Damaged vending machines. "No change" messages on broken ATMs. Pepsi ads sponsoring diabetes research. These images may have little in common, but transmit a widely shared yet subtle sensation — they’re the unsettling reminders of a dark and strange twist in the reality we find ourselves in today. And unfortunately folks, it’s also a pretty bleak one.
Let me present to you the 'Boring Dystopia' subreddit, an online community dedicated to "chronicling how Advanced Capitalist Society is not only dystopic, but also incredibly boring." In case you've never heard of this term, it was coined by the late British academic and cultural theorist Mark Fisher. It refers to the feeling of unease in the form of mildly coercive signs that flourish in a late-stage capitalist society.
We at Bored Panda scoured the online group and handpicked some of the most vivid examples that illustrate there's something not quite right with this world. Continue scrolling and be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. And after you’re done reading this piece, take a look at our earlier compilations full of dystopian madness right here, here, and here.
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We're All Just Profit Potential
It's so well-written as well, sounds like a passage from a dystopian novel, but the dystopia is our reality.
From A 7-11 In Allen, Tx
Real Nice System We Have Here
To learn more about boring dystopia, we reached out to Macon Holt, Ph.D., a researcher at Copenhagen Business School and author of Pop Music and Hip Ennui: A Sonic Fiction of Capitalist Realism. He told Bored Panda this phrase is related to Mark Fisher’s critical term capitalist realism, "which he used to describe the pervasive belief that capitalism is the only viable form of the political, social and cultural organization following the end of the cold war."
It may be difficult to wrap your head around the term "boring dystopia" but once you get the hang of it, chances are, you’ll start seeing it everywhere. "[It] is more about the aesthetic experience of living in capitalist realism at a point in time when the system appears ever more unsustainable (ecologically, [politically], and in terms of increasing inequality and decreasing standards of living) but in which no other way to organize society has emerged," Holt explained.
“If I Had A Super Power, It Would Be To Fly. I Would Tell Other Children From Around The World To Come And Play With Me And My Sisters, And To Drink Tea Together!” – Mohamad, A Syrian Refugee In Lebanon
Sadly, This Situation Is Only Gonna Get Worse
It's sickening how screwed up the economy is. All we can do is hope it gets better in time, but unfortunately, that seems like wishful thinking. I'm so used to living in apartments (and now a trailer in a trailer park because rents for apartments are ridiculously high) that I have no idea what it's like to live in a house. Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough. But only maybe.
Wait? Am European Lol
While freedom is still a glorified statement against healthcare or weapon laws- my mind humming some lines of Bobby McGhee. and it 's gettin louder everyday
Although most of us grew up imagining a dystopian future full of terrifying end-times scenes, brutal police states, and decadent rulers, it is more likely to consist of mundane and unappealing scenarios. Holt mentioned exciting movies like Blade Runner or The Matrix from the '80s and '90s that offered depictions of going out with a bang, "But as the years in which those images came around, none of the dreams or nightmares came true," he said.
"Instead, space travel is becoming the hobby of billionaires while they ignore the ecological crises they could perhaps help with, AI and robots seem either to be surveilling us while they vacuum or when we click on a link, and the VR worlds of the metaverse are just ways to charge us more rent for spaces that we can't actually occupy."
"Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag", From United Auto Worker, October 1937
This one made me kinda smile, but it is sadly true. 1937 authors knew what was up!
Normal Country
Cool Era We're Living In
The media needs a dose of reality. (also, yes we should allow trans bathrooms)
Personally I think we should move to genderless single room bathrooms. Have multiple ones that way everyone can have a solid door and real walls between them and other people. I'm a cis Male and I have never felt secure in public restrooms, so I can only imagine how others feel.
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The media is holding something shiny to redirect our attention from what really is going on.
Just as their multi-billionaire owners ordered them to.
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We have an upcoming election here in Australia and a hot topic is around trans people and sports. It's an absolute non issue.....there are far more pressing things including the safety and well-being of trans people. It's driving me nuts
Welcome to this miserable world. Apparently the greedy & monstrous really are running everything.
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Also people in Ukraine are sitting on the floor of bomb shelters clutching their pets...
In all fairness, the media only reports the news. If americans did not have so many conservative asshats wasting time on things that should barely matter, they would not report it.
I have to disagree that the media only reports the news. A certain entertainment channel masquerading as a news channel consistently embellishes, twists, or straight up makes "news" up. They also have conservative asshats eagerly partnering with them to spread misinformation and lies.
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More fool you if you take anything in the media as a template for a morally useful life.
