Episode 285: Of Handmaids’ Tales and Hunger Games: The Downside of Dystopian Dramas

LISTEN TO THE PLUGGED IN SHOW, EPISODE 285

We love it when things go bad. Or, at least, we love it in our entertainment.

The Last of Us is one of Max’s most acclaimed dramas. Ditto The Handmaid’s Tale over on Hulu. Sunrise on the Reaping—the latest book in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games saga—sold more than 1.5 million copies in its first week.

Some psychologists will tell you that dystopian stories can help us process our own fears and gloomy futures in a safe space. But dystopia cuts both ways, and sometimes it can heighten our anxieties instead. And in an age where we have plenty to be anxious about already, that can be a problem.

Emily Tsiao wrote an outstanding blog (“Dystopian Dramas Are an Interesting Escape … Until They Aren’t”) recently, describing her own encounters with dystopian dramas—and how those encounters were impacting her real world—and real anxieties. She’ll talk about those experiences with us on the podcast. It makes for a fascinating, and very personal, conversation.

We’ll also talk to our book expert, Bob Hoose, about Sunrise on the Reaping—Collins’ latest bestseller.

Then we’d love for you to join in our conversation. Have you read Sunrise on the Reaping? Do you like dystopian stories? Can they get to be a bit much? How do you deal with your own real-world anxieties? Let us know on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Write us an email at [email protected]. Or leave us a voice message at The Plugged In Show homepage.

And next week, we’ll help you deal with summertime screen use—and talk about some YouTubers who are putting screens to good use themselves.