Guest Blogger: Amelia K.

BLOG.

Today (Monday the 16th) we talked about big picture ideas of Brave New World. Mostly Mr. Huxley prophesized about what would happen in the future based on trends he saw in his daily life. These included the decline of religion and family, changing sexual behavior norms, increased importance of consumerism, and human experimentation. All of these play into the main idea that Mr. Decker told us today, “Will humans choose comfort over pain?” Mr. Huxley sets the scene of this question up throughout the whole novel showing the control of technology, lack of religion, the extreme consumerism, and the shallow happiness and satisfaction everyone has. With John, the savage, Mr. Huxley can explore the nature of humanity. The Savage hasn’t been completely conditioned to be superficially happy and unknowing of the real truth. The bulk of the philosophical implications of this novel occur in the last scenes between Mustapha Mond and John. John wants to know why there has been a decrease in art, science, and religion. Mond disappointingly explains that since art is old and used to express individuality there is no need for it any longer. Mond also explains that there is no need for religion as no one is scared of death any longer and has no hard times to deal with that soma can’t help. Mond’s revelation that science is dangerous to the society shocks John as well. Mond says that new things and testing variables would create instability and change in society, which the World State can’t handle. Though you don’t think about it--art, science, and religion can all cause pain. You can’t deal with only the good times in religion, only the good discoveries, and only happy art. Like John says, “Art, science [and religion]—you seem to have paid a high price for your happiness” (236). The path that we’re headed down is one that is trying to make everything easier for everyone. There are now phones that have music, cameras, internet, and any applications that you could ever want all in one place. Huxley is warning us that comfort, ease, and happiness aren’t everything. When John claims the right to unhappiness, he is standing up for humanity. Throughout all of our human truths being destroyed in this novel (friendship, love, family, art, science, religion), humanity is destroyed. John shows us that we need pain and unhappiness to continue to be human. Like we talked about with paradigms and The World is Flat in the beginning of the year—paradigm paralysis can kill. A society can’t grow and transform for the better without the pain and unhappiness that come with truth and thinking outside of the box. Shallow happiness isn’t worth the price we would pay for it. So although most people would definitely choose comfort over pain (I know I would) Mr. Huxley is urging us to see past that and decide whether we have a higher purpose in life than just happiness and easy living.