What the Actual Fascism, America?!
We are living in a surreal
point in time where Donald Trump/ Drumph could actually become president. I
was all reared up to go on a rant about how Trump’s success is the result of the American government ignoring their lacklustre school system (resulting in churning out
politically ignorant voters???) plus the general negative political climate in their country where people are feeling powerless and consequently supporting an
ignorant, bigoted, megalomaniac bully for the Republican nominee.
But then I
watched a segment on Full Frontal
with Samantha Bee [click here] wherein she interviews a group of “multi-ethnic” “bi-partisan”
“college educated” “Trump supporters” and I was left speechless. And with a
sick feeling in my stomach, similar, I'm sure, to what the countries bordering Germany and Italy felt
like a few years before WWII. (I’m writing this from Canada, btw.)
What does this have to do
with The Broke and Bookish’s weekly meme: Top
Ten Tuesday? Well, dear reader, because of this American craziness, all of
a sudden those of us that majored in History, English, or even Political Theory
(totally a thing!) finally feel relevant in today’s society, and can actually
use our over-priced knowledge-base(s) in everyday conversation! THEREFORE, as this
week’s Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie, and I'm a fan of The Dystopian Novel, I choose to vent about Donald Trump [and
his supporters], using my strengths of being an über-reader and professional
metaphorist.*
<ahem>
Top Ten Dystopian Novels That Will Change From Cautionary Possibilities to Ominous Inevitabilities* if Trump Becomes President of the United States of America.
Note: A dystopia is a community or society that is undesirable or frightening.[2][3] It is translated as "not-good place," an antonym of utopia, … "Utopia" is the blueprint for an ideal society with no crime or poverty. Dystopias are often characterized by dehumanization,[2] totalitarian governments, environmental disaster,[3] or other characteristics associated with a cataclysmic decline in society. Dystopian societies appear in many subgenres of fiction and are often used to draw attention to real-world issues regarding society, environment, politics, economics, religion, psychology, ethics, science, and/or technology, which if unaddressed could potentially lead to such a dystopia-like condition.
[Please feel free to play DysTrumpia*:
The Matching Game, where you match a sound-byte/ quote from Trump with the
aforementioned “real-world issues,” noting how each example gets scarier and
scarier the more matches you make. For older players: take a shot (of alcohol) with
each match!]
I was going to explain each
pick, but their synopses pretty much say it all.
1.1984, George Orwell
The year 1984 has come
and gone, but George Orwell's prophetic, nightmarish vision in 1949 of
the world we were becoming is timelier than ever. 1984 is still
the great modern classic of "negative utopia" -a startlingly original
and haunting novel that creates an imaginary world that is completely
convincing, from the first sentence to the last four words. No one can
deny the novel's hold on the imaginations of whole generations, or the
power of its admonitions -a power that seems to grow, not lessen, with
the passage of time.
2. Chrysalids, John Wyndham
John Wyndham takes the
reader into the anguished heart of a community where the chances of
breeding true are less than fifty per cent and where deviations are
rooted out and destroyed as offences and abominations.
3. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
Far in the future, the
World Controllers have created the ideal society. Through clever use of
genetic engineering, brainwashing and recreational sex and drugs, all
its members are happy consumers. Bernard Marx seems alone harbouring an
ill-defined longing to break free. A visit to one of the few remaining
Savage Reservations, where the old, imperfect life still continues, may
be the cure for his distress...
4. Fahrenheit 451, Ray
Bradbury
The terrifyingly prophetic novel of a post-literate future.
Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness.
Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness.
The classic dystopian novel of a post-literate future, Fahrenheit 451 stands alongside Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.
5. A Clockwork Orange,
Anthony Burgess
In Anthony Burgess's
nightmare vision of the future, where criminals take over after dark,
the story is told by the central character, Alex, who talks in a brutal
invented slang that brilliantly renders his and his friends' social
pathology. A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good
and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. When the state undertakes
to reform Alex—to "redeem" him—the novel asks, "At what cost?"
6. The Handmaid’s Tale,
Margaret Atwood
Offred is a Handmaid
in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and
his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures
instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must
lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her
pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other
Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can
remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her
husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she
had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that
is gone now...
7. Children of Men, P.D.
James
Told with P. D. James's trademark suspense, insightful characterization, and riveting storytelling, The Children of Men
is a story of a world with no children and no future. The human race
has become infertile, and the last generation to be born is now adult.
Civilization itself is crumbling as suicide and despair become
commonplace. Oxford historian Theodore Faron, apathetic toward a future
without a future, spends most of his time reminiscing. Then he is
approached by Julian, a bright, attractive woman who wants him to help
get her an audience with his cousin, the powerful Warden of England. She
and her band of unlikely revolutionaries may just awaken his desire to
live . . . and they may also hold the key to survival for the human
race.
8. Hunger Games, Suzanne
Collins
Winning will make you famous.
Losing means certain death.
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.
Losing means certain death.
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.
Yadda yadda, BUT THERE WILL BE NO KATNISS IN A TRUMP FUTURE.
9. The Road, Cormac McCarthy
A father and his son
walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged
landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones,
and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination
is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them
there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the
lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart
of scavenged food—and each other.
10. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, Max Brooks
Blah blah blah.
... Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, "By excluding the human factor, aren't we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn't the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as 'the living dead'?"
... Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, "By excluding the human factor, aren't we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn't the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as 'the living dead'?"
There's a much longer synopsis to this plot, but I basically just wanted to add a ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE to the list of things to come with President Trump.
Whew!
I feel like I may possibly be reaching a bit with that last one, but not by much!
