Aldous Huxley’s novel A
Brave New World is still applicable to the society we live in today. Huxley’s
thematic use of consumerism, technology, and science as a means of control is arguably
relevant to the world we live in today.
“Shopping
Malls stretch as far as the bulldozer can see” states Margaret Atwood in her
article “Everybody is Happy Now.” Atwood agrees ample consumerism, as portrayed
in A Brave New World, is undoubtedly present
in today’s society. You might ask, well,
does our society actually even consume a lot? According to New Internationalist
Magazine, while US & Canada only make up 5.2% of the world’s population,
the two countries are responsible for 31.5% of consumption in the world. From
birth, the individuals in Huxley’s society are bred to indulge in consumerism
so that their society can thrive. Well,
in America what stimulates our economy? Spending money. Consumerism. Huxley’s novel reveals our own consumerism to
us.
Technology
is the center of the World State; most aspects of the society are derived from
the advances of technology. Today, most of us can’t go an hour with using some sort
of technology…whether it is an iPad, phone, computer, TV, etc. While the
technology discussed in A Brave New World
was focused around science, technology is technology. An MSNBC article titles “A
Brave New World of Tomorrow’s Tablets” discusses “Tablets with paper-thin
screens that can be folded and tucked into your back pocket, artificial
intelligence and augmented reality.” The same “artificial intelligence and
augmented reality” as seen in the World State. Humans are genetically manufactured
as distinct social classes using artificial intelligence to create humans the
way they, man, intends. The manufactured drug soma is used to augment to the
reality around the citizens of the World State in order to stay happy.
Due to
recent advances in science, for the right consumeristic price, we can genetically
engineering our children. Just as the World State citizens were scientifically engineered
to possess certain qualities and traits, scientists can now design your unborn
child. Our scientific advances can be used as a means to control how our
citizens are born. Whether it is eye color, hair color, IQ, or riddance of
disease; the society we live in today is more than capable of creating humans
as man intends. Our science; however, doesn’t serve as a means of control as in
the World State. When the citizens in Huxley’s society are bred, they’re bred
to an extent that defines who they are, what they like, and how they function.
Huxley’s
A Brave New World, as Atwood
describes “stands up very well” and is “still as vibrant, fresh, and somehow
shocking as it was when [she] first read it. Its themes still directly relate
and represent our society as it is now. While the elements in the World State prove
to be a bot more drastic as in our society, it still serves an accurate representation
of what our society has become.
Atwood, Margaret.
"'Everybody Is Happy Now'" The Guardian. Guardian News and
Media, 16 Nov. 2007. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/nov/17/classics.margaretatwood.
"Consumption
- The Facts." Consumption. N.p., n.d. Web.
14 Oct. 2012. http://www.newint.org/features/2006/11/01/facts/.
Gupta, Poornima,
Noel R, and Ewich. "The Brave New World of Tomorrow's Tablets."
Msnbc.com. Msnbc Digital Network, 15 July 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48189278/ns/technology_and_science-computers/t/brave-new-world-tomorrows-tablets/>.
I really like your post Jarrett. It is funny how we read Brave New World, and were disgusted with their of living, when we are really not that different! I really like when you stated, "Whether it is eye color, hair color, IQ, or riddance of disease; the society we live in today is more than capable of creating humans as man intends". It really got me thinking. This kind of science does exist, but it is not very popular yet. In Brave New World, the society accepts that their "government" controls how people look and think. How do you think our society would react if it became normal for people to "create" their children how they want? I think their would be a lot of issue with religion if this happened. The idea that God creates us in his way and the way we are meant to be is a very popular thought. I know I think like that. How do you think society would react if our government decided to create our children the way they wanted? Or how would you react to parents who pay to have their children look a certain way? It is a crazy thought, but I know that this issue with come up in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe topic of genetic engineering is very controversial, I don't think that our society ever come to accept it as "normal". The religious and ethicial issues associated with humans creating humans raises far too many issues for this idea to commonly accepted. I agree I think it should be left to God to create as he intended rather than emulating the role of God
DeleteGreat post, Jarrett! Brandi's comment got me thinking about a movie called Gattaca staring Ethan Hawke and Jude Law. Gattaca is a futuristic movie that focuses on the technology to obtain genetic superiority which also determines social class. Essentially, the main character has a dream of becoming an astronaut but was a "love child" and was not genetically engineered as his brother and the majority of the population was. Being genetically inferior, the main character goes to extreme measures to impersonate a genetically superior man so that he can achieve his dream. Although Gattaca does not portray a totalitarian society like Brave New World does, it does establish a link between our own society today and the possibility of genetic engineering in our future. Like Brandi, I also believe that this issue will come up at some point because our society is obsessed with extending our lifespans and maintaining the appearance of youth. It seems plausible that the wealthy would start paying to genetically engineer their children in hopes to give them the longest and healthiest life possible. Once it starts becoming more and more common, I bet even insurance would start covering the procedure in order to reduce medical expenses due to disease later in life. If you had the option, would you pay to have your future child genetically engineered before he or she was born in order to give them the healthiest life that they could have? Even today we have screening procedures to detect specific genetic diseases in unborn babies, doesn't it seem possible that in our future as medical technology and science advance that we would want the best possible for ourselves and our children? Not to cause any controversy over religion, but if people really do believe the idea that God creates us in his way and the way we are meant to be, then why do so many people opt for elective surgeries to change their appearance? Plastic surgery, botox, and other beauty enhancing or altering techniques are becoming more common and acceptable in our society every day. Also, cancer and other debilitating deadly diseases that take our loved ones from us is devastating. If you could prevent the loss of a loved one or choose to change something you may dislike about your appearance, wouldn't you do so? Our technology we have today and the possible future of genetic engineering in our society could be a good thing. Then again, would we even need or want nose jobs, botox, and breast implants if our society wasn't conditioned to be obsessed with youth and beauty?
ReplyDeleteJarrett, I completely agree with your article that when it comes to consumerism and science that we are on the same track as the society in A Brave New World. I think there is something to look at though. I think the way the government/controllers run the society is another way we can look at our own government. Administrative agencies within our government such as FDA, USDA, FAA, TSA, and hundreds more are examples that more and more agencies are created so that they can have a tighter grasp over specific areas of our society. Albeit, some of those agencies are for our own good, but I believe that it could only be a matter of time before they have strict control over certain aspects of our society. To go along with that the government bail out of banks and motor companies are examples of how our government is being more involved in matters where they never were before. Do you think our government resembles Huxley's and what kind of implications do you think there could be?
ReplyDeletei really enjoyed your post! i like the fact that yhou gave evidence as to how we are we are getting closer and closer to the world state huxley described in his book, because i totally agree. our dependence on technology now adays is ridiculous. Even my niece thats only in fourth grade, has to be on her phone all the time, and i really think there is something wrong with that. We are missing out on so many of lifes experiences by constantly being glued to a screen. i remember when i wass in fourth grade all i wanted to do was play football with the neighborhood kids, and be outside, now technology has such a grip on even the youngest of our generation, its rare to see anybody that would rather play outside and excersise then play video games, or be on the computer. in the end i really think that we are cheating ourselves out of alot of what life has to offer, and its really time for a change.
ReplyDelete