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What comes to mind when you think of a dystopian universe? is it Dali-esque surrealist landscapes or is it a more realistic world like 'The Handmaidens Tale' or '1984.' Well, according to the late Brtish academic and cultural theorist Mark Fisher, we are already living in a present-day dystopian society and folks - it is very boring.

The term 'boring dystopia' was coined by Fisher in 2015 and refers to the subliminal coercion that abounds in a capitalist society. So subtle that unless you're looking, you might not realize these problems with society are actually already happening. Charlie Booker's Black Mirror is the closest fantasy depiction of this theory, with his episodes questioning how far is too far when it comes to our evolving technology and how close we are to the dystopian future.

However, for real-life examples of this theory, and social issues coming together with, it look no further than the sub-Reddit titled 'A Boring Dystopia,' which is dedicated to sharing images that are disturbingly unassuming. From the poster that reads "Sleep deprivation is your drug of choice. You might be a doer," or a bus passing by with bold black letters stating, "You don't need therapy you just need a new car," the following photos may make you question every society problem in a different light.

Scroll down below to see the Orwellian thread of signs on problems with the world!

#1

Peak Bureaucracy (Happened In Toronto)

Peak Bureaucracy (Happened In Toronto)

ABoringDystopia Report

#2

Boring Dystopia

Boring Dystopia

ABoringDystopia Report

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beejayw avatar
Ben Smith
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tell you what...it's difficult to limit screen time for kids, but it's so very important.

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#3

I Guess We Just Have To Get Used To This

I Guess We Just Have To Get Used To This

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#4

Drink Soda To Help Fight Diabetes

Drink Soda To Help Fight Diabetes

ABoringDystopia Report

#5

You Must Be Noteworthy To Take A Selfie At This Spot

You Must Be Noteworthy To Take A Selfie At This Spot

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#6

Look At All That Freedom

Look At All That Freedom

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ADHORTATOR
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me Henry Ford "A customer can have a car painted any color he wants as long as it’s black”

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Joe Clark
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is a fake quote. Henry Ford never said that and there was never a time when Ford cars where only available in black.

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Xiaolaohu
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lots of places have dress codes, uniforms, for safety, ease of recognition, to enure compliance with safety standards, why is this a big deal?

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Tobias Meiner
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, it is still a substantial degree of freedom, given that many similar establishments require personnel to wear employer-supplied uniforms that are, as the name suggests, uniform. Being easily recognisable by customers is helpful to the latter.

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Rebekah
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You want to work? You want to work in a place that requires a uniform? You wear the damn uniform and be happy.

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Patricia Ross
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Walmart has a dress code, blue shirts & khaki pants. I assume people are told this when they are hired. This really doesn't seem all that unreasonable.

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BusLady
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, don't ever go into a Walmart wearing one of these colors.

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Polleekin
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've worked retail for years and I don't get why this is bad. The colors make it easy for customers to find an employee. And it distinguishes on shift employees. If I'm in my street clothes customers recognize me but don't ask me for help very often.

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Digital Onion
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it's to match the shop's signature color scheme. The exact reason it's a bad idea to wear red at a Target.

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WillemPenn
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or a blue knit shirt at Best Buy. I was wearing one while shopping and another customer kept asking me questions. I didn't think much of it as was just replying with "I don't know" and shrugs and she finally stormed off saying, "you are very rude and I'm going to report you to your manager." I always wondered what the conversation was like between her and the store manager ...

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Isla Reyne
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wouldn't consider a work uniform a factor in determining how dystopic society is. It's been this way for a long time.

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Edwin Quantrall
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I got them 'Any-color-as-long-as-it's-Blue-and-conforms-to-our-shade-chart' Wal-mart Fashion Fascism Blues..."

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Abby Not Normal
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Starting with "You have a lot of freedom" is so patronizing.

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Baked Panda
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is no longer true... they allow you to wear anything as long as it is sleeves long or short, is not torn or transparent

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Zenozenobee
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mmmmh, Wallmart employees are so lucky! They are so spoiled for choice! No really what the use of this policy: either your employees can dress as they want, either you decide uniforms but don't tell them they can chose between 5 shades of dark blue. No one is fooled.

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Liz Sahlin Johansson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...they should have skipped the introductory sentence... A dress code is there for a reason. Ex. I KNOW that I can’t weare any thing red on top visiting certain stores unless I would WANT other shoppers to ask ME for everything. Like : NEVER weare craftsmen clothes when visiting construction store!!! Then suddely you have two jobs and people don’t want to hear and don’t belive “sorry, I don’t work here.” You weare an overall for Pete's sake! Of course you know the price of Philips 2 bits!

