Candide

Author: Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet) b. 1694 in Paris
Protagonist: Candide
Characters: Candide; Pangloss; Martin; Cunegonde; Cacambo; The old woman; the baron (Cunegonde's brother); Jacques the Anabaptist; The farmer; Count Pococurante; Paquette; Brother Giroflee; The Grand Inquisitor; Don Issachar; Don Fernando d’Ibaraa y Figueora y Mascarenes y Lampourdos y Souza; Vanderdendur; The Abbe of Perigord; The Marquise of Parolignac.

How does the idea of an "enlightened monarch" apply to today's political situation?


A knowledge of the following people, places and events will be of assistance in understanding Candide:

Louis XIV

The Enlightenment: A movement that began in the early 18th century that spread ideas about the equality and basic rights of man and the importance of reason and scientific objectivity.

Jesuits:

the French Regent:

Sully:

the Bastille:

King Frederick of Prussia (Frederick the Great): Voltaire was close friends with Frederick for a spell, during one of the author's many exiles from France. The friendship suffered after a while due to both unique personalities, though it was never completely severed. Some scholars assert that the Count from Candide, or even the Count's son, is modeled after Frederick. Voltaire especially disliked what he perceived as Frederick's pompous attitude, and Frederick was bothered by Voltaire's sharp and ironic satire, often aimed directly at the king's allies.

Lisbon:

Seven Years' War:

English Admiral John Byng:

Ferney: An estate on the border between France and Switzerland, purchased by Voltaire in 1759 so that he could make quick escape from French authorities if necessary. Ferney became a retreat for many of Voltaire's contemporary European intellectuals.

the Panthéon:

Jean-Jacques Rousseau:

René Descartes:

auto-da-fé

Leibniz

Anabaptist

the Inquisition

Surinam

Movie: The Incredibles

I took Dominic to see The Incredibles at AMC Barywoods North on Friday night. Outside of the fact that I was suffering from flu-like symptoms, we had a good time. As usual, Dominic led me to the top row of the theater, and we settled in with his customary popcorn, candy and water. I had an Artic Freeze (the blue kind), which I have taken a liking to.

The movie was good. The storyline was too advanced for Dominic to follow closely, but I really enjoyed it. Dominic liked the animation, and all of the scenes with Dash. My favorite character was Mr. Incredible himself (a.k.a. Bob). I wouldn't mind seeing the movie again when I am not so strung out on antihistamines.

Brave New World

Author: Aldous Huxley
Published: 1932
Type: futuristic social satire
Setting: 632 A.F. (After Ford, Ford being approximately 1932, when the novel was published) London, New Mexican Savage Reservation
Themes: Individuality vs Social Stability; Genetic Engineering
Protagonist: John the Savage
Characters: Bernard Marx; Lenina Crowne; Henry Foster; Tomakin (Director; D.F.C.); John the Savage; Helmholtz Watson; Linda; Mustapha Mond

Although Brave New World was published in 1932, it explores themes that are conspicuously relevant today. Its depiction of the negative utopia (dystopia) where pain, disease and unhappiness are nonexistent because of advanced drugs and conditioning is unsettling. Early in the novel the reader becomes aware that the trade-off for the elimination of pain is the forfeiture of free will, or choice. Brave New Worlders also sacrifice true emotion in the name of "happiness" and stability. While the Brave New Worlders think they are happy, the reader sees them as tranquilized victims.

Given contemporary advances in genetics and biotechnology, the future of the Brave New World seems eerily near. Cloning is already possible with animals, and scientists are working on cloning humans. Embryos are conditioned and screened for disease. The time is clearly going to come when humanity will need to make a choice: eliminate disease and variation, or preserve chance, randomness and diversity.

The Brave New World came into being after its proponents, reformers of the "old" system of governments, took control after a prolonged period of war, poverty and distress. Wearied by the unbearable state of things, the populace allowed the reformers to implement their plans of eliminating religion, marriage and even the concept of family so that society could be stablized.

While reading Brave New World, one gets the feeling that the "people" are more like robots than humans. They are mass produced off of an assembly line and conditioned and controlled throughout their lives. Both nature and nurture are used as tools of the State to create and control people. For the most part, all characters lack emotion. When emotion appears, soma is encouraged to suppress it.

Brave New World was written between WWI and WWII, at the time of the rise of communism and other fascist regimes. The World State, and its motto of "Community. Identity. Stability.", brings to mind Soviet Communism. However, at the same time, the use of mass production, commercialization, consumerism and materialism bring to mind American Capitalism. Huxley seems to critique both of these systems of government.

In the Brave New World, babies are "decanted", not "born."

In the Brave New World, long term relationships are discouraged.

In the Brave New World, individual expression is forbidden.

In the Brave New World, diversity is at a minimum, with individuals and Bokanaskvy (twin) groups being assigned to castes while they are in embryonic development.

In the Brave New World, the drug soma is given to people to eliminate feelings of unhappiness. How close does this parallel anti-depressant drugs? Is it ethical to eliminate mental pain? What is the cost of eliminating mental pain? Does society need pain, disease and unhappiness to be truly human?

I have read that the movie Gattica is based on the themes of Brave New World. I have seen Gattica, but I don't remember its themes. I remember that it starred Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Jude Law. Sharon liked it. I'll have to rent it again and watch it in light of my reading of Brave New World.

In the end, the question is: Would you rather be a happy robot without choices, or an unhappy human with freedom and independence?




eugenics
stable society
World Controllers
caste system; intentional and artificial creation of castes
Similarities to The Matrix
human hatchery
hypnopaedia; sleep teaching
taboo topics; relativity of such; language; profanity