Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ Is a Prophecy, Not a Fiction Book
Exploring how today’s society mirrors Huxley’s dystopian vision
I flipped through the pages of “Brave New World” and thought, “This is not a fiction book, more like a prophecy.” Aldous Huxley wrote the dystopian novel in 1931 and nailed many aspects of our current society:
-Mass production and consumerism
-Technological advancements to control and condition people
-Pharmacological control to keep people on drugs
-Manipulation of information
And more fun things like the erosion of family and intimacy. Two words: government control.
Insanity #1: “Everyone belongs to everyone else”
In “Brave New World”, people believe intimacy isn’t something intimate at all. Children participated in sick erotic games from an early age.
Men could have any girl they wanted, anytime. They bitched and whined when a woman “made them wait” for four weeks and got sympathy from the World Controllers for it. Rejection is a bad thing, these men were taught, and it has to be avoided. Your life should be a smooth ride!
Talk about self-entitlement.
Today, Sam Smith is doing naughty stuff on stage live on T.V. in front of the whole world. Trends like our hookup culture, dating apps, polyamory, and open relationships are all soft manifestations of Huxley’s fiction.
“If you want to destroy any nation without war, make adultery or nudity common in the young generation.” — Saladin, Former Sultan of Egypt
Exhibit #B: “Keep them busy with work and pleasure”
In the novel, citizens of the World State are conditioned from birth to value work and pleasure above all else. Work hard. Get things done. If something’s bothering you, just take a bit of Soma — the drug that makes everything sunny. I love working on things that are meaningful to me. It keeps me sane in the turbulence of my daily routine. But it’s hard to deny society has been brainwashed regarding work.
“Work 9–5!”, then go home to watch T.V. “Hustle 24/7 to become an entrepreneur!” Then live like a millionaire for the rest of your life.
People can’t wait to get on a plane for their next vacation or get drunk on the weekend to forget about their miseries.
Other “pleasures” keep us on our toes as well. The FIFA World Cup, video games, social media, and reality shows are all designed to keep your attention at all costs — even when your life is falling apart.
Madness #C: “Ending is better than mending”
I’m not sure if it’s only me, but dating has felt harder in the past three years or so. Regardless of what’s happening in the world, I think people give up on others too soon, men and women alike. It’s somewhat of a Disposable Culture. Easier to keep swiping on Tinder than go out on a second date to find out more about the person.
A similar thing happens with work or fitness. The minute things get tough, we give up. But some things are supposed to be hard. That’s what makes doing them worthwhile. Otherwise, you won’t grow as a person, or as a professional, as a friend or a family member. You learn from the hard things, not the easy stuff.
So what gives
I’m not sure how it all came to this or how Huxley could see this far into the future. Maybe he looked at the current state of things, figured we don’t have a chance, and then dramatized every area of life. Maybe we got so used to living in a box and doing what we’re told all it took is a little push to throw us over the edge: a bit more tech, or “pleasure”, or war, or media brainwashing.
Many people, elders and youth alike, feel like the world has been on a slippery slope since 2020. Subconsciously, we wait for the next big bad thing to happen. Government control is not a conspiracy anymore. Every year, more ridiculous laws and regulations are passed. I just read that the E.U. is adding “edible bugs” to food.
Awareness as a cure
There is no point in simplifying the problem or the solution: the world is somewhat of a mess, and I doubt it’ll get better soon. That said, I never found it helpful to complain about things. We might as well let the world do its thing and continue our lives as best as possible. Once you’re aware of this whole “Matrix”, their game is over. You start making different choices in life. The food you eat, your shopping habits, the people you date, pennies begin to drop and your energy shifts.
A question that can get the ball rolling might be, “Am I happy with my life? Where am I half-assing things?” Start there. No need for twenty different motivational videos on Youtube. No need for another online course. Do what you know you must.
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