All Are Equal but Some Are More Equal Than Others.

Often, current real-life problems such as climate change and the depletion of natural resources serve as a starting point and the story begins after some catastrophic event - for example Snowpiercer of 2013 or Tribes of Europe of 2021 - or some political upheaval like in The Hunger Games of 2014 that have led to inequality and different social classes. Sometimes, the division is also due to the effects of advanced technology and media, as in the series Black Mirror (2011–2019) that explores, for example, the obsession with social media ratings (season 3, episode 1).

In the reviewed value studies, especially the younger generations express their desire for a less divided and more egalitarian society. While acknowledging the reality of inequality, they long for a more tolerant and harmonious social climate that accepts individual differences. In view of the looming environmental problems, they stress the importance of community and of a sense of togetherness for tackling the many challenges their generation will be facing.

The philosophical ideal of a free and egalitarian society implies equal opportunities for all. But in real life, social divisions may be caused by political or economic systems at a global or local scale. They may be due to inequitable access to education, information or other resources.
Lately, social division has been on the rise again even in democratic countries, so this issue has also been taken up by science fiction.