A good bit of Florida's coastal cities will be underwater by the end of the century, so their legislature is keenly focused on preventing that. HAHAHA! Just kidding! They are focused on making sure school children don't learn what "gay" means.
Actually, right now the media's only concern is the Amber Heard/Johnny Depp drama
As a trans bi male, I wish everybody would just get over arguing if we should be allowed to pee in the left or right room. Like just let us pee where we want!! I don’t want to do anything in there other than use the restroom and be recognized as a male.
Remember that godawful lyric "I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free?" Think about that phrase "at least." Liars and idiots often tell deep truths by accident. "At least," huh? And at most?
To be fair with media is they have to report "news", not just "world news" or "country news". Anything can be news, just might not interest you or feel there should be any debate about. Also, they need to supply an endless chain 24/7 to get decent ad revenues since newspaper and TV news are getting less consumers. Also, what does "transgender bathrooms" mean here? People should be allowed to go to any bathroom of their choosing. Being a voyeur/rapist regardless of gender is still illegal.
@j.f. ALMOST LIKE THAT THAT'S THE TRUTH YA DIPSHIT
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To be fair (and somewhat depressing) of all the topics listed here, regardless of which way you lean, there's only one you can actually do anything about and have an actual impact on. The rest are so far out of one person's control that you could yell and argue about it until you're blue in the face and all you would change is how blue your face was.
Vote for the Democrats. That's your change. Democrats need a real majority to change anything.
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To be fair, I don't think the transgender fear came from the media, but from the conservative religious folks who can't be bothered to think past what their leaders tell them.
Not sure why you're downvoted for something so true. The media amps it up with their coverage, but the politicians are the ones really messing things up.
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No, Republicans refused to allow transgenders to use either women's or men's bathrooms.
The actual media is reporting on all of the horrible news going on in the world. Sinclair Media stations and Fox stations are leading the charge against "wokeness".
Wokeness now being the traditionally oppressed people saying something against their oppressors. Sure, the Republicans hate that.
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states should ALLOW transgender bathrooms, the state shouldn't have a say in if they are allowed, there should just BE transgender bathrooms, and nobody gets a say.
This issue is subterfuge so we might not notice how badly we're being screwed!
The only people complaining about any of these things enabled it by obsessing in their man made politics the way they have all their young lives. As for anyone hating the rich they're simply envious is all, granting the wealthy free full time head space without haters putting any substantial & actual effort into halting the creation of wealth/wealthy. And haters never will because they don't know how to.
You can't take a s**t in America without political drama. It seems we have an overabundance of complexity.
Yup. I think that so much of this wokery is a diversion to the real issues people are facing and will face in the future.
Media wouldn't report it if state legislators weren't making it an issue. Well...... most mainstream media
People are so quick to forget reality because it often doesn't directly affect them ... Like as if we need to literally be in Palestine to understand that children are being slaughtered by Zionist (I wouldn't say Jews because Zionist go against so much of Jewish faith and tradition). They're so quick to forget that wealthy people are staying wealthy while inflation is bringing us down
Its a basic tactic. They know we cant do anything about the above story so the people would just become restless and violent because we cant act but the below story is grass roots level so people FEEL like they are making a difference when they speak out about it. Truth is, we have no voice, we have no say except very cosmetic things in our life. They control us from the cradle to the grave and unless something miraculous happens, they always will. I've known for this for two decades but I can't do anything with that knowledge. You cant tell anyone because then you are *noticed* by the state and they will quietly remove you from where your words might upset the masses.
The sadder part is, the only reason the media focuses on stuff like that is because it'll get more views, meaning more money from ads. The news isn't their product anymore - we are.
Yeah... It's just the media... They aren't playing to their customer base and reporting the stories people care most about. Not at all. We aren't responsible for anything.
It's not the media. It's the politicians who started this. The media is just covering these stupid unfair laws some politicians are pushing.
Media spoon feeds us our narratives. We are so conditioned to having them tell us what we should care about.
No, Reality: people in the US are dying in mass shootings almost every day. Republicans: states should ban transgender people out of existence because it's how we want to promote a warped version of "Christianity." The media just reports what the idiot Republicans say.
No, people in the US are dying in gang shootings every day. But doing smth about it would be racist.
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Sadly the media cares more about sensationalism than it does making an actual point. And yes there should be three bathrooms one male, one female, and one for everybody in between, if you're in the process of transitioning(I hope that's the word) you use the middle one until the process is complete when you then use then one for whatever gender you've become.
