The word 'Dystopia' is of Greek origin which roughly means a society that degrades into repressive and controlled state. The meaning can be extended to envisage a condition or a situation where all norms of a civilized society collapse. The opposite is 'Utopia' - an ideal situation where everything functions as it should. Hilton's 'Lost Horizon' is a case in point.
Over the last few weeks I have been engaged with Jose Saramago's 'Blindness'(Now a motion picture). This work of fiction finds a place in the list of 'Dystopian literature'
The novel unfolds dramatically. A driver waiting at the traffic lights goes blind suddenly. This is the beginning. A unnamed city is afflicted with an epidemic of blindness. It is very rapid and the authority is at a loss to to stem the tide of this seemingly unexplained epidemic. An epidemic of blindness.
The authority herd the afflicted into an abandoned mental asylum. The description of the condition of the afflicted there is just nauseating. Everything collapses. A mafia raj grows up that terrorise the blinds. Thugs control the food meant for the blind. Extortion starts , the blinds part with whatever valuable they have for a morsel. This is utter anarchy.
This is 'Dystopia' in literature. Now let us see the real 'Dystopia' that stares us.
I am sure many of you have the experience of going to the government offices for various reasons. I too have.
I have the 'priviledge' of visiting two of the most important offices in our state-the secretariat at Dispur and the DHE office at Kahilipara. I am, however, not a teacher ,not a lecturer either. My visit to these offices was by way of accompanying someone. In other words in the role of a chauffeur. And what I saw there!
Files do not move unless the palms are greased.Files vanish into thin air. And reappears like a vision of God the moment a ten rupee note is given for 'Chai-pani'. Violently qualified college teachers engaged in producing 'Humnan Resources' stand at the table of petty officials obsequesly. There is a so called officer at the secretariat(from secretarial service) who has earned notoriety for invariably taking money from college teachers.
No decent urinal. No decent place to seat. Or for a cup of tea. Red -stained walls spiced with limes like an abstract painting.
This is real 'Dystopia'
I understand we cannot dream of a 'Utopia'; but we can improve the situation we are in. We do not believe in immortality.But we can believe in the immortality of good deeds. Many college lecturers are in facebook. Some of them are my fast friends. I hope you all are listening!
'You and me towards a jouney of light'-let us begin it from there!
I sincerely tender my apology before the 'immortal' soul of Saramago( May his soul rest in peace!)for dragging him in the context of these petty officials.
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Dystopia can also be seen in terms of perception. For someone like Buddha, who's free of attachment, dystopia would make no sense. Think of the Angulimala episode: for people who have fear of death, disease, failure, dystopia is a real threat. But if you have no goals to achieve, if the world matters little, dystopia makes no sense. We encounter dystopic realities because we are governed by speed and deadlines. For someone like Rip Van Winkle dystopia is fiction.
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