I’m an American, and some things about the US are wayyyy too similar to the dystopian books I’ve read — especially right now. Recently, I asked Americans of the BuzzFeed Community to share the everyday, normal aspects of US culture that are actually super dystopian, and yikes. Here’s what they had to say:
1.“I’m a public elementary school teacher. My district offers free lunch for every student, but not every district does. And some kids don’t even get to eat a cafeteria meal if they have lunch debt. Of all the things to be putting money toward, you’d think feeding kids so they can be happy and healthy at school would be a priority.”
—Gemma, 25, Virginia
2.“The overturning of abortion rights for women with Roe v. Wade. The government should not have control of our bodies, and many women have already perished from PREVENTABLE deaths that were caused by keeping them pregnant, despite the pregnancy having complications. Women are being imprisoned for miscarriages they have no control over, too.”
3.“Poor people voting to protect the rich.”
4.“Politicizing masks. Nobody should have to fear for their safety because they’re wearing a medical mask. When you see someone in a mask, don’t assume you know their politics or story. Maybe people who wear masks aren’t ‘making a statement,’ but they have a child who is immunocompromised, in chemo, or has a life-threatening health issue you don’t understand. Maybe they had to wear those masks long before COVID-19, and will have to forever. It’s not about you; people wearing masks aren’t hurting you. Maybe they are ‘paranoid,’ but maybe a common cold could kill their child.”
Halfpoint Images / Getty Images
5.“The fact that your job must be a defining aspect of your identity and is one of the first things strangers ask you. Your job can’t just be a job; it must be a core element of who you are, and no one could possibly understand you if they don’t know who sends you a paycheck. What about hobbies, passions, and values? Most other countries don’t put such a high emphasis on what you do for work. What you do outside of work is more interesting and valuable.”
—Megan, 34, Texas
6.“Constantly fighting to keep one’s own money. The US’s thievery of social security benefits, income, and more is truly exhausting and maddening.”
7.“People dying of preventable diseases because they either can’t afford treatment, or they were denied coverage. My doctor prescribed me three medications, which he thought I needed to control my IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). All three medications were either denied by my insurance or still cost a thousand dollars for a monthly dose with insurance. Luckily, each manufacturer had a copay assistance program, so it was only about $5 out of pocket. But without those, I’d be running to the bathroom 15–20 times a day.”
8.“The rich running the country like they own it. It feels like The Hunger Games are about to start.”
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images
9.“Our food being actual poison. It’s become normal to hear headlines about yet another ingredient in the food we eat and feed our children on a daily basis being full of carcinogens. Do they change the ingredients, or do people stop being them? No. They are feeding us the poison and then charging us astronomical prices for medical care.”
10.“The hatred. I always thought it was funny that Republicans blamed the Left for trying to divide this country with the ‘woke agenda,’ and yet they’re perfectly fine denouncing anyone who doesn’t think exactly the way they do, and in turn, sow far deeper division because of it. This country has become visibly more divided because of it, so I strongly dislike the normalization of hatred.”
—Anonymous, Wisconsin
11.“The fact that public transit is still abysmal, and we can’t go anywhere without driving a car. Also, it’s so dystopian that caring about the environment is some sort of political thing.”
—Anonymous, 36, Virginia
12.“Well, I’d say the military using tear gas on protesters who were simply walking on American soil is pretty damn dystopian.”
David McNew / Getty Images
—Anonymous
13.“This is a pretty weird one, but when I turned 18 and moved out, I was shocked by how many people were doing drugs, especially cocaine. My dad got sober when I was 3, and out of respect, there was never any alcohol, and other detrimental choices were considered okay because of how old we were. But the problem is that addictions spawn from that acceptance. I wonder how many of the people I went to college with would be alive or successfully contributing to our world had it not been so ‘normal’ to party in college.”
14.“I think it’s pretty dystopian that our current president is allowed to just straight-up lie, and his cronies will go along with it and gaslight the American people. What did George Orwell say? ‘The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.'”
—Zac, 43, Florida
15.“Having certain books being taken out of school libraries because a few ignorant adults fear that the words on the pages will ‘turn their children gay.'”
16.“The way that there are basically concentration camps for people who did nothing but cross the border illegally. Also, the way there are stormtroopers in Los Angeles breaking laws and violating the civil rights of citizens and non-citizens against the wishes of the city.”
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
17.“How many of us embrace the subjugation. Nobody truly resists. The realization that we very well may see the end of America in our lifetime.
—Louie
18.“The normalization and desensitization of mass shootings. Oh, there was a mass shooting at a festival? Thoughts and prayers. Oh, someone shot up a church? Thoughts and prayers. Oh, kids died at school? That’s really sad, but we, as lawmakers, are not going to make any changes to stop that from happening again — aside from maybe arming teachers with more guns! We’re a pathetic country in so many ways. We’re basically already living in the dystopia that the books we read in school tried to warn us about. And if you don’t think so, it’s time to wake up.”
—Anonymous
19.“I live in a ‘right to work’ state, which sounds like it gives employees more freedom. Really, it just tips the scales in favor of employers. These laws make it easier for companies to offer lower wages, skimp on benefits, and fire workers without cause — all while pretending it’s about ‘worker choice.’ The reality? You keep your job at the whim of management, with little power to negotiate better pay or conditions. It’s freedom for corporations, not workers.”
—Anonymous, 25, Texas
20.“The cost of ambulance rides. I once, against my better judgment, took a ride in an ambulance after passing out in public. I was awake, alert, and stable. The only service the ambulance gave me was an ice pack and a 20-block ride to the hospital. We didn’t even impede traffic by turning on the lights and sirens. After insurance, it cost over $1,000. An Uber ride offering the same service would have been less than $30.”
—Erin, 33, New York
21.Lastly: “Electing a president who is a convicted felon, convicted business crook, and a convicted sexual predator.”
Handout / Getty Images
—Ken, 68, Idaho
If you’re American, what are some normalized aspects of US culture that you think are pretty dystopian? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your thoughts using the form below.
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
