Contemporary dystopia

The series “Contemporary Dystopia”deals with themes such as the loss of freedom, dehumanization, totalitarianism and the Consequences of technological progress. Examples of contemporary dystopias include surveillance societies in which privacy is an illusion, or societies characterized by extreme social inequalities and environmental destruction. One of the most important works in this series is the painting “Panoptikon”. This work addresses the topic of pervasive surveillance and the associated loss of privacy. At the center of the painting is a realistically depicted human eye emerging from a broken egg. The eye, supported by human hands, symbolizes the constant observation to which we are subject and serves as a warning against the progressive loss of our privacy.

Dr. Magdalena Laabs pays tribute to the few individuals who are not afraid to speak the truth and stand up against what is imposed on us. While the majority blindly follow what the media tells them, Magdalena Laabs has her own experience of what is shown in the media and what is reality. For example, during the Mexico City earthquake, television showed rubble of the city as if half the city had fallen into ruins. Despite these reports, Magdalena decided to fly to the Plastimagen fairs with her husband and found that the city was in excellent condition. When they asked about the earthquake, they were told: “Ah yes, but it was only one house that collapsed and it was so old that it would have collapsed even without the earthquake.” A similar situation occurred in Barcelona during the EQUIPLAST fair when Catalonia was seeking independence from Spain. Riots were shown on television while the streets were calm. The only ones on strike were buses and taxis, which forced them to walk back from the fairs every day, which helped them get to know Barcelona better. Television distorts reality. After these and other examples, Magdalena and her husband no longer believe everything they see and hear and are more critical of the information they receive.

The worst thing is that even supposedly intelligent people succumb to this general narrative and don't ask questions. Magdalena and her husband asked themselves why that was the case. This is where the topic of social psychology comes into play. Magdalena studied this subject and read a lot about it. She learned that even once scientists have published something, they rarely admit publicly that they were wrong, even when new facts disprove their previous theories. Magdalena, on the other hand, believes that if you had a belief about a certain topic yesterday and the next day you receive new facts that contradict that belief, you should revise your views and ask yourself again whether your previous beliefs were correct. And if not, you shouldn't be afraid to admit the mistake. You have to learn to say: “I have changed my mind.” I used to not know these facts, and now that I know her, I've changed my mind.