Friday, November 05, 2004

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

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