:00Funny, I was thinking this same thing after finish...Funny, I was thinking this same thing after finishing (yet another) made-up dystopian book. I did my law review article on child prostitution in s.e. asia and it seems to me we've already created a world with enough dystopian elements and horror that no one need to look farther than any of the countries you named. Maybe that's why people like the made-up dystopia. It's easier to read than the real stuff.Johanna Garthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15515478890074610814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-5094976402479962312012-01-25T09:54:42.171-07:002012-01-25T09:54:42.171-07:00I guess I'm just not angry enough with this wo...I guess I'm just not angry enough with this world to want to create a new one. This must mean I'm a shallow bastard. I certainly see the misery and frustration around me but I'm still not ready to bail out.stephen Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17659054447637207734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-33822856553046993202012-01-25T09:51:54.691-07:002012-01-25T09:51:54.691-07:00The sad truth is books like this get people thinki...The sad truth is books like this get people thinking about the real world and what's in it. You don't have to look far to find most of these examples right here, in our own cities. I write about sex-trafficking in my YA WIP. Just yesterday I met a women, a foster parent, who reported sex-trafficking to the state. The parents of the children in her care (yeah, the same deadbeats who aren't caring for their kids) pinned it on her. She actually went to court and is now appealing. It's unbelievable what you can find in the world, and reading about it all stops to make you think.Emily R. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03892444969625637064noreply@blogger.com