What is dystopia? It seems to be defined as a negative ideal. A society that is perceived as undesirable. But what exactly makes it undesirable? Is it the fact that people are oppressed, or perhaps the social norms are not in line with individual desires, or both?

If you look at the history of utopian and dystopian literature, it becomes evident that these societies are defined by control. They are controlled in order to implement some idea of a perfect society. And one way or another, they have failed each time.

Maybe the reason is that these societies are defined by control. Maybe if you want to achieve a perfect society, it can't be done by controlling people's behavior. Instead it must come from within.

Of course, the very idea of a perfect society is flawed, because humans are not all alike. We have different desires and needs. Therefore it becomes evident that any attempt to create a utopian society will result in chaos.

But what if a perfect society is not meant to be one where everyone has the same belief, needs and desires? What if it's one where people are free to do as they please, so long as they don't infringe on others' freedom of speech or action?

It seems to me that a perfect society is one in which people are free to do as they please, so long as they respect the freedom of others.