This is not life changing turn back now while u have the chance… i’m pretty sure this isnt the final copy either so it might be missing some points…
A “Brave New Worldâ€, Political Philosophy and Utopia
Humans are social animals. In order to survive in the world humans learned to communicate and collaborate with each other. As humans evolved over time social structure became more complex in order to accommodate and maintain population growth. A conflict of ideals emerged from the question: What is the best way to run a society? Among these ideals is that of utopia. Utopia is essentially the desire for a perfect civilization where humans can co-exist in peace; however not all humans can agree on the proper means of achieving this end. It is the contrast in these ideas which give rise to Political Philosophy. Political Philosophy allows people to criticize and mediate discussion on a variety of topics including the debate on utopia. Political Philosophy is also in place to make sure that utopian ideas are not lead astray and become dystopian. Aldous Huxley describes a dystopia in his novel “Brave New World†where political philosophy is annihilated by an oligarchy of scientific utopian thinkers who suppress their society and essentially destroy human emotion. This novel is a reminder of the dangers of a society without the balance that political philosophy creates. Although it is impossible, humanity will always strive for and crave utopia. It is the primary role of Political Philosophy to ensure that human rights and freedoms remain scared and undisturbed.
Huxley’s “Brave New World†describes a fictional dystopia. The kind of dystopia Huxley proposes is categorized as a scientific utopia. In this novel the failed utopia is made possible by advancements in technology and science. In the words of Raymond Williams:
The technological transformation has a direct relation to applied science. It is the new technology which, for good or ill, has made the new life. As more generally in technological determinism, this has little or no social agency, though it is commonly described as having certain ‘inevitable’ social consequences
Huxley’s “Brave New World†is in essence our modern society taken to the extreme. In society today there are many ethical questions regarding: Genetic engineering, drug manufacturing and religion. In the “Brave new world†these technologies eliminate the desire for free will, art and even love in exchange for carnal desire and material wants.
The totalitarian regime in “The Brave New world†exploits the science of biology in an effort to preserve the delicate balance of its society. In the “Brave New World†all citizens of the world state are hatched, not born. The state manipulates embryos to produce five distinct classes labelled: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon. Humans in the Alpha and Beta class are left untouched as soon as an embryo is formed while all other classes undergo what Huxley describes as the Bokanovsky process. It is a method of stupefying the lower classes by excessive cloning techniques and “alcohol treatmentâ€. By doing this the totalitarian regime maintains a social order and hierarchy. The lower classes are “designed†to perform the most labor intensive jobs in the “Brave New Worldâ€. They do not question their status as they do not have the mental capacity to do so.
Another suppressive element in this society is the effect propaganda has on this society. At a very early age all young citizens undergo a sort of desensitizing treatment. People are trained to repeat a wide variety of sentences, such as the planetary motto: “Community, Identity, Stabilityâ€. These messages are also transmitted to its citizens while they are sleeping. For example in chapter five one of the protagonists, Lenina, reflects on an experience of a hypnopaedic message she received after suddenly waking up in the middle of the night…
Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without any one. Even Epsilons are useful. We couldn’t do without Epsilons. Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without any one…
These mottos and sayings are constant reminders of the delicate balance that must be upheld. The citizens also receive their dosage of propaganda at the “feeliesâ€. The “feelies†is similar to modern cinema although it invokes sexual feelings and desire by tapping into the nervous system. Like everything else in the “Brave New World†the “feelies†only act on the most basic forms of pleasure. The “fellies†is fundamentally an extension of what we know as pornography.
The state also has mandatory programs for young children in order to create a desired comfort level with death and sexual promiscuity. The “Brave New World’s†death treatment program for adolescents is mandated by the state. Young children attend classes that teach them to see death as a benefit to society. They are made to spend time in the “Hospital for the dying†where they run around and witness countless numbers of deaths until they become completely emotionally detached. Another treatment of the “Brave New World†is the “Erotic Play†children are made to have with each other. This exposure to sex at a very young age also discourages any human emotion or feelings that may be generated by sexual interaction later in life. When a citizen becomes a full grown adult they are expected to be as sexually promiscuous as possible as becoming attached to one mate suggests the possibility of human emotion, undesirable and inefficient.
