It takes time to develop a taste for the dystopian short story. I imagine the way I feel about dystopian shorts is akin to how trained palettes appreciate a complex wine.

I read through Animal Farm in seventh grade and it was the first time I experienced the feeling of having read an excellent book that was simultaneously emotionally disturbing. It was confusing, though I knew that my distress was the author's intent. I spent the following summer reading novels like 1984 and Fahrenheit 459. Dystopian sci-fi quickly became my favorite genre.

The short story form also creates unease, as the form is known for it's lack of resolution (or happy endings). They typically cut off right after the climax without any resolving action. I didn't really GET this about short stories until college. Now it's my favorite form of writing.

Combine the dystopian fiction and the short story form (as in Black Mirror), and it's a pretty potent punch in the gut.