Online film shows a grim view of the world and our future
The documentary Dystopia, like many other films in which Roger Moore appears, has a “wake up the world” feel to it. This online movie, created by Dr. Garry Potter, sociologist at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, informs viewers of many current global crises which are spiraling out of control.
According to the film, 1 billion people, or 25 percent of the world’s population, are living in “dystopia,” or horrible circumstances, right now. These circumstances include no clean water, no food and the accompanying diseases which goes with those calamities.
Using quotes, narration, relevant movie clips, comedy routines and commercials, this film tells the story of how we got to today’s problems and where we are headed unless we change. It mentions global warming, as well as the increasing scarcity of oil, natural gas and clean water and how these finite resources will be the focus of increasing conflict.
By 2015, it said, “3 billion people, about 40 percent of world’s population, will be unable to have enough water to fulfill basic human needs.” Water has become a commodity and is no longer distributed by human need, according to the film.
It defines capitalism as being focused on greed, money and power while distracting society from the real problems, as stated in a quote it used from George Orwell’s book, 1984: “They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality … and were not sufficiently interested in events to notice what was happening.”
Corporations are portrayed in the film as predators. It cites disturbing corporate practices, such as covertly taking out life insurance policies on its employees where the company gets the benefits if that employee dies. This practice is called a “dead peasant” policy. Some famous corporations found engaging in this practice, according to the film, are Hershey, Nestle, Bank of America, Citibank and Wal-Mart.
The film recommends boycotting large corporations, especially Wal-Mart, the largest corporation in the world. As the film states, “It ruthlessly exploits workers at home and especially abroad, vehemently opposes unions and takes out dead peasant policies on its workers.”
How to fix these problems, according to the film, involves more than just cutting one’s personal usage of resources and boycotting large corporations. Even charity, it explains, is really not enough to actually solve the problem. The real issue is the cause and not just the symptom of hunger and poverty.
It is recommended by the film that everyone become politically involved, join unions wherever possible and rebel against the system. Being united in the cause for a socialized world economy is the only chance to avoid barbarism and dystopia.
Due to the nature of the film, it contains some graphic images in the form of starving children and human torture, some brief vulgar language and some split-second nudity scenes.
This is not a feel-good movie. Its views may be a bit extreme, but it does succeed in making the viewer stop and think about what really matters in the world and what part each person plays in bringing about either a better world or a devastating dystopia.
For more information about the concept, to purchase the accompanying book written by Potter or to view the film online at no cost, go to www.DystopiaFilm.com