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Carol Dunagan
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Walmart is a private company and has a right to require any kind of dress they like! Employees have civil rights but how to dress is not a civil right! :)

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Sheila Shaffer
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not like this anymore.....you can wear any clothing you want!

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rustic raven
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well at least you had a wide ranges of blues be happy it was blue they gave ya ;=]]

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Michèle Gyselinck
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah right. Well, I guess a job is a job, and people can't always be picky, but I wouldn't want to work for Walmart anyway.

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Phil Vaive
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh no, a company has a dress code! That means they're basically hitler!

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Tracy Wolfe
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Doesn’t that store provide the shirts for employees? What about the colorblind? Shouldn’t this sign be in Braille?

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The Cappy
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not the same thing though. The company wishes its employees to be identifiable as employees. It has a dress code. They allow a tiny bit of latitude. But it's not like saying this is what we sell.

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Randomcthulu
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked at Autozone for about a year, they controlled our work attire down to the color of our socks, black, and the color of our mandatory undershirts, white, so the blue shirt thing is nothing

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Rikard Krvaric
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

BLUE... a lot of people just don't get that... Is this purple shirt blue? How about these Jeans that are grey? are they blue?

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Cathrine Simone
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's ONE color Wal-mart, it's not even different tones. It is different shades and a short range at that. Like standing in the sun doesn't even make the list...this is just dusk-to-midnight.

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Christie Wilson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a work uniform. This is actually a lot of choices for a company like that. If they are shirts employees have to buy, the choices make it easier to find. Having to match an exact shade of any color sucks. If it's a uniform shirt, most companies have one choice. Maybe one summer and one winter choice, but that's it. Seriously? Dictatorship is a little ridiculous. It's a job a person chooses to have where they work with customers and need to be easily identifiable and presentable.

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Lisa Bai White
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lets have 900 pregnant ladies lock themselves into walmarts during nighttime, use their products and give birth in walmarts and call it an hommage to natalie portman

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#8

Healthcare Described In One Picture

Healthcare Described In One Picture

ABoringDystopia Report

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chi-wei shen
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Based on the ATM symbol ("bankomat" on yellow background with Raiffeisen logo) and the uniform of the paramedics it is from Croatia. The photo dates back to September 2016, and the Photographer's name is Sandra Krunic. The original title of this photo said something about American healthcare, which doesn't fit.

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#10

Boring Dystopia

Boring Dystopia

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Ben Smith
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was actually done to combat theft near a rail yard where cargo from trains was being frequently stolen. This is a fantastic example of a person using social media to twist the facts to suit their own agenda.

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#11

"How Can We Decorate Our Lobby To Look Refined While Still Being Utterly Devoid Of Character?"

"How Can We Decorate Our Lobby To Look Refined While Still Being Utterly Devoid Of Character?"

ABoringDystopia Report

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Zenozenobee
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And people who decided this didn't think that this would make a perfect joke?

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#13

Quick Reminder That We've Been At War For 17 Years. Sure, People Are Sent To Fight And Die Every Day, But It's Just Old News, Right?

Quick Reminder That We've Been At War For 17 Years. Sure, People Are Sent To Fight And Die Every Day, But It's Just Old News, Right?

ABoringDystopia Report

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r3dd3v1lL
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You've always been at war. The USA is a warmongering country. Does that even surprise anyone at this point?

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#14

Kurt Cobain Was Not Diagnosed With A Mental Illness And Leave A Suicide Note For It To Be Turned Into A Fashion Trend

Kurt Cobain Was Not Diagnosed With A Mental Illness And Leave A Suicide Note For It To Be Turned Into A Fashion Trend

ABoringDystopia Report

#15

American Airlines Announces Pay Raises For Pilots And Flight Attendants, And Investors Balk

American Airlines Announces Pay Raises For Pilots And Flight Attendants, And Investors Balk

ABoringDystopia Report

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Random Panda
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Investors want to get all the money, while putting in none of the work. It's the workers' labor that creates value, which brings in the money. It makes sense they should be paid appropriately.