Reality: Palestinian children being used to carry out attacks by Hamas but hey ho, on you go with your narrative.
also reality: Israel and its supporters don't belive Palestinians exist despite the fact the UN has said they are
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Choose your media wisely. If you're reading garbage it's because you chose to. There are many excellent news sources available at no cost - propublica is one.
(Bob Standen 2 days ago) "As a male (68) I don't want to be standing at the urinal pissing while on either side of me are woman with bigger di*ks than me outpissing me. Is that wrong?" Best comment on this p**s-poor post
Trans people represent a TINY percentage of the population. Those who come to the attention of the news with sports are a tiny minority of a tiny minority. Anger is being inflamed for the sake of a headline. There is no need to be concerned about Trans people (even if you are a transphobe)
The Republicans are making this an issue. No one else is.
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That happens to girls regardless of where trans people use the bathroom. Typically by their own relatives. Nice straw man though
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You need to stick your head in the sand and keep it there.
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maybe not kill us but it would mean over 25% of total landmass going underwater
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are you calling transpeople criminals?? lol the mental gymnastics
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Typically, the most evident samples of boring dystopia are senseless ads and ordinary images of broken machinery. When asked about other examples of this experience, Holt mentioned we can find it in bureaucracy, "like the terms of a rental contract that forbid tenants to use cooking oil on the stove, so a landlord can keep the deposit if a single drop is found on the extractor fan hood."
"NFTs are perhaps a good example of boring dystopia,” he continued. "If a sci-fi writer were to dream up a situation in which people paid the money they had earned doing actual work for a certificate of verification that they own a .jpeg of a bored ape, their editor would probably say the world the story depicted would be too depressing to publish."
Sign Here
One Day The Masses Might Cotton On
You’re Not Wrong
He also noted that outlets such as Bored Panda draw attention to the conditions of contemporary boring dystopia in its name and try to break up the monotony of the everyday. "In boring dystopia, people are often anxious about work, housing and the future of the planet, and there's very little to alleviate this. As Mark Fisher put it 'No one is bored, everything is boring.'"
Unions Are Needed!
The American Dream: Move Out
Don't assume it's all peaches and daises in Europe, people are broke here too, with the same ridiculous housing costs and everything else, In the U.K. for example we just have universal healthcare, no guns and nowhere near as much racism but it isn't perfect by any means.
2% Of Musk's Wealth Could Help 42m People
Boring dystopia tells us that while capitalism is often labeled as the most efficient economic system out there, it is not necessarily geared toward human flourishing. "Depending on who you ask, it can be argued that in some particular corners of the world at a certain point in history when there was a relatively strong welfare state and high tax regime, capitalism was part of what brought a good number of people out of poverty."
Siri To Stop Bad Cops
Back To School
Honestly heartbreaking that they have to take precautions like that.
Validating Your Employees By A Pointing System
If my boss tried any of that s**t (not that she would), I would sue the company to the ground, holy s**t!
However, other people will point to the historical and contemporary violence, the destruction of the environment, and the inequality and exploitation required to make such "market dynamism" possible. According to Holt, capitalism has only ever been efficient at producing more capital. But "capital doesn't care who holds it. How it is made, what it is spent on or invested in and who gets to decide these things have always been political questions. And the answers to these questions have been, largely, deferred to the market for a long time, which has produced a world of increasing inequality, anti-democratic power structures, ecological ruin and boredom," he told us.
Glad Critical Medical Care Is Being Taken Care Of By Private Companies That Definitely Give A S**t
American Healthcare In A Nutshell
After The Government Let Companies Influence School Curriculums, My Exams Now Look Like This
For some, pictures pointing out our dull dystopian reality could be a source of entertainment. For others, they may create a daunting sense of a lost future. Speaking of the latter one, Holt said that the material things that make people feel that way (skyrocketing housing prices, student-loan debts, insane medical bills — the list goes on) stem from actions at various levels of society. "It is just what happens when the interests of people with power align," he added. "Boring dystopia is the experience of our faith in the future having been betrayed. There is not a quick fix. Instead, to quote Donna Haraway, we have to "stay with the trouble" if we want to commit to a future we can flourish in."
Epstein's Homie
Capitalism At Its Finest. Smh
the $150 is a fair price, giving that they need to do a mass amount of tests (aids on of them) and store the blood. They also do a lot of non-profit support. But charging thousands for a blood transfusion is criminal
Found On Linkedin. Fantastic
"One piece of advice that is really easy for coming to terms with and starting to imagine a way out of boring dystopia would be to read Fisher's Capitalist Realism: Is there no Alternative? It is an incredibly accessible piece of critical theory and is only about 86 pages long. It is a great jumping-off point for finding out more. Read it with friends and talk about it after. It is a great way to feel less alone in a world that seems to be ever more isolating," Holt concluded.
