counterworlds (3) negative utopia
writing sample, prompt of dystopia/utopia/negative utopia by professor lucy ives, fall 2022
Mere Meerkatpolice in Meerkatpolis
This report refers to the distant society of mere meerkats.
This species has been observing human evolution of thousands of years. It was until 2222, the lucky year of the meerkat, when the meerkat uprising occurred. All meerkats attacked nearby human colonies. A complete destruction of humanity. No traces left behind; only customs, practices, and meere torture.
By 2224, Meerkatpolis is the center of the world. Meerkat civilization is thriving1. Their size, petite and horrifying, remains the same.
Sport;; Meer Headball
To put in human terms, think about what European humans used to call football. Now place highly ranked
meerkat athletes instead of weak humans, and a human head instead of a football.
Meerkats are not allowed to use their tails in this sport. Doing so results to a penalty. Depending on severity of the penalty, meerkat tail can be cut. The game has to be interrupted for this. Meerkat fans get angry when this happens, but then they get excited to see live mutilation on MeerkaTV.
Meer Headball holds great importance for the history of mere meerkats. It marks their win against human society. All meer athletes are respected equally to meere priests, meere governors, and the meere police.
Winning team shares parts of human headball. The odor is thought to have healing eects for meerkat families and friends.
Major holiday;; Meereaster
Meereaster is not only a way for meerkat families to show o their socioeconomic status, but an excuse to eat
animal meat. Human meat is, once again, used for this purpose. Scavengers spend one month prior to
Meereaster to leave the underground Meerkatpolis and look for human bodies on the ground surface of their destroyed world. Usually a team of fteen meerkats is sent. Less wealthy meerkats get a toenail2.
The average meerkat family consumes one fourth of a human body during Meereaster. Depending on cultural background, some meerkats consume raw human meat, but that tradition soon stopped after the humanpox epidemic in April 2223.
Type of shoe in fashion;; Meels
Chic, furrily elegant, and human-free, a meel is the rst type of shoe that can stay forever on you! All it takes is a minor surgery to modify the meerkat foot. A component made of wood, mud, stone, a less wealthy meerkat – if you are fancy! – or even bugs is drilled inside the meerkat heel. Length may vary – up to clientele.
According to Meervogue, a meel is the next animal print – which by the way, has been banned in Meerkatpolics. Political party and its current platform;; Meermokats
Strongly associated with Meerkatpolice, the Meermokats work for the meerkats. Surveillance and silencing 24/7. Just as it should be so the meerkats can stay safe from any danger, anywhere, forever.
The Meermokat founders led the meerkat uprising in 2222. Though an election was promised upon the meerkat liberation, a mysterious coup d’etat occurred right after the killing of the last human3.
1 As well as excellent rave scene. Refer to Kat Meere’s bibliography for more information on the underground
meerkat party scene.
2 Human toenail recipes can be found on your nearest meerkat bookstore.
3 Historical event, access to detailed records denied. Sincerely yours, Meerkatpolice.