8/8/2023 0 Comments Brave new world book review![]() Mothers and fathers are strange, even vulgar, concepts in the civilised world, where embryos are grown in bottles and there is effective contraception. Bernard Marx an unusually short Alpha Plus visits a reserve out of curiosity and returns with John, a savage who had a mother, Linda, who was stranded on the reserve many years earlier. Outside civilization there are reserves for savages, there are also islands like Iceland, where those who are discontent can go and live. From birth, members of every class are indoctrinated by recorded voices repeating slogans while they sleep (called “hypnopædia” in the book) to believe their own class is superior, but that the other classes perform needed functions. The Epsilon semi-morons have the menial tasks, which are not too demanding, they are happy with their lot because they have their drugs (soma) and entertainment (feelies and casual non-reproductive sex). There are different castes: Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons each with their roles to play. From the embryonic stage the inhabitants of the world are grown to fit in. It is a world where sadness has been virtually eliminated but at a heavy price. Young children are conditioned to abhor books and nature. This is a Brave New World without Shakespeare. ![]() Shakespeare is quoted by the savage, John in the novel when he is confronted by the technologies and customs of civilisation. Miranda:“O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world That has such people in’t!” The title comes from Shakespeare’s The Tempest : There are pills to make people happy, virtual reality shows to distract the masses from actual reality, and hook-ups to take the place of love and commitment. ![]() Huxley imagined a plastic techno-society where sex is casual, entertainment light and consumerism rampant. There is an interesting debate, which can be viewed on YouTube, about which dystopian novel is closest to our present situation Huxley’s Brave New World or George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Will Self champions Huxley’s novel and Adam Gopnik champions Orwell’s. I also remembered the drug soma and entertaining feelies which were used to keep the citizens happy and passive. I remembered the hierarchy of the citizens of Brave New World: Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons. I rarely reread novels, no matter how much I loved them. Unusually, this was the second time I’d read “ Brave New World“, the first time was way back in the eighties. The Doors Of Perception detailed the author’s own experience of taking mescaline, it chimed with the consciousness-expanding ethos of the decade, and even gave The Doors their name. Aldous Huxley’s works, The Doors Of Perception and Brave New World were required reading for the countercultural elite in the 60s. Sergeant Peppers cover with Aldous Huxley ringed in blueĪldous Huxley merited a place on the Beatles Sergeant Peppers album cover amidst an eclectic mix of movie stars, musicians, writers, gurus and occultists. I couldn’t find a hard copy of this novel locally Prospero’s Bookshop had “ Brave New World Revisited” but not the original novel. This is the first book I have bought on Kindle, I have wanted to buy others but have always had difficulties with my payment cards.
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