Gen Z And Millennials Are Ruining This Country! How Dare They
Capitalism Leads To Concentrated Wealth. Concentrated Wealth Means Concentrated Power. Therefore Capitalism Is Incompatible With Real Democracy, Which Requires Dispersed, Not Concentrated Power
A Grim Reality Sets In
I feel this. You just work and work everyday with the aim of life or economic status getting better. But it feels as though it never does.
The Way Most People Engage In Online Discussion Today Is On A Handful Of Centralized Platforms Owned And Operated By A Few Very Large For-Profit Tech Companies
Don't Solve The Problem, Just Spend Tons Of Money To Ignore It
Reality Is Often Disappointing
Supercops
Walmart Is Selling “Support Local” Shirts
In The Modern Dystopia, You Become The Ad
State Trooper Fired For Disloyalty Simply For Speaking Out And Telling The Truth
How Might This Have Happened
Reddit, I Just Discovered The Meaning Of Life
Arrested For Holding Up A Blank Sign
Facebooks Re-Brand Did Nothing
Anti-Ai Face Paint
There's an AI technique called universal perturbations which subtly changes pixel values which are entirely indistinguishable to humans but completely mess up classification algorithms. You can even train them to cause the algorithm to mistake you for something specific: like a panda! 🐼
Whoever Made This Billboard Can Shove It Up Their A**
Texas Lawmakers Posing As Human Beings, After Passing The New Abortion Ban
After Working From Home For Two Years, "Return To Work" Today
Nbc Is Turning Water Into Thousands Of Pounds Of Real Snow For Their 'Once In A Lifetime' Superbowl Coverage... In Southern California... During A Drought
Haha, There Was A Tussle At The Rich People's Gold-Statue Party
“I think I’ll just watch from here. From my balcony. In my million dollar mansion”
Yea... Let's Go Ahead And Bring Back Slavery
Note: this post originally had 130 images. It’s been shortened to the top 45 images based on user votes.
If you are a bit too mad here is a cat to lower your bp. imagesqtbn...sqpCAU.png 
Im honestly scared for the future right now
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And sadly our govt might have a escape clause but if anyone decides that they wish to redo our govt people will be hurt
Load More Replies... I hate how in society, especially American society, everyone is just another cog in the machine, and people aren't treated like actual people.
Every time I read or watch a movie about an apocalyptic future, or those articles about "what would you do in a zombie apocalypse?" I'm like "Die. I would happily die. Hopefully fast enough. Why would I fight to live in a frickin' apocalyptic world plagued by creatures who kill everything that makes a sound?!" (A bit off-topic? Mmm, maybe... But that's what this article made me think of, soooooo... 🤔)
oh what the hell. I hate these articles because they make me feel so hopeless and useless but I always read them. I'm scared, so scared for the future. I'm really into sci-fi and dystopia right now, and those realities keep seeming a little more realistic :(
You live in the wealthiest and safest time in the universe.
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Don't have kids. Don't force them into this horrible world.
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If you made it to the end and haven't realized more government isn't the solution, go back and review the pics. And then your life...
This is not about distopia, it's mostly stupidity, and some of them are simply not understanding how the society works, or not understanding that people are living from money. I think mostly collected by r/antiwork, what i basically like, but there are some wild ideas connected to it :D
Today I was explaining a conspiracy theory to my husband (not supporting it just telling him) I found he had never heard of Q Anon, and he had missed the story about the White House invasion. I think I might change to his news source
I was feeling pretty bad today. Depression and anxiety really has its grip on me at the moment. And then I read this article. It reminds me how I can't treat my depression and anxiety issues properly. So I feel a lot worse. I shouldn't be here.
I'm in the same boat. This really makes me feel hopeless, like I'd be better off gone than living on this horrid world
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And only one or two was even about Ukraine. There's so much more that isn't on the list.
I realized today that most everything is "rant -able" nowadays. Except for cat videos, discussion of the real world leads directly to a rant. Every example above is rant -worthy. So, cat videos!
Is this the world we want to live in? Is this the world we want to leave for our grandchildren/grandpets?
Nope. So I'm not having kids. It's the kindest thing you can do. #antinatalism
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My appendix was in the process of bursting yet I had to sit waiting in a shi**y plastic chair in front of a woman to fill out forms on a messed-up computer before being eventually wheeled back for emergency surgery. Had to wait for her computer to go back online with the internal system before I could "complete the intake paperwork" - ie: deal with the financials. I didn't, and still don't, have insurance...
