ARE WE LIVING

IN A DYSTOPIA?
By: Zarin Tasnim
The • The Pedestrian" is a dystopian science fiction short
story by American writer Ray Bradbury, published in

pedestrian 1951.
• It describes one night in the life of Leonard Mead,
resident of an unnamed city in the year 2053.
• Mead enjoys walking the city streets alone every night.
• As he walks the empty streets, he passes the homes of
other citizens, who are inside watching television.
• Leonard mead lives in a world where technology has
taken over and everyone is solely dependent on them.
Our real • The world of Leonard Mead—people stay inside,
they watch TV, they have very little – no social

life interaction, and everything is automated.

• Our world today—people have very little
dystopia interaction with their neighbours, and we consider
"social media" to be our social interaction.
• People are inside, emersed in technologies just
like in “the pedestrian”.
• Technology in the short story are what we use
today
Our real • After the Covid 19 pandemic hit, our modern
world have become dependent on technology
life now more than ever.
• Streets are emptier and emptier by day,
dystopia – classes being held online, businesses
Covid 19 upgrading their websites, more restaurants
and shops offering online services and home
delivery.
• Everyone has no other choice but to conform
Our real • Cybercrime has tripled since the start of the
pandemic
life • Governments are taking extra measures to ensure
that everybody is safe online
dystopia – • Everything posted or searched online is monitored
Covid 19 very closely
• All technologies used by governments can be used
for surveillance and pose undeniable threats to
privacy, individual freedoms, and democracy
• Citizens are forced to conform to the government
once again and basically give up their privacy