Analytical Paper on Brave New World
- Explain why you agree or disagree with the following statement. “American society today has much the same value system as that of the world state. The major difference is simply that the world state is much more efficient in achieving those values than is our society.” If not, what is it about our value system that is different?
It is true to say that American society and world state have the same value system. The societies in World state and America are controlled by technology both societies chose comfort and happiness in order to create a stable society (Huxley, 2006). After the biological and anthrax bomb, both societies developed fundamental values which unites the individuals together. Technology has usurped God, standardization is the norm, diversity and identity have been abandoned and human existence has been negatively impacted by war and diseases. Natural birth is abandoned and child birth is done in test tubes. The novel clearly shows that the similar values in both societies demonstrate how human being can be dehumanized and exploited by science and technology (Huxley, 2006). In other words, technology has enslaves individuals and technological knowledge is for the purpose of manufacturing goods but not for commercial commodity. It is worth saying that both worlds are emotionally anaesthetized and human beings have become masters of technology, science and politics. The social norms in both worlds have created decadent and perverted societies where love, religion and natural birth have need removed from culture and viewed as threat to the society. Generally, humanity is lost and instead of focusing on realism, societies reflect on social context hence creating a hideous and abhorrent society. It is important to note that the value systems which are rooted from technology have enslaved mankind and what takes control is sterility (Huxley, 2006). As a result scientific environment, people have become mindless and do not respect the nature.
Though the two societies perceive similar value system, world state is much more powerful in achieving the values. Note that the society in this world is controlled by technology and the society has more power. According to the novel, the society has 10rules who controls the world and provides dictatorship. Individuals are controlled by technology and all people create a strong interaction without valuing the family Affiliation (Huxley, 2006). The drug represents a power influence and a daily ritual in that mind and body becomes relaxed and more important it creates a happy and peaceful environment. The society believes that knowledge is power. For example, Mustapha breaks the Shakespeare’s rules and believes that old and beautiful things should rule the society. The world state is more powerful than American society because it controls people through technological intervention and creates social stability using Soma. The society believes that invention is the main element which can bring progress and the industrial system is controlled by consumerism and productivism. Consumerist ideals are focused on the notion that “Ending is better than mending” (Huxley, 2006). Individuals follow the principles of consumption and live with consumer oriented mentality. It clearly shows that they hate nature and they choose to have own freedom in order to live a happy live. In terms of religion, citizens follow the ‘Technopoly’ ideal where invention is the God. All individual have sexual attitudes and they interact with everybody for recreational. In addition, technology has principles which direct people the right path. The economic structure is made firm by mass production and workers should enjoy meager life and life of servitude. In modern American society, social institutions have been highly affected by the technology (Huxley, 2006). Value system has been changed and institutions such as family, morality, religion and more have been negatively affected. Family relation is weak and unstable since marriage itself is seen as civil contract. Religion is not values and people are being involved in secular religions and scientific believes.
There is no difference in value system between American society and world states. Technology is used to controls society and it play role in life by providing happiness and stability. In addition, the society can be referred as consumer society where individuals rely on buying and selling in order to satisfy their needs (Huxley, 2006). In America, individuals tend to have personal control over the nature. They view it in a positive perspective that it is normal to control the nature. In this case, they believe that bad luck is a result of laziness to control the nature and thus, technology is helping to take self-interest in the environment. Like the world state, the American society value change rather than tradition, stability and ancient heritage. With the technology, they believe that there should be progress, improvement and growth and each person should have the responsibility as well as self-help control (Huxley, 2006). Other point which defines the value system is that the society is materialistic and put much focus on material things. In order to create a happy life and stability, people in American society use personal freedom and rejects the social outcomes. They are devaluing the truth and follow the perception that happiness is as a result of self-acceptance. The society focuses on future orientation and devalues the past. They are controlled by competition to create free enterprise. Materialism and competition creates personal comfort where they access not only food and medical but also recreational materials such as cars (Huxley, 2006).
Reference
Huxley, A. (2006). Brave new world. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics.
