I am almost done with Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and I have realized how scary and similar our world is compared to the world in the book. Our world is similar today because as seen in Brave New World, our economy is run by consumers, profit, and inexpensive ways to boost how much goods are produced, while their society is very reliant on the promotion of drugs to make people happy, sex and its boasting rights, and of course the technology they rely on.
As seen in the novel, "Ford" is mentioned throughout the entire, and he is exalted in a high manner because he is the one who perfected the assembly line and why their lives are suffused with happiness and consumption. Ford is seen as a deity in the novel because he started their perfect utopia in which it is full of everything everyone has aspired for. Most of the things he brought in the novel are similar to our world today. It is quite conspicuous in who we consider a deity to in our world compared to Brave New World's society.
Looking further into the book, I am fearful of how our future will look like later on based on the book right now; simply speaking, their world is unusually similar to ours that it is full of humans who solely rely on the dependence of drugs to maintain happiness, technology, a perfect system of living that creates a paradise, and people who don't think for themselves. On that note, will our world progress into Aldous Huxley's fictional world? Have we lost the ability to think for ourselves? Do you think our world can be so heavily reliant on drugs and technology to keep us happy?
Nikkolas Chhou
Our world will most likely begin to shape itself more into Huxley's society. As you have stated, the change is already evident in some forms such as the consumer society, mass production, and a pursuit of happiness. On the individual level, I believe us, as humans, will retain the ability to think for ourselves. We have not reached the need for the creation of a new society yet, an event brought by the chaos after the war in Brave New World. Until then, we will remain in our technologically progressive but emotionally stable society. Our world is reliant on technology as a source of entertainment and time-waster, but it is truly the people that makes us happy. Our relationships create the bonds and structure of life and happiness. I don't see how our society could be able to give up their family and love. If every single humans is tied down by relationships, what would it take for us to loosen the knots?
ReplyDeleteI do start to see that our world is becoming the society in Brave New World. Like you've said the economy and they're way of living is quite similar to the world we are seeing everyday. But, I like to believe that we can avoid our world turning into that society. Reading this novel can teach us many things and help make a difference today by just reading the effects these people had in their world. I know it seems like it's a long shot to avoid this from happening, but it's also a possibility we can alter it a bit. Probably not relying so much on our technology or drugs to calm our minds, I believe that we are better than that. We just choose not to because we believe it's what truly makes us happy. What we don't know is that they are also controlling us, we just choose not to see it that way.
ReplyDeleteI do also see our society changing into Huxley's society. I see the similarities like you have previously stated, like the economically run, and sex and drug reliant society. Although, I do not think that we have completely lost the ability to think for ourselves, but I do believe that our minds are pretty easily influenced by the things around us, especially if one is intoxicated and wrongfully influenced by those around us. Also, the talk of sex has become a social norm, unfortunately. I agree with Chelsy when she says that humans are "better than that", when it comes to completely relying on technology and drugs to soothe and calm our minds and that we just choose not to do what we know is more intelligent. I think drugs and technology can only have a limited affect of happiness. Although some people find extreme joy in taking in large amounts of both of these things, I personally don't believe that these things can "keep" us happy, but can fulfill only a quick segment true of happiness.
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