Hello fellow readers! Today, we’re embarking on a unique journey. Not to a park or a museum, but straight into the future! Specifically, we’ll explore Aldous Huxley’s take on the future as portrayed in his dystopian novel, “Brave New World.” If you thought navigating your career path was challenging, imagine being in a world where everyone is genetically designed to suit a specific job and social class. A bit intense, right?
Well, it doesn’t stop there. Hefty control is exercised over society, and people’s emotions are suppressed. Suddenly, dealing with everyday problems doesn’t seem so difficult in comparison, does it? So, let’s dive in and look at this unique world Huxley has created for us!
In “Brave New World,” society places a high value on getting along with everyone (social harmony) and maintaining a peaceful and orderly world (social stability). They prioritize these things so much that they sometimes lose sight of what makes them individuals.
People in this society use a special drug called soma to help achieve this calm and ordered society. Think of soma as a magic pill that removes strong or uncomfortable feelings. It helps everyone stay happy and peaceful but also stops them from experiencing the full range of human emotions.
However, the quest for this so-called ‘social stability’ comes with a hefty cost. It’s like accessing many books from an electric reader for convenience but giving up your favorite physical books. In their case, they’re giving up their individuality and emotions. Most importantly, they’re losing that special human connection – the bond you share with your best friends or family, where you deeply understand and care for each other.
It’s as if they’ve created a world where everyone gets along because they’re all the same. They’re happy, but it’s because they don’t know any other way to be. And while they have many connections with others, they aren’t the meaningful and deep relationships we value. It’s a trade-off – they have social stability but at the cost of losing what makes us human.
Any human relationships are meaningless in this society. So sleeping with people is just like a sport or game for them. They have multiple partners, and no one minds! It’s no wonder they can’t understand the beautiful lines of Shakespeare – they can’t feel the same emotions his characters do.
Unlike the rest of society, the three main characters try to find a meaningful relationship, so they struggle to fit into society. Bernard, Helmholtz, and John (also known as the “Savage”) are like the ‘misfit toys’ of their world, each feeling just a smidge out of place. We’ll explore how they wrestle with a society that prizes “social stability” over individuality, emotion, and, most importantly, human connection.
Bernard Marx is a guy who’s about as comfortable in his skin as a cat in water. He’s an Alpha, the top caste in the World State, but he doesn’t quite measure up to his fellow Alphas—literally. He had a physical character of gamma minus. Imagine being a bit shorter in a world where all Alphas are tall, and you’ve got Bernard. He feels like he’s standing on his tiptoes, trying to fit into this society that values physical perfection. But there’s more to his struggle than his height. Bernard isn’t entirely on board with the emotional numbness as common as air in his world. He sometimes craves real emotions, a big no-no in a society where soma, a feel-good drug, is passed around like candy to keep everyone in a blissful haze. In a world where “fitting in” is the golden rule, Bernard’s often on the outside looking in.
Helmholtz Watson is the guy who got it all: he’s handsome, intelligent, and an Alpha-Plus. But, like trying to cram a square peg into a round hole, Helmholtz just doesn’t quite fit. He is so perfect that he has never had a problem getting women in his bed. He’s feeling a bit like a hamster on a wheel—running around but going nowhere. The superficial pleasures of his society, like recreational sex and soma holidays, leave him feeling as hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny. He yearns for something deeper and more meaningful that his society doesn’t offer.
Finally, let’s talk about John, also known as the “Savage” Talk about a culture shock! John’s been living on the Savage Reservation, where life is like an extended episode of “Little House on the Prairie,” only to be thrust into the high-tech, emotion-suppressed World State. It’s like going from churning butter to watching over your Rumba sweeping on your floor on the clock! John’s deeply influenced by the works of Shakespeare, which makes him treasure emotions and individuality—two things the World State has practically eradicated, which makes him stick out like a sore thumb in a world where everyone else is all about conformity and stability.
The three characters are the focal point of the story. By bringing characters like Bernard, Helmholtz, and John into focus, the author, Aldous Huxley, really wants to highlight the price we might pay if we care about “social stability” too much.
Let’s think about it this way. Imagine all your friends decide to play the same video game, and they want you to play, too. But you don’t like that game. Still, you choose to join in just to fit in. In the process, you give up a bit of your uniqueness – what makes you ‘you’?
In “Brave New World,” that’s kind of what happens, but on a much bigger scale. Bernard, Helmholtz, and John all stand out because they aren’t like everyone else in their society. They show us that when we focus too much on keeping everything stable and everyone happy, we risk losing what makes us unique. We risk losing our ability to feel deeply and connect with others on a personal level.
It’d undoubtedly be tough to walk in their shoes in such a society, wouldn’t it? It’s hard to picture ourselves living in that kind of world. Honestly, I was torn between feeling sorry for these three characters or the rest of society. Those heavily influenced by genetic engineering and frequently using soma probably don’t even realize what they’re missing out on. It’s like they’re at a grand feast but only tasting one dish, missing out on all the other delicious flavors. So while their world may seem stable and peaceful, they’re missing the depth and variety of experiences that truly make us human.
“Brave New World” takes you on an exciting journey to a future world where people value getting along with everyone more than being true to themselves. You’ll meet fascinating characters like Bernard, Helmholtz, and John, who stand out, making you think about what it means to be different. The book makes you wonder about balancing keeping society peaceful and allowing people to be themselves. It’s an excellent read for anyone who likes stories about future worlds or if you enjoy deep thoughts about society and where we might be heading. Don’t miss this classic.
