Book: Brave New World

Writer: Aldous Huxley

Published: 1932 by Chatto & Windus

Aldous Huxley wrote the dystopian book “Brave New World” which was released in 1932. The story presents a critique of the perils of a culture that prizes conformity above uniqueness in a future society where people are genetically modified and trained to fit into particular social classes.

In the future society depicted in the book, people are genetically modified and socialized to fit into particular social classes. Citizens are urged to embrace fleeting pleasures and steer clear of intense emotions in this world, which is structured around the ideas of stability and pleasure. The work criticizes this culture, arguing that it is oppressive and degrading.

The conflict between individualism and conformity is one of the book’s central themes. Individual freedom and the right to express oneself are sacrificed in the World State’s emphasis on efficiency and stability. An example of this is Bernard Marx, an Alpha-plus who struggles to integrate into the strict social framework of the World State. The idea that creativity and originality are crucial to pleasure and fulfillment for people is one that Huxley explores via the lens of Bernard’s character.

Technology’s influence on societal development is a key issue in the book. Genetic engineering and social conditioning are employed by the World State to produce a stable and predictable population, and technology is used to manipulate and control its subjects. Technology, according to Huxley, can have a range of social effects depending on how it is employed, from being free to being oppressive.

Another crucial element of the book is Huxley’s use of irony and satire. Huxley highlights the shortcomings and dangers of a society that prefers efficiency and conformity to individuality and freedom by depicting the ludicrous principles and actions of the World State.

Some of Brave New World’s unquestionably futuristic characteristics are not as outlandish today. That humans are genetically changed for desirable traits, fertilized in vitro, and essentially incubated till birth is one of the novel’s ground-breaking concepts. Even while we don’t technically have designer babies, procedures like IVF are now available, and can have some of this.

In the 1930s, birth control’s therapeutic component was just emerging. Yes, there have been methods of prevention for thousands of years as well as home treatments. Only in 1930 was it legal in Britain to even provide birth control advice. It’s odd to think about given how frequently it’s prescribed these days.

It’s interesting to see how our current theories about the coming decades compared to the predictions made by authors decades ago about what they considered to be the future. 

The thing that intrigues me the most is whether the concepts put forth by these authors came to pass, or whether they had some inkling of the powers and technical developments that humanity was capable of achieving. It’s comparable to the chicken-and-egg controversy.

The societies described in Brave New World and those of the present day may have certain characteristics, yet they may significantly diverge. For instance, the social class system in Brave New World is different from the one we are used to and is based on intelligence.

 By using ‘feel-good’ medications and activities, citizens can be efficiently controlled. Both sadness and a lack of purpose are nonexistent. Each person does their role to the best of their ability. They simply need to follow instructions without stopping to think about it. Though it could appear to be a nice idea at first, I believe it would be hell.

“Brave New World” is thought-provoking and poses significant issues regarding the nature of humanity, the place of technology in society, and the perils of conformity. The work is a classic of dystopian literature and an important contribution to the ongoing discussion concerning the role of technology and individuality in contemporary society because of Huxley’s use of literary devices like satire and irony, as well as his examination of these subjects.

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Writer:

Sanzide Rahman Jidni

Intern, Content Writing Department

YSSE