Before I jump into the different do’s and don’ts of surviving in a dystopia, let me give you a quick introduction to what a dystopian world actually is. I’m sure all of us familiar with the word Utopia, which is considered the ideal world for a person to live in. Now simply put, Dystopia is the antonym created for a Utopia. It is an imagined state or society that has great injustice and suffering. It is the world without chocolate and free will, you don’t want to be around to see those days, but in case we do end up being pushed into a dystopian world, worry not because I am prepared with the list of things you would want to follow to survive. My source for this guide has been obtained from heavy researching the many manuscripts out there which deal with the different types of dystopia, from Hunger Games to The Handmaid’s Tale on one hand and Giver to Divergent on the other. Just your luck I’m even prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse, thanks to Zombieland. Without further ado, here is a list of things you should keep in mind to survive in a Dystopia.
1. Be Pretty (at least that’s what the books tell us):
Dystopia is a cruel world to survive in and if you want to escape it or shake something up, you have to be the main character. To be the main character, this may sound shallow but you have to be the hot one in the group! If not the most attractive person, you have to have a sassy or witty personality. How else are you going to talk back to the totalitarian government that can kill you at any time? Also, if you have watched Hunger Games or Divergent then you know that you need a unique name to survive. You only get one chance so make it memorable!
2. Conform openly, rebel surreptitiously:
You don’t want to attract attention towards yourself in this imagined world and staying under the radar is the secret to success. You want to stay alive to rebel, remember? Know the laws and know the loopholes to the laws. Don’t forget that to rebel you need people to trust and follow you, be the person they know can get out of sticky situations without getting their heads chopped up. So, don’t be reckless!
3. Build a Community:
You are either a leader or a follower in this world. As much as we love the idea of being the lone ranger in this cruel world, trust me, you need companionship. People to watch your back and rebel against the rules if needed. You always need backup.
4. Make decisions carefully:
From the wide array of dystopian literature and cinema that we grew up with, we know that most adults in this world are either useless, disappearing, or the enemy. This is why you most probably have a group of young adults and teenagers in your following. This is why you mustn’t make decisions like the lost protagonist in a sequel. These are life and death situations, so don’t act on things unless you have full confidence that your plan will work out. It is also better to not get completely attached to the people around you because this is a dystopia, people will betray you, or worst-case scenario, die. That will hurt like hell and the one thing you can’t do is give up or lose hope. Keep fighting soldier, you got this!
5. Fashion Choices
I know this one is random but trust me this will help in the long run. Dystopia is your time to forget colors. Grab your grays and blacks because they are your new best friend. Maybe leather jackets will be the lucky charm or maybe this dystopia is post-global warming that ruined our world. In that case, I would suggest that you stick with light layers. (P.S. make sure you have a pair of combat boots laying around because those bad boys are a necessity)
6. Know Your Exits
The last extremely important rule of the dystopian world is to know your exits. If you are going into an abandoned building to find shelter, make sure you know your way around that building. In case a hoard of zombies or government officials show up, you need to know your best hiding spot and quickest exit routes. Unless you’re in a Maze Runner kind of world and are just thrown into a square field with walls around, you’re on your own buddy…Kidding! Just remember that if they found a way to put you in a maze, there is always an emergency exit around. Be alert and keep your eyes open.
That ends my list of the holy commandments to follow in a dystopia. The most important rule is that you remain aware of your surroundings and yourself. In every dystopian literature, the most interesting part is when we see the erasure of the normal world. We are shown or told the reasons why the world was pushed into this dystopia and we are also made to realize that if we had been more attentive from the start, maybe this state of suffering could’ve been avoided. There are many characteristics or types of Dystopian worlds; Loss of identity (example: Giver), Totalitarian Government (Example: The Handmaid’s Tale), Environmental Destruction (example: The Maze Runner), and many more.
A dystopian world doesn’t emerge in the blink of an eye. Most of us just turn a blind eye to the things that don’t affect us, unaware that all these tiny things are just a build-up to mass destruction. This friendly guide to survive a Dystopia ends with the most important rule: try to avoid the need to ever use this guide. Be more aware of what is happening in your surroundings and don’t hesitate to raise your voice. Maybe you’re the main character in the world that didn’t go into a dystopia. Be safe and be conscious, my friends!