this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2024
390 points (86.7% liked)

A Boring Dystopia

9776 readers
407 users here now

Pictures, Videos, Articles showing just how boring it is to live in a dystopic society, or with signs of a dystopic society.

Rules (Subject to Change)

--Be a Decent Human Being

--Posting news articles: include the source name and exact title from article in your post title

--Posts must have something to do with the topic

--Zero tolerance for Racism/Sexism/Ableism/etc.

--No NSFW content

--Abide by the rules of lemmy.world

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 
all 43 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 96 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Funny meme, but I feel posts are a better fit for the sub when they're actual events, not just dreamed up scenarios.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Yeah, this is more DystopiaMemes, which should exist if it doesn't already

[–] [email protected] 79 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I like how the reader is supposed to be familiar enough with the scream box that it doesn't require any extra explanation.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago

We all have a scream box. I love my scream box, I spend most of my day in there.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Attention, HR reps: All of these options are better than an office pizza party.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Maybe not the mealworm tacos

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

"Yet. Just you wait until marketing does its magic." - HR

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I could be convinced to try mealworm tacos. Apparently, mealworms are pretty common in Asia and parts of Europe.

Given a three way choice between working through an unpaid lunch, trying mealworm tacos, or participating in a paid office pizza party, the pizza party is my last choice, and the tacos would be my first.

[–] JaffnaCakes 31 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I need to know what about the outdoor experience is believable. Ambient sounds, animals, rainfall?

[–] littlebluespark 22 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

No, it's just believable™, the newest in short-term psychotropic aerosols that make even the most run-down janitors closet seem like an endless rainforest paradise for minutes per dose.

[–] kittenzrulz123 31 points 10 months ago (2 children)

The future of capitalism, if you don't like this then fight against it

[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Im not sure this would actually fit the definition of capitalism anymore to be honest, the term ration seems to imply that all things an employee has are just provided to them by the company instead of actually paying them and having them buy things themselves. If people arent buying anything and arent paid, then money is effectively doesnt exist for these people, and therefore isnt the basis for the power their "employer"/owner has over them. Arguably this would be closer to some sort of feudalism with central planning.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It really depends on how the rest of their society looks. Think about mining towns, with miners paid in tokens, and spent entirely at the company store.

[–] Holyhandgrenade 5 points 10 months ago

Yeah company towns were a thing 100 years ago and they were terrible and corporations desperately want to bring them back

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

THIS is not necessarily capitalism, it may be the FUTURE that capitalism in the PRESENT brings about. As in, so bad as to go all the way to socialism (or slavery).

This presumes ofc that humanity survives at all - b/c why would these rewards be offered to AI bots, unless the latter are modeling the behaviors of the humans that once infested the planet before the Great Purge?:-P

It is unclear to me whether that depiction of future is itself capitalism - yes it says ration, but perhaps in return for presumed work product, and/or additional food items may be available for purchase beyond that.

[–] erev 4 points 10 months ago

Alternatively: You get shelter and regular rations in return for work. Otherwise you have to live out there...

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago

The intimacy unit looks concerned enough to be recruited.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Strong Severance vibes here.

Most guys in my department want a Waffle Party, but I'd be happy with a Music Dance Experience. I'd also like an egg bar, but who wouldn't? After all, the egg bar is coveted as fuck.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

First place my (innie's) brain went too. I could really go for some defiant jazz.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Frank Reynolds is that you

[–] Stovetop 23 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's gotta be the intimacy simulation unit. That seems like the only thing in this list that you're allowed to keep long-term. Sure, you could have a good bug burger and be happy for a night or enjoy the simulated outdoors for a while, but once you've had your fun with the sex bot, you still have it and can use it as currency later on. Charge for access or even give it away for something else tangible and permanent.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

I dunno, after eating the same thing day after day, week after week, might be a hard choice

[–] xkforce 21 points 10 months ago

Optimistic of you to think there will be a reward for extra work instead of higher expectations and nothing more.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Ten Extra Minutes In The Scream Box is the coolest name ever for an emo/screamo/metalcore band.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (4 children)

I don't get why bug protein is always held up as a sign of capitalist dystopia.

