One without war, poverty, or crime?

一個沒有戰爭、貧窮或犯罪的世界？

If so, you're not alone.

如果有過，你不是唯一一個這樣想的

Plato imagined an enlightened republic ruled by philosopher kings,

柏拉圖曾想過一個由哲學家的國王所領導的開明共和國

many religions promise bliss in the afterlife,

許多宗教都承諾來世會有極樂

and throughout history,

而綜觀歷史

various groups have tried to build paradise on Earth.

許多團體都試著在地球上建造天堂

Thomas More's 1516 book "Utopia" gave this concept a name,

湯瑪斯‧莫爾在1516年的著作《烏托邦》中，給這個觀念起了個名字

Greek for "no place."

在希臘語中意指「不存在的地方」

Though the name suggested impossibility,

雖然這個名稱暗示著理想世界不可能存在

modern scientific and political progress

現代科學與政治的進步

raised hopes of these dreams finally becoming reality.

給這些終將實現的夢想帶來了希望

But time and time again, they instead turned into nightmares

然而，這些夢想卻再三地轉變成

of war, famine, and oppression.

戰爭、飢荒和壓迫的夢魘

And as artists began to question utopian thinking,

而正當藝術家開始質疑烏托邦思想之時

the genre of dystopia, the not good place, was born.

反烏托邦此種流派，意指不好的地方，便隨之誕生

One of the earliest dystopian works is Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels."

強納森‧史威夫特的《格列佛遊記》即為早期的反烏托邦著作

Throughout his journey, Gulliver encounters fictional societies,

格列佛在旅途中遇到了虛構的社會

some of which at first seem impressive, but turn out to be seriously flawed.

有些社會是金玉其外，敗絮其內

On the flying island of Laputa,

在拉普塔這個飛島國上

scientists and social planners pursue extravagant and useless schemes

科學家與社會規劃者從事奢侈又無用的計畫

while neglecting the practical needs of the people below.

同時又忽略島下人們的實際需求

And the Houyhnhnm who live in perfectly logical harmony

而慧駰這群過著完全和睦生活的馬

have no tolerance for the imperfections of actual human beings.

無法忍受人類的不完美

With his novel, Swift established a blueprint for dystopia,

史威夫特藉由他的這本小說，為反烏托邦建立了藍圖

imagining a world where certain trends in contemporary society

想像世界上當代社會的某些趨勢

are taken to extremes,

走向極端

exposing their underlying flaws.

暴露出社會上潛在的缺點

And the next few centuries would provide plenty of material.

而接下來幾世紀提供了許多實例

Industrial technology that promised to free laborers

原本有可能會解放勞工的工業技術

imprisoned them in slums and factories, instead,

卻將他們囚禁在貧民窟和工廠裡

while tycoons grew richer than kings.

而企業大亨變得比國王還有錢

By the late 1800's, many feared where such conditions might lead.

到了十九世紀晚期，許多人都害怕這種情況不知道會變得如何

H. G. Wells's "The Time Machine" imagined upper classes and workers

赫伯特·喬治·威爾斯的《時間機器》描繪上流階級與勞動階級

evolving into separate species,

進化成不同的物種

while Jack London's "The Iron Heel" portrayed a tyrannical oligarchy

而傑克‧倫敦的《鐵踵》則描繪專制的寡頭政權

ruling over impoverished masses.

統治著貧困的民眾

The new century brought more exciting and terrifying changes.

新的世紀帶來了更令人興奮卻更恐怖的改變

Medical advances made it possible to transcend biological limits

醫學進步讓人類可以超越生物限制

while mass media allowed instant communication

而大眾媒體讓領導人與社會大眾

between leaders and the public.

能夠即時交流

In Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World", citizens are genetically engineered

阿道斯·赫胥黎的《美麗新世界》中，市民經過基因工程處理

and conditioned to perform their social roles.

並受到制約以表現自己所屬的社會角色

While propaganda and drugs keep the society happy,

雖然政治宣傳和藥物讓這個社會一直感到開心

it's clear some crucial human element is lost.

但顯然人類已經喪失了某些重要的人性

But the best known dystopias were not imaginary at all.