Like most states the “Brave New World†has a religious aspect to it. The “Brave New World†is different in that they do not worship a god, they worship mankind and technology. Their time is relative to the years A.F (after the death of Henry Ford), one of the champions of the industrial age. Many of the technologies used to control human development are seen as holy relics to the citizens of the world state. The directors of their operations have a similar status to that of a priest or a demigod. The “Brave New World†also has religious ceremonies known as “Solidarity Services†in which the citizens call out to their “Ford†to make them become one.
“Ford, we are twelve; oh, make us one,
Like drops within the Social River;
Oh, make us now together run
As swiftly as thy shining Flivver.â€â€¦
“Come, Greater Being, Social Friend,
Annihilating Twelve-in-One!
We long to die, for when we end,
Our larger life has but begun.â€
The hymns are a tribute to the ultimate goal of the society, to achieve the ultimate efficiency and consolidate their utilitarian values. The singing of these hymns is accompanied by the consumption of the drug soma.
The main controlling mechanism of the totalitarian state is the drug soma. Soma is the solution to any social problem that hasn’t yet been worked out by the state. In the “Brave New World†soma is handed out more regularly than currency. It also serves a religious significance to the citizens of the world state. Soma serves as a type of religious sacrament and is consumed after every service to bring about primal urges. Citizens are also conditioned to take soma whenever they have any sort of feeling outside the realm of simple pleasure. It does not appear that soma is an addictive drug in physical sense however the citizens of the world state are almost completely dependant of the substance. A citizen of the world state does not have the capacity to deal with any situation that may cause them the slightest discomfort without a dose of soma.
Clearly the “Brave New World†is dystopian. To have a society similar to that of the “Brave New World†would bring an end to history. Culture is an essential element missing in the “Brave New Worldâ€. The citizens of the world state are not human. In fact this civilization bears more resemblance to an ant colony than it does a civilization. Emotions such as love, hate, fear and pain are all critical elements of the human condition. One of the protagonists in the story, Helmholtz Watson, becomes frustrated at the notion that his work seems meaningless and wishes to write about something more significant. Helmholtz cannot escape his feelings. Without pain, suffering or love one cannot reflect on life in a meaningful way. Man can only define his existence through his suffering. Suffering allows for understanding and a greater appreciation for the good. Helmholtz cannot write because he cannot transcend the physical. He has no knowledge of anything outside a nice feeling or a bad feeling. Without human expression there can be no culture.
The “Brave New World†also shares some similarities with a fascist state. In the Second World War the Third Reich also sought to destroy the individual and replace it with a single entity. Hitler was obsessed with the idea of creating an efficient machine as a state. The German media was dominated by propaganda. Similarly to the “Brave New World†the German people experimented with artificial selection. The Aryan in the mind of the Nazi was the perfect and most efficient form of the human. The Nazis developed breeding camps and forced people to be sexually promiscuous. Children in Nazi Germany were also exposed to desensitizing treatments. The Hitler Youth was significant in creating mindless soldiers whose only allegiance was to the state.
The methods of escapism used in the “Brave New World†are also common in modern North American society. The use of soma in the “Brave New World†is similar to alcoholism and drug abuse in our society. People are consumed by the demands that a capitalist society places on them. Drugs and alcohol are a means to diverge from reality and obligation similarly the world citizen uses soma to diverge from any bad feeling. In North America efficiency also plays a major role in societal values. The genetic modification of crops and the patenting of life demonstrate a disregard for the sacredness of life.
Political Philosophy cannot possibly protect society from all dangerous dystopian ideas. The values of society are ever changing. Political Philosophy will develop along side society, constantly reminding it of the mistakes of the past and proposing utopian ideas that will create progress for civilization.
~Szpak