JOURNAL TOPIC:
Alec distracted me. Write about something interesting.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Self-assessment/ turn in hard copy
3. Storytime with Aldous
HW:
1. In a comment to this post, please list any major questions or observations you have about Brave New World Chapters 1-5
Are the controllers of the world in "brave new world" aware that what they're enforcing is unethical, or are they subject to the societies manipulation as well.
ReplyDeleteAre the things the World State does that we consider evil and immoral actually immoral and evil or do we just perceive them that way because of our social conditioning.
ReplyDeleteMy main question at the moment, although it may seem obvious, is why are people like Bernard and Helmholtz allowed to exist in this society, doesn't it threaten the entire concept of "togetherness and unity" depicted in the novel? (I understand that he is valuable to the plot, but in the story in general why do the controllers allow him to exist.) It seems as though the superiors have taken notice of Helmholtz 'mental excess' and how he is different from those around him, is it possible that the following passage foreshadows something that is yet to occur? '"Able," was the verdict of his superiors. "Perhaps," (and they would shake their heads, would significantly lower their voices) "a little TOO able."' Or is there a reason for allowing people like these two men, and even Lenina to exist? Is there an ulterior motive anywhere?
ReplyDeleteWhile reading, I can't help but to think ahead to what's going to happen later on in the story. I'm just anticipating for someone to finally revolt or go against their predetermined role within the society. I find it extremely ironic that the World State's motto is, "Community, identity, and stability." When in reality no one in this utopian society has an identity of their own at all. It feels as though their just brainwashed. Why don't the characters question anything? Why are they so quick to just accept what their told without actually seeking the answers for themselves?
ReplyDeleteMy main question about Brave New World consists of the link between modern society and the society within the novel. As science today goes, we really aren't that far way from creating children artificially. Matthew Holinger even said today that scientists have found that they can turn any human cell into sperm and egg sex cells which could create an all female society. The idea of a "perfect society" isn't that far off, so what keeps humans from creating this society? Looking at history we see caste systems and the book alludes to many of them in which color (in the book clothing but in history race) is seen as a status. Another question I encountered in the novel was if the controllers created the rulings or if they have been taught them for many years, I wonder this because one of the controllers stopped himself from saying alphas would create world domination.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the central themes of this novel is the loss of humanity in the name of stability. The inhabitants of this new world can hardly be called human, they're more like zombies. They conditioning they go through dehumanizes. Individualism is wiped out for unity and emotion is wiped out for stability. My question is what's the point of living in a world with no purpose? How long can someone be satiated with drugs and sex until they realize that they are filled with an unrelenting emptiness? A world in which everyone is unconscious would create an infinite cycle of absent minds.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the story, all that comes to mind is how weird this story is. But this question keeps popping into my mind, why would anyone ever want the world to come this? I feel like this plays into the role of money in peoples lives. Many people find careers in order to make a lot of money, so that they can live a "happy" life, when people should be finding careers because they love the field and are extremely passionate. I think this plays into the idea that the "powerful" people of our country are so thirsty for money that they feel the need to breed humans in order to have more humans for manufacturing and jobs. Now this may not be the case in our world right now, but the growing hunger for money is truly evident. Will it take over and come to something of this significance?
ReplyDeleteI think that Bernardo is going to do some great things, but it might take him a while to overcome his fears and accept his physical inferiority to his fellow alphas. I can see the potential he has, but his struggle with what he is is going to be a big obstacle. We can actually connect with someone in the story now; this character is relate-able because he's flawed and is uncomfortable that way. I'm just really excited about Bernardo and I think that I've found a character that I am confident writing about.
ReplyDeleteThe whole story is ironic in the fact that their "perfect" society is the exact opposite of what our modern society is. That is why people think the story so weird and creepy because it something that as a culture we do not approve of. But as much as Huxley made these characters and world the opposite of ours, the fundamental human aspects of life and being are the same. the need for being liked or feeling outcasted, the social hierarchies, the judgement, the human nature to find someone else to spend a life with. All these things are essential in modern times and so I am wondering how a world so intentionally opposite of ours still manages to be the same?
ReplyDeleteOne thought that I have been thinking about is where do we draw the line between social stability and individual freedom? The story obviously is about the extreme end of stability with no individualism emphasized. The other extreme of complete freedom and individualism won't really bring stability either.But we need a mixture of both. In today's society, every form of government has to decide where to draw the line between social stability and individualism, while trying to keep everyone happy. I think this an integral theme to Brave New World, and characters like Lenina and Bernard sort of represents the struggles of what the best equilibrium is within society and to the individuals.
ReplyDeleteThe title in itself deserves reviewing. Brave New World is one of the most ironic titles ever. In a world that thrives off of SOMA, a liquor/drug that separates people from reality, there isn't anything brave going on. In reality, it's the opposite of bravery. The people in that world have masked themselves from reality. Everything screams white, from the moment they are mass produced to the moment they die. They live in a sterile world, a world that honors chemistry above personal affairs.
ReplyDeleteWe also see a trend in the use of animal imagery. I think that the usage of animals continues on the trend of the separation of emotions. Humans are animals, biology says so. But we don't see ourselves as animals, because we see animals as uncivilized, without emotions as outlets. The use of animal imagery in the novel pushes us unto that same category. Huxley is labeling us as animals. The people in that world have completely separated themselves from their emotions. They aren't thinking with sympathy or pity, they're thinking about what they are conditioned to think about. In the end, it ends up being this grotesque description of the loss of humanity.
Contrary to it's title, the society of "Brave New World" is not brave at all, rather it's being controlled by technology and other internal/external forces to avoid any calamities from occurring. So far the sex-filled, individuality-less, culture-less story is showing a horrific representation of the future and Huxley is providing incredible examples of how uncivilized humans can be as well as how "humanizing" humans results oppositely to its' intentions. This meaning, if humans can be as barbaric as they are in the novel, how can we expect a authentically "Brave New World"? It's preposterous , we can't. Therefore one can learn that we need to not entirely transform our world + society to something completely different and expect it to be(come) something better than where we live in now.
ReplyDeleteAs we progress more into the book (keep in mind of Bernard's outset human qualities), how long will it take for Bernard keep up with his own standards of viewing life his own way? For me personally, it would be really difficult to keep up with my fad of ideas and individual mentality. The protagonist struggles here and there to integrate or disintegrate into "society". I won't make spoilers now, but there are more places around the world that don't experience the ever changing Brave New World. Heck, I could create a society of my own and it has happened many times before in history. The society in Brave New World is the same of the old one, maybe even close to the one now to some extent. I think the human mind can take in a certain amount of nothing until something called "feelings" is thoughtfully coming back unexpectedly.
ReplyDelete