History Main / SlidingScaleOfSocialSatisfaction

%%* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': "Revolution is the Key".

%%* ''Literature/TheOnesWhoWalkAwayFromOmelas'': "Too Happy to Care".

%%* The future envisioned by Creator/NealStephenson is "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality". This gets reflected in his books. For example, ''Literature/SnowCrash''.

%%[[AC: Video Games]]
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': "Hell On Earth".

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality". The city is divided into the poor, polluted bottom, Zaun, and the rich, idyllic topside, Piltover. The economical disparity between the top is abysmal -- the former's economy revolves around highly toxic chemical substances produced by gang bosses (the Chembarons). Meanwhile, the latter's economy is far more diversified, prouding itself on its inventing capacity. Technology and, to a lesser extent, magic are present on both sides, providing solutions impossible to a real-life, average person.

* '''Revolution is the Key''' -- This is the first level in which revolutions born from societal discontent can, in fact, provoke a change in the system. Whether it's for better or worse depends on how cynical the tone is. In either case, the morality is [[GrayAndBlackMorality gray and black]] as, in the second case, it's implied a new generation of revolutionaries can succeed where their predecessors failed. Cast systems are not rare in this kind of setting.

* '''True Neutral''' -- Society is heterogeneous enough to present all levels in this sliding scale. There's a near dystopia in some sectors while others bask in an almost utopia, as well as several others in between. This level and the ones before are [[AWorldHalfFull Worlds Half Full]].

* ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'': "Controlled But Well-Fed". Individual thought is prohibited (called thoughtcrime), the Big Brother oversees society's every level, and people may not starve but always eat and do the same. Nor they are allowed to own any kind of commodity. On top of that, nasty punishments await for those to fall to be mindless sheeps.

** "Knowledge is Forbidden" category. You can have this take if you think the CentralTheme of the book was censorship.

%%* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': "True Neutral".

* ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'': "Controlled But Well-Fed". Individual thought is prohibited (called thoughtcrime), the Big Brother oversees society's every level, and people may not starve but always eat and do the same. Nor they are allowed to own any kind of commodity.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality".
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': The city of Ba Sing Se, considered the best protected sanctuary, operates on "Outside is Burning, Inside is Safe". The city makes sure everyone inside is safe from the war (how well depends on social class), but mentioning the war is prohibited, and don't cross the Dai Li, the inner police, or they will brianwash you or make you disappear.

%%* ''Franchise/StarWars'': "True Neutral".

%%[[AC: Anime & Manga]]
%%* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': "Outside is Burning, Inside is Safe".
%%* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'':
%%** "Knowledge is forbidden".
%%** Gets upgraded to "Revolution is the Key" in TheMovie: ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion Rebellion]]''.

* ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'': "Revolution is the Key". The book's whole premise is that anarchy can be a positive force, at least when the alternative is fascism. This is furthered when spoiler: in the end, the revolutionaries succeed at taking down the government. Whether it's for better or worse, it remains to be seen.

[[AC: Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': "Outside is Burning, Inside is Safe".
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'':
** "Knowledge is forbidden".
** Gets upgraded to "Revolution is the Key" in TheMovie: ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion Rebellion]]''.

* ''Film/AClockworkOrange'': "Peak of Crime". The government founds itself unable to curb the rampant street crime in England. Young people are particularly prone to violence and unhinged, with the protagonist being the boss of a gang, the "Droogs", who terrorize the suburbs.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': "True Neutral".

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': "Revolution is the Key".

* ''Literature/TheCulture'': "Heaven On Earth".
* ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'': "Revolution is the Key".
* ''Literature/TheGiver'': "Too Happy to Care".

* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'': "Revolution is the Key".

* The future envisioned by Creator/NealStephenson is "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality". This gets reflected in his books. For example, ''Literature/SnowCrash''.
* ''Literature/TheOnesWhoWalkAwayFromOmelas'': "Too Happy to Care".

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': "True Neutral".

[[AC: Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': "Hell On Earth".
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': "True Neutral".

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality".
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': "Outside is Burning, Inside is Safe". The Fire Nation and Ba Sing Se.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePony'': "Sweet with a Helping of Sour".
* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'': "Sweet with a Helping of Sour".

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': "True Neutral".
%% Star Trek's Federation is a utopian setting, which is probably why they have to have so many Negative Space Wedgies and malfunctioning Phlebotinum.
%% The United Federation of Planets is said to be Gene Roddenberry's idea of "utopia"-no poverty, disease, or war exists on Earth in the 24th century. Deep Space Nine, though, pokes some pretty big holes in that idealistic view, with terrorism, war, and a 'secret police' cabal that will do anything to ensure that everyone is safe and sound.
%% Given the replicator along with other high technologies (such as in medicine), there is some justification for the end of poverty and disease, but war obviously is still around. It would also make sense for humans to pull together after the Third World War and first contact with the Vulcans. Still, there are clear problems-for one, the implications of many technologies are barely touched upon-and it hardly justifies the Planet of Hats thing.
%% War does not exist internally within the Federation, though it is a problem that the Federation tends to have with neighboring powers. Given the Federation's expansion and the availability of entire new planets for colonization, it is not surprising that many social issues are simply gone. No Federation race has to cram their entire population onto just one world if they do not want to. Thus common problems in future settings, such as overpopulated megacities are just not present because anybody that wants more open space can move to a less densely populated colony (overpopulation also seems to be prevented by contraceptive injections mentioned in a couple of episodes).
%% Also, while the actual member worlds of the Federation are practically utopian the same can't always be said for the outer colonies. This is especially true of colonies that border antagonistic empires like the Cardassian Union, leading to paramilitary organizations like the Maquis.

