“The propagandist’s purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human.” — Aldous Huxley

Dear Reader,

I have loved reading dystopian literature since I was a teenager. The horrifying realities presented, which were often disguised as ideal, prompted me to think critically about my own reality.

“Dystopia” was planned as the theme for our second issue since late July, when I first began brainstorming. Defined by The Canadian Oxford Dictionary as “a nightmare vision of society, often as one dominated by a totalitarian state,” dystopia challenges us to examine the systems, structures and societal issues around us. It is a call to action, serving as a warning of what the world could look like under the extremes of tyranny, censorship and surveillance.

In the second issue of volume 30, staff and contributors explore dystopia in creative and humorous ways. Staff Writer Emma Helgason interviews third-year art and design major Ben Kim in the artist spotlight, in which Kim details how they draw on dystopian themes and symbolism when creating dark art. In “Christian Horoscopes: Dystopian Edition,” Bailey Froese predicts the role you would play in a dystopia based on your major.

Mars’ Hill conducted a survey on political violence, and the results are highlighted in this issue’s feature, as TWU students share their opinions on political violence’s presence, influencing factors and what punishment might look like for perpetrators.

I hope that in reading Mars’ Hill you will engage with new perspectives and ideas, or at the very least, be reminded that you are not alone. Within dystopia, there is hope for a better future, that what happens today does not need to happen tomorrow, and so, it is my prayer that we see each other as human, fully known and loved by God.

Sincerely,

Sadie McDonald