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The Utopia for Capitalists in Black Mirror's "Fifteen Million Merits"

Abstract

This paper analyzes second episode of the popular dystopian sci-f show Black Mirror, “Fifteen
Million Merits,” as a utopia for the capitalists that are in charge of the commune in which the
episode’s characters live. Through comparisons to American company towns and an analysis of
the psychology that these capitalists employ, I come to the conclusion that, while a dystopia for the
citizens that the episode follows, this society is a utopia for those in charge. Furthermore, I posit
that, even though the community we see is set far in the future and seems very removed from our
own world, it may not be as far away as we may like to think.