It's creating equal nutritional value for less carbon pollution per unit consumed, not to mention how plenty of cultures already have it as a normal part of their cuisine. Only reason I haven't tried it personally is because I haven't seen a widely available outlet to try it through.

This is like saying, "get in the pod, eat the chicken bacon"

[–] aaa999 16 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's a right wing conspiracy theory. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-will-not-eat-the-bugs And more broadly https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/youll-own-nothing-and-be-happy/ Basically right wingers are very good at calling any modest improvement to society an attempt at making everyone live in an Amazon pod dystopia, but communist somehow. It works if you are dumb

[–] daltotron 2 points 10 months ago

See I really need to read more before I post, because you already basically what I wanted to say, but better.

[–] Gigasser 12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Well, I think it's because there's a lot of people out there who have some conspiracy concerning the "elites" of our society promoting some sorta "humiliating" and or "disgusting" thing for the lower class, while they make all the "actual food" expensive and can dine and wine in luxury, whilst they simultaneously use that as an excuse for feeling superior to the lower class. Imagine some rich fuck using "bugeater" as an insult pertaining to one's class.

Don't get me wrong, eating bugs is something good overall for humanity. There's just a lot of problems in trying to make it palatable for both the upper and lower classes right now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

That sounds like a lot of effort to have an extra insult up their sleeve, also it would backfire almost instantly since the demand shifts would in a market economy lead to the bug protein becoming the expensive rich people food while traditional meat products plunge in prices with no consumer base to match the current supply.

[–] daltotron 7 points 10 months ago

"I will NOT live in the pod, I will NOT eat the bugs" is often a cry of these kind of christofascist dickbags I see on 4chan, who recognize all of the absurdities of capitalism, and instead think to blame it all on (((them)) (the jews) and any/all minorities, instead of on their economic system and it's major propagators. It's sort of similar to the "You will own nothing and you will be happy" type of thing. That can be really valid in some circumstances, but in others, it can just be because people really don't want to buy into public transit, or really, don't want to buy into any shared public good that they can't "own". I would not really be surprised if this specific image macro originated on 4chan. That maybe sounds paranoid, but it's giving me those vibes pretty heavy, for sure.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Because people don’t have a taste for bugs in the west. It may change over time, but still.

Also, in virtually all of those future scenarios where the peasantry is fed with bug meal and industrial nutrition slob the rich and powerful get the actual food we know today, real organic food, and the bug protein is just another symptom of systemic classism and oppression.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

You could say literally any grain product (even alcohols since the rich tended to favor wines derived from fruit, honey, and other products) is the same thing though since "le peasantry" are often the most invested in the use of grain product to still be full while making use of the scraps of more nutrient rich food sources like meat and lush fruits and greens that the rich don't gobble up.

You hardly see anyone calling a grilled cheese sandwich a sign of dystopian capitalism, except maybe that one guy with the melt fixation. Also, it's not exactly like the rich don't do what your saying even with us proles being granted the "privilege" of red meats, most popular cuts today were yesterday's pauper cuts, meanwhile the rich are dining on Wagyu cuts that most folks won't ever be able to excuse buying even in a windfall.

[–] FlashZordon 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ooh sign me up for the scream box.

[–] synapse1278 3 points 10 months ago

I bet you it's the most popular option !

[–] feedum_sneedson 13 points 10 months ago

Cuddle setting? Count me in.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Outdoors or the scream box. Unclear how much time you have to scream to begin with.

[–] Vorticity 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Outdoors for a week versus ten extra minutes in the scream box. The ability to scream in private is very valuable it seems.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Maybe they stuff you into a smaller pod for unsanctioned screaming.

[–] Mango 4 points 10 months ago

Sex bot pls.

[–] TheDeepState 3 points 10 months ago
[–] SeeMinusMinus 2 points 10 months ago

Why does this remind me of lethal company?