I am not a political person, by any means, and I'm the first to admit I get all (and I mean ALL) of my world news from cable TV shows like This Week Tonight, and The Daily Show. Even The Tonight Show. And I can say, in all my ignorant honesty, that I'm in a state of shock/ paralyzed terror the more territory Trump gains. We've stopped laughing, basically.
I realize this is a bit of a random and unexpected TTT, (especially from a Canadian!), but seriously. SERIOUSLY. Sh*t is getting real, people!
Thoughts? Political leanings? Readying your guest room for the mass exodus from America? I mean, talk about refugees!!!!! (Kidding?)
As always, thanks for reading!
OMG. I love this! It is SO scary. I was at a rally for Bernie Sanders on Sunday afternoon, and one of the organizers started talking about how this is our one chance to get Bernie elected. I literally had tears in my eyes. It's so true! I am terrified about this election. I need to watch that clip you linked because I also think it has to do with ignorant, uneducated people, but maybe I'm wrong. I'll share with my husband tonight too. He is a HUGE Sanders fan. He's been preaching to anyone who will listen about him since he announced his candidacy. We will be knocking on doors or making calls next week. We live in Wisconsin and our primary is 4/5. Dystopian is SO real. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI am SO SORRY for you guys! We LOVE Bernie Sanders, he's amazing! The whole world is holding their breath, I think!!! We'll save our guest room for you guys! ;)
DeleteI just watched the video. OMG. Seriously!? We may need your guest room. :)
DeleteA Trump drinking game? I'm for that lol. This is probably the best topic I've seen this week ha ha. Seriously though the only Wyndham I knew was Day of the Triffids, which freaked me out as a kid but when I saw it recently it was kinda tame. :) And Children of Men- saw (part of) that movie but not enough that it made sense- heard it's really good though.
ReplyDeleteAs for refugees, I got a kick out of that Nova Scotia ad a few weeks ago about Americans being welcome there if Trump is elected. Looks like a nice place (and they may get some takers!).
Chrysalids isn't a bad book, kinda weird for a Grade 10 English class to study, but pretty good, otherwise! Children of Men (the movie) isn't bad, either! Thanks for the comment, Greg!!
DeleteThis is the best list I've seen in a while! Reminds me of old favorites, and of some books I've been meaning to read. I've known that I have a leaning toward dystopian literature, but not quite this much. I don't think I've ever seen a TTT where I wanted to read EVERY book on the list, lol! And the tie to modern times... it's so scary and unreal. People write this art to warn us about the possibilities of life, and we still allow life to imitate. Anywho, great list; thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I found it pretty surreal myself!! I don't know why we can't learn from history!? I'm especially fond of YA dystopian novels, but thought people would take the classics more seriously... Thanks for the comment!!
DeleteLMAO I absolutely DIED over the title. This is such a great post idea--awesome work!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by my own TTT this week! I hope you have an epic rest of your day! Happy book-ing!
Thanks! I wish I wasn't so inspired, in a way! Thanks for the comment!
DeleteI laughed so hard at this post. Well, I laughed, then I cried a little because I’m American, and I don’t want Trump as my overlord.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Ha ha! You made me laugh! You guys can stay on my couch. ;)
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I'm a fellow Canadian and I also share your fear of a Trump presidency! I've been watching The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight and I cannot get over how absurd this whole election is getting.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list, by the way, some of my favorite dystopian books are on here (Fahrenheit 451, The Hunger Games). Let's hope Trump loses and these books don't become reality!
Sorry for the late reply! I've been down with a cold :(
DeleteThey are all really great reads, actually! I wish I had read them when I was younger! I just heard on the radio that Trump is going to punish women who have abortions. So... one step closer to my list?
Thanks for the comment!
I've read The Road & The Handmaid's Tale from your post! I am a huge Margaret Atwood fan, but have yet to read all of her novels.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog and leaving me a comment on my TTT post.
Happy reading!
Atwood can either change your life or make you want to end it! I'm trying to read the Maddaddam trilogy and it's bleaker than the idea of a Trump presidency! I can't wait until we can all laugh about this election...
DeleteLiterally I either loved these or they are on my TBR already so great list!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Megan!
DeleteLove your idea for a post this week!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/22/top-ten-tuesday-49/
Thanks! I'm not familiar with a lot on your TTT, but I have wanted to read the Lemony Snicket books!
DeleteHahaha I love how you related your blog post to current events. From your list, I've only read Hunger Games. But then again, I'm not a big fan of dystopian books.
ReplyDeleteThey can be pretty bleak. Have you watched The 100? It's pretty good and not just for teens...
DeleteThanks for the comment!
I live in fear of a Trump presidency, seriously. Even though I'm not from the US or living there, I'm sure it will impact everyone!
ReplyDeleteIt's even disturbing that there are so many supporters... I think the U.S. needs to look at why he's so popular (not that they aren't already!).
DeleteAn excellent list! I'm also terrified about Trump potentially winning. Trevor Noah recently highlighted that global threat analysts have declared a Trump Presidency would be worse for the global economy than ISIS. I've tried to point this out (among many, many other things) to family members who have supported Trump (and promptly become dead-to-me) and they completely ignored and it and said "it wasn't a legitimate source." To which I want to ask what their definition of "legitimate source" was... but I live in a red state so it's all just wasted breath.
ReplyDeleteThat must be a crazy feeling! Our provinces aren't really polarized like that... There's definitely certain areas with stronger political leanings, but that can change in a heartbeat!
DeleteHow is Trump mesmerizing people?! Including your family?!! Trevor Noah for president!
Good luck down there!!