Utopian Thinking in "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Abstract

This article attempts to describe a sociological view of the post-apocalyptic world in Mad Max: Fury Road and characteristics of utopian thinking related to Furiosa’s rebellion. It reveals that in the post-apocalyptic worlds, social Darwinism grows into fundamental worldview, which is reflected in a feudal society of the Citadel. Afterwards, a feminist topic connected with Furiosa’s rebellion is analyzed. Subsequently, the article characterizes Maciej Czeremski’s and Jakub Sadowski’s structural understanding of the two terms – a utopia and a myth. Furiosa’s psychological motivation is interpreted by using them. They also facilitate to formulate a semantic relation between utopian thinking and an ideology, which is defined according to a psychoanalytic method. Afterwards, a Ernst Bloch’s phrase – a utopian impulse is used to analyze Max’s behavior. It ascertains that through relationship between Furiosa and Max a modernization project of the Citadel becomes feasible. A purpose of the article is to show that fictional post-apocalyptic worlds can be analyzed in a sociological perspective and be a part of socially engaged cinema.