Sunday, April 17
About a month ago I read “Brave new world” by Aldous Huxley and this posting is not a review about the book since I have already done that in it’s proper place in CBC, I only wanted to mention an idea that occurred to me while reading one of the incidents in the book, and to do that I have to give a little background of the utopian world that Huxley invented as his new world, and I find nothing more suitable than using his own quote to bring alive this world:
“The world’s stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t get. They’re well off; they’re safe; they’re never ill; they’re not afraid of death; they’re blissfully ignorant of passion and old age; they’re plagued with no mothers or fathers; they’ve got no wives, or children, or lovers to feel strongly about; they’re so conditioned that they practically can’t help behaving as they ought to behave. And if anything should go wrong, there’s soma.”
Soma as defined by the author is a drug used to relax the mind and bring about a blithering bliss.
In one of the on going actions the police force used soma sprays and anesthetic guns to calm down what seemed like a riveting riot. After using soma people would get more apologetic and try to use logic in settling their disputes. Which got me thinking; why not use such drugs in fighting violence instead of using the destructive machines? The harm is less likely and the effect is good.
Another question crossed my mind; would we be happy in such a utopian world? Assuming that we don’t know what sadness is; would we know what happiness is?
Name::AyyA
From::Kuwait
I AM WHO I AM AS I ARRIVE AT YOUR DOOR WHETHER I COME OR I GO IS NOT UP TO ME FOR I HAVE LOST SIGHT OF ALL DESIRE "Walled Garden of Truth",Hakim Sanai
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8 Comments:
I always say what you don't know can't hurt u! but then again don't forget that naughty little mind! I don't think it can be contained and conditioned like that.
Sounds more like a dystopia to me!
Which reminds me of a book I have in my amazon cart, it's "We" by Zamyatin. He's supposed to be the father of 20th dystopias.
Has anyone read it? Any comments or impressions before i buy the book?
Nazzal
I like that philosophy :)
307cc
The way you describe it!!!!, no I wouldn’t want that either
Peach
Just imagine that it was, and all your needs were taken care of without any burden or hurt feelings, would that mind still be at work?
shosho
Yes they’re more or less the same except in a utopian world you still have feelings and emotions except they are toned down with soma, in dystopia you are more like a robot. And although I have heard about “We” but I did not read it because I got the idea that the point is more or less the same. And if it is anything like “Brave New World” I’d advice you to read it, coz the latter is a very mind provoking read.
Then I guess I will have a look at it - I admire russian lit anyways :)
Ok, let me explain more;
In this utopian world, each group of people were created to perform a certain task in a work force, some were geniuses; only in their own field. Some were janitors; but didn’t know what else they were good for and therefore were contented with their roles. All other aspects concerning their interrelationship were also taken care of. Extremity in emotions was very rare.
Now, emotions are a double-edged sward. And extremity in emotions is either heaven or hell. But if you are not conditioned to experience either hell or heaven, what would it matter for you? You lead a healthy, ageless and active life, you are more productive, more sociable and confidant. Well, think about it, not bad hah?
307cc
Ok, then are we actually free now? Are we not controlled; each by a system? We all know that we have a fee will, but how many of us use it? Conditioning is a way to deceive ourselves and I would like to refer to it by the metaphor “Soma”
Many of us have chosen to go with the flow on their own free will, although they realize it’s a total subjugation.
Preternatural_aL
As I understand it; the purpose of man’s existence is to build the earth. In either way we are doing that, but in the utopian world there is more construction than destruction and therefore more production.
So you will wake up because you have a duty.
Now, I don’t mean to believe that the utopian world is ideal; as I mentioned, it was a thought that kept taking dimensions in my mind, and just thinking loud.
Wallah AyyA what a fascinating idea: using drugs to fight violence instead of destructive weapons! It would certainly be less detrimental to the environment and a more 'peaceful' way of dealing with enemies.
I would not like to live in a utopia because in truth if you did not know pain, nor endure sadness how could you feel the delights of happiness and the joy of success and security.
307cc
:)
jewaira
Success and security are supposedly granted in this world, and you are being constantly kept happy by taking doses of soma regularly.
Tantalize
Are you serious? Would the Brits go that far for the sake of an experiment?
In my own perception to the book; I felt that we are all going towards that dimension, and it is within our complete will. Human started using more logic than emotions when dealing with state matters. The world is more directed toward peace, distance now is becoming a void element with the boom in technology. But the utopian world is too extreme; do you suppose that one day we will get to that extreme?
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