brave new world

[nabsy]

hey all

has anyone read this book? i read it and although i didnt enjoy it as much as Orwell's 1984 i thought the way that the people sedated themselves in order to live and the way babies were "born" in that book in some ways parallels some of the issues in today's society. i was reading an article about new yorkers who are basikally self medicating themselves off of prescription drugs. its something that happens in the upper echelon of society--the new drug abuse of the social rich classes who have "issues". reminded me a lot of soma in brave new world... i didnt understand the ending though so maybe someone can 'splain that to me...

any thoughts?
n

Dred,

http://www.huxley.net/ , a current exposition of
a Braver New World, is one of the most shocking examples
of a genetically altered, drugged, virtual reality I have come
across. And these morons actuallly want this to happen.

Below quoted is the only thing I could find on the web on the ending of the book and since I don't have a copy, and haven't read it in years this is the best I can do for now.

[quote:8135c]
Subject: 3 questions
Posted by: NAVJOT SINGH SANDHU on 00:46:33 2/29/100:

There 3 main issues at the end of Brave New World are:
1)The death of Johns mother, Linda.
2)Johns incompatability with the new world
3)The actual society of the brave new world>will it survive?

John feels just terrible when his mother dies. Because in the new world, having a "mother" is bad, John is alone in his grief and this leads to the second issue. John does that belong in the new world and this leads him to go insane and kill himself.
The third issue comes up because even the leader, Mustapha knows what is going on, how the society is all fake, yet he does not care. Will the society eventually somehow destroy itself because its lack of humanity?


2) The ending of BRAVE NEW WORLD is quite upsetting and yet somehow expected. John did not belong in this new soceity void of emotion. Being raised with all the aspects of humanity, John was emotional and he could not live in a society which shunned him for it.

3) It is my belief that man should always continue to progress in society, but he should also have safeguards and checks/balances type system in order to keep the technology under control. If not, the brave new world might happen. As long as humanity continues to grow strong with the technology, life should be ok.[/quote:8135c]

Hope this helps.

Interdividual

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by nabsy

hey all

has anyone read this book? i read it and although i didnt enjoy it as much as Orwell's 1984 i thought the way that the people sedated themselves in order to live and the way babies were "born" in that book in some ways parallels some of the issues in today's society. i was reading an article about new yorkers who are basikally self medicating themselves off of prescription drugs. its something that happens in the upper echelon of society--the new drug abuse of the social rich classes who have "issues". reminded me a lot of soma in brave new world... i didnt understand the ending though so maybe someone can 'splain that to me...

any thoughts?
n

You've probably figured this out by now, but I've just stumbled across this thread. I actually enjoyed this book more than 1984 because it shows what I feel is closer to reality of people being subdued into submission through consumerism, as opposed to the overt force used in 1984 (at least in most Western nations).

If I'm not mistaken, you might even be able to find Brave New World on youtube, divided into about 9 parts. It was put out in the mid to late 90's and did a reasonably good job I thought. Maybe watching it might help you get a better grasp of the ending.

This was something interesting that I took from the quoted poster right above me:

"As long as humanity continues to grow strong with the technology, life should be ok."

Guess they never heard this one from Einstein:

"it has become appalingly clear that our technology has far surpassed our humanity".

[Marja]

It is an excellent book, and I'm not willing to condense it. In part it criticizes utilitarianism and some forms of transhumanism.

Personally, I've often asked what I'm willing to give up to get by and to be happy. I don't want to give up my self or my desire to do what's right. I don't want to think I'd be happy popping soma and frigging everyone who wants me. Well, the sex isn't an option, but drugs and reengineering humanity hit close to home.

[Medved]

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I just recently finished reading A Brave New World, so I thought I would post my thoughts. I found the similarities between the society in A Brave New World and modern Western society as striking. I wouldn't be surprised if government control in combination with increasing technologies, taken to their natural conclusions, resulted in a society like the one depicted.

Today we see people more and more easily giving up their freedoms to the government in an exchange for guaranteed "happiness" or "security." The false idea of guaranteed happiness based on material security was one of the main justifications for complete societal control by the government or "World Controllers." Huxley also depicted the government of the modern world being closely tied to the powers of production. One of the government's main goals was to keep everyone consuming more and more products, which was accomplished through the brain washing of all its citizens during childhood. A particularly chilling example is given when one of the world controllers talks about how they had to brain wash people to hate nature because it was free to enjoy.

It can be argued that the use of soma (or drugs) to keep the population happy in Huxley's story is a tool of manipulation used by the real powers of today. For example, the massive, multi-billion drug companies of today, lobby the US government to prevent people from knowing about natural remedies to mental and physical health problems, and sell their drugs instead. The most recent psychological study on depression (sorry for not having the source) revealed that the most effective treatment for depression is having sunshine, physical activity, and positive social interactions in combination. These three things in combination are more effective than any depression medication. Yet, because of our government, and the multi-national rich oligarchs in bed with the government (and Satan's influence on the aforementioned), it has become increasing difficult for the average person to obtain sunshine, physical activity, or positive social interaction. But don't worry, because there are plenty of drugs that can help you go on a "holiday." In fact, "You only need half a gram per day."

Finally, there is the entertainment tactic implemented by the world controllers of Huxley's "A Brave New World" and of today. In the book, "free" sex and sensually stimulating movies, or "feelies" as they were called, were the opiate alongside of soma to keep the population entertained and infantile. Like Rome with its coliseums and gladiators events and A Brave New World with its "feelies," the governments of the Western world wholly endorse TV and all forms of entertainment to keep the populations infantile and happy with their false sense of reality. Moreover, modern culture is becoming increasing sexual in eccentric and unhealthy ways, in what I believe is an attempt to fill the gap in the disconnect of true love and relationship. This was surely the case in Huxley's story, as nobody was permitted to have genuine committed relationships, but "everybody could have everybody else."

These are the few major points that stand out, but there are many other details of the book that bear strong resemblances to the society we live in. Overall, I thought it was a great book, though a bit racy for my taste, and it actually brought out many things in our society that I didn't notice before. I feel that one of the tensions the books deal with is the struggle to have both truth and happiness. Huxley seemed to believe that it was not possible to live in truth or reality and happiness at the same time. Either we fight for truth, and accept that we won't be happy, or we choose happiness and illusions. As a believer, I think that there is definitely an aspect of mourning (the Beatitudes), but that we have a great hope given to us through Jesus. We do not have to be overcome evil, but we can overcome evil with good.

Huxley was an interesting person, and if you do a little research you will find that he was one of the major influences on the drug culture of the 60s and 70s. He authored a number of books, including one called "The Doors of Perception," which the band "The Doors" took its name from.

[Pigmalia]

Excellent reflections on a must read book. That he had such keen insights back in 1931 is amazing.

Mike Wallace Interviews Huxley

Very interesting as Huxley quickly gets to talking about what he sees as one of the major pressures on the United States, the issue of over-organization.

[nabsy]

Hey Medved

Thanks for your thoughts on the book. It was a long time ago that I wrote that initial thread but it is good to see your take on it in comparison to what is happening socially today. Makes me want to read it again...

nabs