** "Heaven on Earth". The United Federation.
** "Outside is Burning, Inside is Safe".

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'': "True Neutral".
* ''Franchise/StarWars'': "True Neutral".

** Gets upgraded to "Revolution is the Key" in TheMovie: PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion.

** Gets upgraded to "Revolution is the Key" in TheMovie.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': "Hell On Earth"

* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'': "Sweet with a Helping of Sour"

* The future envisioned by Creator/NealStephenson is "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality". This gets reflected in his books:
** ''Literature/SnowCrash''

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}: "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality".

** ''Literature/SnowCrash'': "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality".

* ''VideoGame/{{WorldOfWarcraft'': "True Neutral".

* '''Revolution is the Key''' -- This is the first level in which revolutions born from societal discontent can, in fact, provoke a change in the system. Whether it's for better or worse depends on how cynical the tone is. In either case, the morality is [[GrayAndBlackMorality gray and black]] as, in the second case, it's implied a new generation of revolutionaries can succeed where their predecessors failed. Cast systems are not rare in this kind of settings.
* '''Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality''' -- Technological advances or magic have produced miraculous health care, the coolest of entertainment, and an easy solution to most mundane problems (from farming to getting a coffee). However, the world's wealth disparity has sharply worsened. Cancer can be cured but people are robbed of their agency and ability to impact the world's politics. People are mostly free, though.

* ''Literature/Kherishdar'': "Too Happy To Care" since it leans heavily toward the Idealistic end of the scale. The noble castes' concept of ''Esar'', or leadership, involves a combination of job placement skills and psychology to determine where an individual will serve best for society ''and'' their own happiness. The government, nonetheless, takes some unsavory means to achieve that, such as torture and the whole Shame business.

* ''Literature/Kherishdar'': "Sweet with a Helping of Sour".

* '''Revolution is the Key''' -- This is the first level in which revolutions born from societal discontent can, in fact, provoke a change in the system. Whether it's for better or worse depends on how cynical the tone is. In either case, the morality is [[GrayAndBlackMorality gray and black]] as, in the second case, it's implied a new generation of revolutionaries can succeed where their predecessors failed.

* '''Heaven On Earth''' -- It can be achieved through multiple means but the consensus is that it has the best from the previous levels plus veritable freedom, access to knowledge, and politicians are honest. In some utopias, {{AI}}s run everything, so nobody has to work. In others, people only work in what they love, not needing to concern themselves about money. There's both freedom and safety.

* ''TabletopGame/CthulhuTech'': "Outside is Burning, Inside is Safe". Life in the {{Arcolog|y}}es is quite good because of the fact they are safe heavens in a ravaged world and thanks to [[{{Magitek}} archanotech]] that provides advanced healthcare which includes psychiatric care for essential workers. Alas, there's [[HopelessWar Aeon War]] on the outside and while the government is the only thing protecting humanity from cosmic horrors, it's a PoliceState.

"{{Dystopia}}s" and "{{Utopia}}s" often, though not always, are born from the desire to achieve the best society possible. They are less of opposite concepts and more the two sides of the same coin.

[[AC: Please put alternative categorizations as separate sub-bullet ([=**=]) points. Do not rewrite the other classification nor argue with it]].

* ''Film/ThePurge'': "Peak of Crime".

* '''Peak of Crime''' -- The main cause of concern and of societal disruption is crime, organized or otherwise. Illegal activities rule the government and the average person has no means to defend themself from it to the point most are forced to engage in them in order to survive. The difference between this and pure anarchy is that there ''is'' a social system that ought to protect people from criminals, it's just that it can't or it won't. This level and the ones before are {{Crapsack World}}s.

* ''Film/AClockworkOrange'': "Peak of Crime".

Although the terms "{{Dystopia}}" and "{{Utopia}}" are opposites, between the two there are a number of intermediate points. From straight dystopia, in which everyone is so miserably unhappy that it's impossible to believe that anyone could tolerate it for a second, to utopia, which is essentially heaven on earth, the epitome of wellbeing. Those between the poles are universes which, while oppressive to varying extents, theirs is not a BlackAndWhiteMorality.

Note that this is a [[{{YMMV}} Your Mileage May Vary]] trope for a reason. Not everyone will rate fictional societies in this exact order. Some may consider the most freedom-oriented regimes more favorable while others may prefer those where resources are more homogeneously distributed.

* ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'': "Revolution is the Key".

* ''Literature/SnowCrash'': "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality".

* The future envisioned by Creator/NealStephenson is "Technology/Magic Compensates For Life Quality".