05-28-2021, 12:26:13 PM
The year is 20XX. The overuse of the word "Orwellian" to mean "Totalitarian" has stripped both words of their meaning. The same is true of many words. "Fascist" is no longer about ultranationalism combined with constant mantra of return to prior greatness combined with fighting a vague "moral rot" brought by a convenient scapegoat enemy, but instead means the same as the first two words. The worst fall was that of the word "Dystopia." Inevitably, it continued its descent into ever further meaning "a government which the speaker dislikes". Same as the first three words. Soon, every word describing a completely different political concept has been coopted to mean "a government which the speaker dislikes". With no political labels anymore, the various groups are only describable by their policy positions, which in turn also become words for "a government which the speaker dislikes". In time, no one can express their policy positions anymore, nor advocate for them, for to do so would be to advocate for a Dystopia, and no one wants that, right? Elections are over, because political apathy is total. Everyone wants to rule, but no one has any way to express what they want to do with their rule. Every time someone comes up with a word to describe a policy position, it's mere weeks before that word means the same as every word before it. Without leaders, large territories fragment. Anarchism can only work on the smallest scales, after all. But the individuals in these anarchist communes have no way to find out if they share beliefs, the only thing that can hold an anarchist group together, and in turn, frequently turn upon one another.
Humanity suffers greatly in an enormous self-destructive frenzy. Billions die of starvation alone, millions die of political violence. The survivors ultimately revert to extended family units as the way to determine what values to hold. Family members who deviate are ostracized and exiled. Marriage alliances sometimes link families, but more often than not, cousin marriage is chosen to keep out the taint of the OTHER people who's values are said to be for Dystopia. Inbreeding eventually causes Hapsburgian problems, and with medical professionals dispersed widely, poor health becomes the norm. Average life expectancy decreases significantly, infant and maternal mortality take huge jumps. Humanity will not recover from this agrarian dystopia for centuries. Electricity will be hard to come by, travelling will become dangerous, and roving families will raid others for food. People will be miserable for centuries to come, as genetic diseases crop up with ever greater frequency. There is little hope.
Jousting.
Humanity suffers greatly in an enormous self-destructive frenzy. Billions die of starvation alone, millions die of political violence. The survivors ultimately revert to extended family units as the way to determine what values to hold. Family members who deviate are ostracized and exiled. Marriage alliances sometimes link families, but more often than not, cousin marriage is chosen to keep out the taint of the OTHER people who's values are said to be for Dystopia. Inbreeding eventually causes Hapsburgian problems, and with medical professionals dispersed widely, poor health becomes the norm. Average life expectancy decreases significantly, infant and maternal mortality take huge jumps. Humanity will not recover from this agrarian dystopia for centuries. Electricity will be hard to come by, travelling will become dangerous, and roving families will raid others for food. People will be miserable for centuries to come, as genetic diseases crop up with ever greater frequency. There is little hope.
Jousting.
I am the They who says it!