Access Type
Open Access
Entry Number
66
Start Date
4-5-2017 9:00 AM
End Date
4-5-2017 9:15 AM
Abstract
Idiocracy tells the story of Joe, an army test subject who is transported 500 years into the future to find a world that is populated with the dumbest people ever. For this study, Idiocracy was viewed multiple times over a year. After researching scholarly reviewed articles Idiocracy was analyzed, looking at both the genre and aesthetic of dystopian science fiction films. Then the dystopian society in Idiocracy was studied to see what kind of inferences can be made about society today. By critically analyzing Idiocracy and comparing it to other texts that fall into the genre of dystopic science fiction it is clear that Idiocracy falls into the same genre. After looking comparatively at the genre of dystopian science fiction, this study also analyzes the ways Idiocracy creates social commentary. By using examples from the text and comparing them to real world examples, it is clear that this text is doing more than just entertaining its audience. The film provides insight into the future of some issues already at the heart of our society. By looking at the way Idiocracy presents government, corporations, and a future shaped by ignorance, Idiocracy develops a form of commentary about the society we live in by using satire and humor to criticize problems that are seen today.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Jorgensen-Earp
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It’s the End of the World as We Know It: Idiocracy, Dystopias and Social Commentary Through Satire
Idiocracy tells the story of Joe, an army test subject who is transported 500 years into the future to find a world that is populated with the dumbest people ever. For this study, Idiocracy was viewed multiple times over a year. After researching scholarly reviewed articles Idiocracy was analyzed, looking at both the genre and aesthetic of dystopian science fiction films. Then the dystopian society in Idiocracy was studied to see what kind of inferences can be made about society today. By critically analyzing Idiocracy and comparing it to other texts that fall into the genre of dystopic science fiction it is clear that Idiocracy falls into the same genre. After looking comparatively at the genre of dystopian science fiction, this study also analyzes the ways Idiocracy creates social commentary. By using examples from the text and comparing them to real world examples, it is clear that this text is doing more than just entertaining its audience. The film provides insight into the future of some issues already at the heart of our society. By looking at the way Idiocracy presents government, corporations, and a future shaped by ignorance, Idiocracy develops a form of commentary about the society we live in by using satire and humor to criticize problems that are seen today.