All of this was heartbreaking. This is our reality. What are we leaving for the next generations? Woke? Are we really?
" Holt mentioned exciting movies like Blade Runner or The Matrix from the '80s and '90s that offered depictions of going out with a bang". - - - - I think Holt has not watched Bladd Runner.
I'm about to head into the workforce 2 years... I REALLY don't want to rn
Hahaha, lies, propaganda and fear mongering, 1st world problems as usual. People rather complain then see how good they really have it. =XD
Whataboutism, "appeal to bigger problems" fallacy. Many of them are simply things that are expected in modern Western democracies. America just sucks too much to provide them.
Load More Replies... Left-wing Americans: too proud to learn a trade, too lazy to get a useful college degree, but stupid enough to think socialism/communism will work.
daniel280456: too ignorant to understand the current situation in society, too lazy to look into it, but self righteous enough to speculate societies problems.
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If you are a bit too mad here is a cat to lower your bp. imagesqtbn...sqpCAU.png
Im honestly scared for the future right now
Load More Replies... And sadly our govt might have a escape clause but if anyone decides that they wish to redo our govt people will be hurt
Load More Replies... I hate how in society, especially American society, everyone is just another cog in the machine, and people aren't treated like actual people.
Every time I read or watch a movie about an apocalyptic future, or those articles about "what would you do in a zombie apocalypse?" I'm like "Die. I would happily die. Hopefully fast enough. Why would I fight to live in a frickin' apocalyptic world plagued by creatures who kill everything that makes a sound?!" (A bit off-topic? Mmm, maybe... But that's what this article made me think of, soooooo... 🤔)
oh what the hell. I hate these articles because they make me feel so hopeless and useless but I always read them. I'm scared, so scared for the future. I'm really into sci-fi and dystopia right now, and those realities keep seeming a little more realistic :(
You live in the wealthiest and safest time in the universe.
Load More Replies... Don't have kids. Don't force them into this horrible world.
Load More Replies... If you made it to the end and haven't realized more government isn't the solution, go back and review the pics. And then your life...
This is not about distopia, it's mostly stupidity, and some of them are simply not understanding how the society works, or not understanding that people are living from money. I think mostly collected by r/antiwork, what i basically like, but there are some wild ideas connected to it :D
Today I was explaining a conspiracy theory to my husband (not supporting it just telling him) I found he had never heard of Q Anon, and he had missed the story about the White House invasion. I think I might change to his news source
I was feeling pretty bad today. Depression and anxiety really has its grip on me at the moment. And then I read this article. It reminds me how I can't treat my depression and anxiety issues properly. So I feel a lot worse. I shouldn't be here.
I'm in the same boat. This really makes me feel hopeless, like I'd be better off gone than living on this horrid world
Load More Replies... And only one or two was even about Ukraine. There's so much more that isn't on the list.
I realized today that most everything is "rant -able" nowadays. Except for cat videos, discussion of the real world leads directly to a rant. Every example above is rant -worthy. So, cat videos!
Is this the world we want to live in? Is this the world we want to leave for our grandchildren/grandpets?
Nope. So I'm not having kids. It's the kindest thing you can do. #antinatalism
Load More Replies... My appendix was in the process of bursting yet I had to sit waiting in a shi**y plastic chair in front of a woman to fill out forms on a messed-up computer before being eventually wheeled back for emergency surgery. Had to wait for her computer to go back online with the internal system before I could "complete the intake paperwork" - ie: deal with the financials. I didn't, and still don't, have insurance...
All of this was heartbreaking. This is our reality. What are we leaving for the next generations? Woke? Are we really?
" Holt mentioned exciting movies like Blade Runner or The Matrix from the '80s and '90s that offered depictions of going out with a bang". - - - - I think Holt has not watched Bladd Runner.
I'm about to head into the workforce 2 years... I REALLY don't want to rn
Hahaha, lies, propaganda and fear mongering, 1st world problems as usual. People rather complain then see how good they really have it. =XD
Whataboutism, "appeal to bigger problems" fallacy. Many of them are simply things that are expected in modern Western democracies. America just sucks too much to provide them.
Load More Replies... Left-wing Americans: too proud to learn a trade, too lazy to get a useful college degree, but stupid enough to think socialism/communism will work.
daniel280456: too ignorant to understand the current situation in society, too lazy to look into it, but self righteous enough to speculate societies problems.
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