然而，最有名的反烏托邦不是憑空想像的

As Europe suffered unprecedented industrial warfare,

正當歐洲經歷史無前例的工業革命戰爭時

new political movements took power.

新的政治運動掌權了

Some promised to erase all social distinctions,

有些人保證要弭平社會差異

while others sought to unite people around a mythical heritage.

有些人則在神祕的遺產裡試圖統一人民

The results were real-world dystopias

結果是在真實世界的反烏托邦社會裡

where life passed under the watchful eye of the State

人們在國家的監視下活著

and death came with ruthless efficiency to any who didn't belong.

而死亡無情地奪走那些沒有國家的人

Many writers of the time didn't just observe these horrors,

當時許多作家不僅是目睹了這些恐怖的事

but lived through them.

更經歷了這一切

In his novel "We", Soviet writer Yevgeny Zamyatin described a future

蘇維埃作者葉夫根尼·薩米爾欽在他的小說「我們」裡

where free will and individuality were eliminated.

描述了一個自由意志和個人特徵都被泯除的未來世界

Banned in the U.S.S.R., the book inspired authors like George Orwell

這本書在蘇聯遭禁，但激勵了如喬治·歐威爾等作家

who fought on the front lines against both fascism and communism.

他們在前線與法西斯主義和共產主義作戰

While his novel "Animal Farm" directly mocked the Soviet regime,

喬治‧歐威爾的小說《動物農莊》直接諷刺了蘇聯政權

the classic "1984" was a broader critique of totalitarianism, media, and language.

其經典小說《1984》更廣泛地批評了極權主義、媒體和語言

And in the U.S.A., Sinclair Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here"

在美國，辛克萊·路易斯的《不可能在這裡發生》

envisioned how easily democracy gave way to fascism.

想像了民主是多麼容易屈服於法西斯主義

In the decades after World War II,

二次世界大戰過後的幾十年

writers wondered what new technologies

作家們想知道新的科技

like atomic energy, artificial intelligence, and space travel

如核能、人工智慧、太空旅行等

meant for humanity's future.

對於人的未來有什麼意義

Contrasting with popular visions of shining progress,

不同於大眾對於光明未來的憧憬

dystopian science fiction expanded to films, comics, and games.

反烏托邦的科幻小說擴展到電影、漫畫與遊戲

Robots turned against their creators

機器人和其創造者反目成仇

while TV screens broadcast deadly mass entertainment.

而電視螢幕播放著極端的大眾娛樂節目

Workers toiled in space colonies above an Earth of depleted resources

工人在太空殖民地上辛苦耕耘，離開資源匱乏

and overpopulated, crime-plagued cities.

人口過剩、充滿犯罪的地球

Yet politics was never far away.

但是政治卻從未遠離

Works like "Dr. Strangelove" and "Watchmen" explored the real threat of nuclear war,

《奇愛博士》、《守護者》等作品探究了核戰的真實威脅

while "V for Vendetta" and "The Handmaid's Tale"

而《V怪客》、《使女的故事》

warned how easily our rights could disappear in a crisis.

則警告人們在危機中是多麼容易失去權力

And today's dystopian fiction continues to reflect modern anxieties

現今的反烏托邦小說持續反映當代

about inequality,

對於不平等

climate change,

氣候變遷

government power,

政府權力

and global epidemics.

及全球傳染病的焦慮

So why bother with all this pessimism?

所以何必要在意這些悲觀的事呢？

Because at their heart, dystopias are cautionary tales,

因為反烏托邦作品實際上是警告世人的故事

not about some particular government or technology,

這些作品不是針對特定的政府或科技

but the very idea that humanity can be molded into an ideal shape.

而是人類可以被形塑成理想形象的這種概念

Think back to the perfect world you imagined.

回想一下你想像的完美世界

Did you also imagine what it would take to achieve?

你也想像過這個世界要怎麼樣實現嗎？

How would you make people cooperate?

你要怎麼讓人們相互合作？

And how would you make sure it lasted?

你要怎麼確保這世界能持久？

Now take another look.

現在再想想看

Does that world still seem perfect?

那個世界仍然是完美的嗎？