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#16

Mass Shootings Are Now So Frequent That President Trump Just Copies-And-Pastes His Condolences

 Mass Shootings Are Now So Frequent That President Trump Just Copies-And-Pastes His Condolences

ABoringDystopia Report

#17

Education For Your Kids? Not Important. Buy Our Expensive Car Instead

Education For Your Kids? Not Important. Buy Our Expensive Car Instead

capital-sneeze Report

#18

Trump's Official Survey Doesn't Include Any Negative Response Options

 Trump's Official Survey Doesn't Include Any Negative Response Options

ABoringDystopia Report

#19

Teaching Kids To Read Via Logos

Teaching Kids To Read Via Logos

ABoringDystopia Report

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r3dd3v1lL
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know why but to me this seems to be more vulgar and immoral than the last porn movie I watched.

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#21

Totally Normal And Fine

Totally Normal And Fine

ABoringDystopia Report

#22

S**t Like This Just Happens Constantly Now

S**t Like This Just Happens Constantly Now

ABoringDystopia Report

#23

Liquidation Sale

Liquidation Sale

ABoringDystopia Report

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stellermatt
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

not as bad as 'things to do before you die' why not 'things to do while you're still alive' much more positive.

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#24

Plastic, As God Made It

Plastic, As God Made It

ABoringDystopia Report

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Paul K. Johnson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Didn't George Carlin say that the only reason Earth hasn't killed us is that it can't make plastic and needs us to do it?

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#25

Gun Show This Weekend

Gun Show This Weekend

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TheDivineMs.M
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's been documented that after a mass/school shooting, gun sales actually go up. How sick is that?

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#26

Teachers Gifted Supplies For Their Classrooms ...on A Talk Show

Teachers Gifted Supplies For Their Classrooms ...on A Talk Show

ABoringDystopia Report

#27

Late Stage Capitalism

Late Stage Capitalism

ABoringDystopia Report

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Chyppa Homer
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Shouldn't the simple fact that you're out of blood, solve ALL your problems ? Including housing ? Just a tought

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#28

Be Happy

Be Happy

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Chyppa Homer
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, if you don't smile, an exec will immediately bolt from his office and grin at the door for you :D

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#30

Jaywalkers Under Surveillance In Shenzhen Soon To Be Punished Via Text Messages

 Jaywalkers Under Surveillance In Shenzhen Soon To Be Punished Via Text Messages

ABoringDystopia Report

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Naima Ivansdóttir
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

how is this surprising? did you really think they were developing this kind of technology just for your social photo tagging to be easier? come on.

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#33

I Withdrew Some Cash And The Receipt Has The Most Dystopian Bloody Thing On It

I Withdrew Some Cash And The Receipt Has The Most Dystopian Bloody Thing On It

ABoringDystopia Report

#34

I'm Sure The Sermen Drew Some Comparison With Following "False Prophets"

I'm Sure The Sermen Drew Some Comparison With Following "False Prophets"

ABoringDystopia Report

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Zenozenobee
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think this challenge honor the Christ... Poor Him, it must be tiredsome to be loved by idiots.

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#37

It’s Really Hard Watching Other People Live Out Your Dreams

It’s Really Hard Watching Other People Live Out Your Dreams

Talebinho Report

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ille102
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is probably obvious to most, but the reductress is, just like the onion, a satire site :) just so you know

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#38

You Don't Need Therapy

You Don't Need Therapy

ABoringDystopia Report

#40

Bleeding You Dry

Bleeding You Dry

ABoringDystopia Report

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Zenozenobee
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Giving your blood is a good thing, having no choice but selling your blood sucks

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#41

Aligned With The Holiday Spirit

Aligned With The Holiday Spirit

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Tobias Meiner
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And? This can be a police parking lot, military base, impound lot, a mint etc.

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#42

You've Heard Of Elf On The Shelf, Now Get Ready For

You've Heard Of Elf On The Shelf, Now Get Ready For

ABoringDystopia Report

#44

The Important News

The Important News

ABoringDystopia Report

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Chyppa Homer
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's an update. Bus probably fell from the cliff, crashed on a cemetery, and they are keeping the viewers up to date on how many victims they keep finding under the wreck. Chips look tasty though :D

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#46

This Escorting Website Features A Live-Updated Student Debt Clock

This Escorting Website Features A Live-Updated Student Debt Clock

ABoringDystopia Report

#47

Happiness Within Reach

Happiness Within Reach

ABoringDystopia Report

#48

Back To School Shopping

Back To School Shopping

ABoringDystopia Report

#49

Facebook Served Me An Ad Inside Of A Private Chat

Facebook Served Me An Ad Inside Of A Private Chat

ABoringDystopia Report

#50

Their Main Concern Isn't Population Changes, It's Diaper Sales

Their Main Concern Isn't Population Changes, It's Diaper Sales

Klikini Report

Note: this post originally had 73 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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