“Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley Essay Example
“Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley Essay Example

“Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley Essay Example

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The novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley presents a utopian society that raises various concerns about its functioning. While reading the book, readers often find the lifestyles of the residents of "brave new world" repulsive, leading them to compare it with their own society. However, any criticism of this society can only be justified from a subjective perspective because cultural examination is inherently biased. It is crucial to consider our own values and cultural norms when determining what is objectionable and acceptable in the "brave new world" society.

Huxley wrote this book as a satire aimed at instigating change. In 1932, he observed the growing influence of scientific advancements, especially with inventions like the assembly line and affordable cars such as the Ford Model T. Recognizing where these scientific advances were head

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ing, Huxley crafted his thought-provoking story. When envisioning utopia, one imagines a place of universal happiness without diseases or conflicts like anger and sadness. Huxley created a society where some question whether it truly embodies utopia. From our society's viewpoint, people perceive "brave new world" as a realm of immoral behavior and obscenity. This perception may stem from their own conditioning that hinders their ability to recognize it.

The society in "Brave New World" seeks happiness, but in a different way. Critics argue that it is immoral and evil, imposing their own norms while examining another culture. Subjective viewpoints dominate the critique, objecting almost every aspect from our perspective. Just like in our culture, individuals strive to find happiness within their place in society. The society in Brave New World aims for stability of culture to achieve happiness. Mustafa Mond and

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the world controllers used conditioning, eugenics, and soma to maintain control and stability within the culture. According to Mustapha Mond, "The world's stable now.People are happy." They obtain their desires without desiring what they cannot have. They are financially secure, safe from danger and illness, unafraid of death; they lack passion or aging emotions.They don't bear the burden of caring deeply for parents, partners or children.Their behavior is predetermined due to extensive conditioning received.In addition, soma is available as a solution in case anything goes wrong (220). The world state's approach to happiness revolves around maintaining societal stability, as emphasized by their motto 'Community, Stability, Identity.' This society prioritizes the well-being of the collective over individual concerns. Consequently, monogamous relationships are non-existent in 'Brave New World' because commitment holds no significance when 'everyone belongs to everyone else.' While this reasoning may stabilize their culture, it is considered immoral in modern society. The stability of their culture begins with the birthing process. Natural childbirth has been abolished and even mentioning the words 'birth' or 'mother' causes discomfort. The community was established based on eugenics and social conditioning principles that believe conformity in thinking and behavior ensures a stable society. The novel starts with a visit to a factory where future members of society are produced before they are born. In Brave New World, individuals are not born viviparously but rather through an assembly line where specific chemicals are added according to their designated caste. The Bokanovsky process creates up to ninety-six children using a single sperm and egg. There are five castes: alpha, beta, delta, gamma, and epsilonThe caste a person belongs to determines their innate

intelligence and physical appearance, allowing for a diverse range of social functions within society. One major objection to the society's treatment of social class and caste is the elimination of viviparous births, which removes the role of parents and the emotion of love. These aspects are integral in our modern world but are easily eliminated through science in Brave New World. By eradicating love, the citizens also eliminate the unpleasant feelings that come with losing a loved one. This loss is a risk people willingly take in loving relationships, making it objectionable to our society that brave new world removes this risk.

The most influential factor in maintaining stability in Brave New World is their conditioning methods. Conditioning is utilized as a remedy for various societal issues, ranging from tension between social classes to coping with grief. The effectiveness of this conditioning is evident in the absence of friction among social classes, unlike in contemporary society. This is achieved through sleep teaching, where individuals are raised with the belief that their genetic inheritance and social positions are perfect.

The alphas find solace in their superiority over the physically weaker deltas and gammas, while the gammas are relieved of the burdensome responsibilities carried by the alphas. The overarching objective of conditioning remains unchanged: establishing a stable culture that fosters happiness for all.The director of hatcheries stressed in Chapter 1 the importance of accepting one's predetermined social destiny for achieving happiness. Conditioning plays a vital role in this pursuit, as it ensures individuals fully embrace their assigned roles and responsibilities. After undergoing the decanting process, each person goes through conditioning that fosters a strong desire for sexual pleasure and

participation in sports, while instilling fear towards activities that isolate them from society. Specific groups, such as the epsilons, receive tailored conditioning to excel in their respective work environments. For instance, epsilons are conditioned to find contentment in imbalanced states to maximize their efficiency when repairing planes mid-flight. Children also undergo conditioning aimed at developing aversion towards nature and books through electrical shocks and alarms.
Throughout a child's upbringing, their mind is extensively shaped by eugenics and conditioning under state control. The state determines their IQ level, education, and moral values. Hypnopaedia is utilized to impart knowledge to children while they sleep through repeated lessons and phrases which ultimately shape the adults they become.
This level of extensive conditioning and control within society may appear absurd or even malevolent to us. With the exception of creating a pleasant environment for all individuals, nothing about the "brave new world" society would be deemed acceptable in our own society.Apart from John the savage and Bernard Marx, nearly all individuals in Brave New World are satisfied. The society operates smoothly without any signs of illness, conflict, anger, or sorrow - all characteristics associated with a utopia. According to the definition provided, the society presented in "brave new world" can be classified as a utopia; however, justice-related concerns surround this utopian society. Through his novel, Huxley argues that a society solely focused on maintaining social stability through eugenics and conditioning would ultimately result in the loss of individuality and essence of humanity. The central issue regarding justice in Brave New World revolves around whether eradicating individualism is ethical or not. Aldous Huxley observed this phenomenon emerging during the early 1930s due

to scientific advancements. The book goes beyond addressing mere concerns about eugenics or conditioning by exploring the consequences of these methods for an individual's well-being. Evaluating a culture's merits can only be achieved subjectively when compared to one's own cultural background. After examining the society depicted in Brave New World, I found almost everything objectionable except for their altruistic intention of ensuring universal happiness. Determining whether their society is right or wrong becomes challenging since personal experiences and cultural influences cannot be entirely eliminated. The primary concern regarding justice that troubles me within their society is the elimination of individuality.Brave New World serves as a poignant reminder that when technology advances and spirituality declines, society may reach a point where individuals lose their significance.

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