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When you think about a dystopia, there are a few things that come to mind. A desolate landscape, an oppressive government with cruel laws, and a society with sanity splitting at the seams. It’s what you imagine when you think about “The Handmaid’s Tale” or “The Hunger Games.”

However, dystopia might be closer to reality than one can imagine. Nowadays, environmental disasters and political unrest are our everyday dinner table topics. Add to that constant surveillance, biased media, and the lifestyles of the ultra-rich and you’ll find yourself living in an Orwellian nightmare.

Facebook group “Dystopian late-stage capitalism horrors repackaged as heartwarming stories” is dedicated to those moments when you really notice the absurdity of the world around you. The list below is the collection of their most recent sobering hits. Scroll down to join us in wallowing in misery.

There are many countries out there that can be used as examples of real-life dystopias. Russia with its totalitarianism and the stronghold on the media, China and its personality cult, North Korea and its human rights violations—all of those are correct.

But thinking that the western world is somehow very far removed from those realities is hypocritical. We’re all slowly inching ourselves towards a reality that Cormac McCarthy would have a blast writing about.

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    #2

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Sarah Eudy , x.com Report

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    Hamad§
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How is this bad? Title says 'supposed to be wholesome but shows how messed up society is '

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    #3

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Naomi Johnson , x.com Report

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    JoNo
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nothing wrong with this one - what a caring, considerate and neighbourly person!

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    Take, for example, mass surveillance. Don’t tell me you’ve never had that moment where you talked about wanting to get something and then, completely unexpectantly, got an ad for it on your browser. It was creepy at first, but not it’s just a thing that happens.

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    Everyone that has a phone and internet is monitored both by the government that makes sure you’re in line and corporations that want to sell you a better deal. They track your location, note how long you stay for in which places, keep tabs on your communications and, often, have access to your camera and microphone. If that doesn’t sound dystopian, I’m not sure what does.

    Then, let’s not forget about how partisan and politicized the media is. These days it is so tough to find a news outlet that’s neutral when reporting on what’s happening around the globe. To the point that media bias is not at all a surprise, and we even have independent studies and charts about which way which news outlet is leaning.

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    #8

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    Dáve Ch , x.com Report

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    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    American "healthcare". Unless you live here, you have no idea how bad it is. This man is literally a slave to the US government to keep his kid alive. Why do we allow the insurance industry to do this?

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    Do we even need to mention the environmental disasters? Floods in California, droughts in the Midwest, islands on fire—and that’s just the US. There were heatwaves all over with record-breaking temperatures and floods in Sudan, Libya, Ghana, and way more. One just has to remember how New York looked during Canada’s wildfires earlier this year and you’ll know you we are living example of dystopia.

    #11

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Arabella Lee , x.com Report

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    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have a hookup for eggs. It's laying season and her hens are laying about four dozen a week. Yeah 1650s feeling.

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    There’s hope though. We don’t check all the dystopian boxes just yet, at least not everywhere. One of the criteria seems to be uniformity and conforming to same expectations. And so far, we are doing alright there. 

    #15

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Abdul Raheem , nypost.com Report

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    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Had to be the USA. The only western nation where if you want health care, you pay for it yourself.

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    Many of us have rights to protest and do exercise it. Sometimes there are hiccups here and there, but people seem to be aware enough to notice the issues. On top of that, people can doubt things and voice their opinions about it. Sometimes, they even garner following for it.

    #16

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Jennifer Parker Report

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    David A Paterson
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The people who abuse staff are known as "bosses", sometimes "colleagues" but mostly "bosses".

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    #18

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Christian Stiebahl Report

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    Alex Davis
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    All these stories of disabled people going without basic equipment are making me so angry and sad. I'm deaf and even though the top of the range Bluetooth hearing aid I got given at no cost (yes it's paid through my taxes but I mean out of pocket) to me hardly does anything for my level of deafness, I was given it regardless. Same for my wheelchair (though that does a lot as I can't even stand so without that, I'd be stuck in bed for life) it's the type that I require and made to my needs. I like visiting the USA but as a disabled person, I often thank my lucky stars I was never born there!

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    All in all, we’re not quite full-on dystopian just yet. We can get there very fast if we want to, though, so it’s important to note the sate we’re in even if it’s through internet lists like this one. As a wise man once said, check yourself, before you wreck yourself. And we all know that the last thing we need in this world is more wreckage.

    #19

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Robert Connelly , x.com Report

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    Donna Peluda
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Jesus Christ, what is wrong with our world. People working and not being able to afford to rent a place, something is going to break, sorry HAS TO BREAK!!!

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    #22

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Lucca King Report

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    Adam Chang
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Home: $200/month, Retirmenthome: $2000 / month. Dinner: $20/ person. Wedding-dinner: $40

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    #23

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Jennifer Parker Report

    #26

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Brandon Jones , x.com Report

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    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, Whiteclaw looks like a soda. It calls itself a soda. Legitimate lawsuit territory here. The Alcopops need to make their packaging look like booze. Sorry, but accidents like this are bound to happen eventually.

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    #28

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    Jared Zeiders Report

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    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    HOW? That makes no sense. I'm old so 4.00 was the highest and 1600 was highest in my time. I scored pretty close to both and had a ticket to any college I wanted. Have things really changed that much?

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    #30

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Ella Egan Report

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    Nils Skirnir
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some US school districts prohibit outside help in paying of lunch debt. Preferring to punish the poor

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    #31

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Grant Burgess Report

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    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ummmm, go to hell. Ran into this type before. Found out the best solution is to stop drinking coffee, and stop caring. You get what you get out of me. Sure I could do more, but if you have that attitude, you are not getting it.

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    #35

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Matt McKibbin , x.com Report

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    Zedrapazia
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you don't have a real window, this placebo effect might actually be good for the mental health

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    #36

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Steven Yarbrough Report

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    Breadcrumb.
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Materials are a dime a dozen now. It's the houseing and food that costs so darn much.

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    #37

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    To make a heartwarming sandwich... For twice the price and 10 times more plastic waste

    Max Pnj Report

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    Joe Russo
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Or maybe sell the cookie cutter that creates these? We have a big heart-shaped one for making sandwiches look cool for kids' parties that cuts very little of the crust off, and still looks like a heart.

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    #38

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    Anonymous participant Report

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    Bols
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    04am shifts at 38 weeks pregnant???! This is so unhealthy! My country has many flaws but luckily it protects mothers and pregnant women, it is illegal to work for them in night hours from 10pm to 6am even if they worked different shifts before pregnancy

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    #40

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Marc Laver , x.com Report

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    Iampenny
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hmmm, I mean plenty of places have donation boxes (or entrance fees) to help with the upkeep of said place, how is this any different? At least it's not mandatory

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    #42

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    Seth Derek Aronson , x.com Report

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    James S
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just as effective as a human preacher but far less likely to beg for money or abuse children

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    #44

    Dystopian-Capitalism-Horrors-Repackaged-As-Heartwarming-Posts

    Michael C Pratts Report

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    Ace
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can't work out how 250k per year for life equates to just 4 million. Is he expecting to die in 16 years?

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