Science Fiction
BNW is clearly in the Science Fiction genre, with a fair amout of political science too. Let's assume Huxley is commenting on global trends he's noticing in 1932 and projecting those trends further into the future: "What if?"
Comment on a trend you think he has identified (go for the obvious or the arcane). This will help everyone as an idea base for your BNW papers.
For example:
‘But in Epsilons,’ said Mr. Foster very justly, ‘we don’t need human intelligence.’ Perhaps AH is identifying the trend toward cultures being okay with relegating some people to specific duties that require less brainpower. I have often heard people say, "Hey, we need garbage men too!"
Your turn:)
posted by erdecker @ 8:47 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Dool-dool.
Soma is a reference to the trend of "escaping" one problems through alcohol and drugs
Ben H
I like how the author shows that society can sort of program people into feeling certain morals. I automatically felt that their society was wrong because they have no family system and promiscuity is favored, but then I realized that I only feel that way because our society has programmed me to believe that our way is good and right. So if I had grown up in their society I would be a completely different person with totally opposite morals and feelings. So are any of our feelings really us, or just a product of the environment in which we were raised?
The whole post decanting thing reminded me of the influences in an individuals life that make them grow intellectually and physically. A person who watches cartoons all their life may be less intelligent than a college economics professor. Likewise a malnorished person who may drink a lot of caffine or just not sleep a lot may stunt their growth. These are just examples or influences besides hormones and etc.
As fascism and communism began to gain much power in the 1930s, I think that Huxley was experiencing an early form of the Red Scare. So, the repetitive emphasis on the government control of people, I think, represents a dystopia of fascism and/or communism. These people have surrendered free will and freedom for the "greater good;" even if that means that their existence has no real identity (in my perception, anyway.)
--> To put an almost incorrect twist on it... instead of the government working for the good of the people, it seems the people are working for the good of the government.
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