‘Granny Killer’, Anti-Vax, Anti-Mask, Conspiracy: Only Human?

When will you become human again, that is the question.

Surveillance Slips Into Totalitarianism…But Don’t Say You Weren’t Warned

It’s a page out of Orwell’s 1984. The increasing revelations about surveillance across the globe into our private lives is causing a divide in the Western states. Are the actions of the NSA in the United States, and the ASD in Australia creating an increasingly totalitarian environment? Are the Western states increasingly becoming paranoid with…

Is a Dystopia Synonymous with Humanity?

Why Dystopian? It’s a question I’m inevitably asked when discussing my books and essays. My short answer is: Do I get a choice? Followed by my long answer: It’s what makes us human. The dystopian genre is a messy reflection of the good, bad and in-betweens of humanity in difficult situations. The dystopian society is an…

The Top 10 Dystopian Songs

  (By Aral Bereux) Some of the greatest hits of all time have been created with dystopian themes. Music, books and films — they strike a proverbial chord with audiences. From Prince to Good Charlotte, Imagine Dragons and Bright Eyes, here are but a few music hits to consider. Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire. The…

Pre-Crime Unit in China to be Established

Minority Report’s Pre-Crime is no longer a work of fiction. The Communist Party in China are working closely with state-run defence contractors, China Electronics Technology Group, to develop a software program that will collate citizens’ everyday behaviour and pre-determine terrorist acts before they occur. Data collated will include hobbies, jobs, consumption habits, unorthodox behaviour and…

Hashtag in Protest and Twitter may Monitor You

It’s a page out of Philip K. Dick’s Minority Report and perhaps slightly Orwellian. A new paper has been published on the patterns of protest and the likelihood of a person protesting via Twitter behaviour. The paper, by researchers Suhas Ranganath and Fred Morstatter, is part of a $750,000 grant funded by the Office of…