Ladies and Gentlemen, It's a Brave New World!

Both Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984 are worlds that are frightfully realistic, in that they both are something that can come true in today's society. Within their similarities, there are also plenty of other differences, in that 1984 is based on fear, hate, and turmoil, while Brave New World is based on bliss, utopia, and eternal happiness. All of these elements, both negative and positive, are things that are existent in today's society, but things such as obtaining happiness is what is most prominent in today's society. Despite the fact that both of these dystopias can happen in today's society, Postman's assertion of our society becoming closest to that of Brave New World, is entirely correct.

Today, we live in a trivial, material based society that sometime fails to acknowledge what is important in our everyday lives, such as family, friends, and favorite hobbies. Despite the currently failing economy, the mission of the American people still remains as follows: to obtain the American dream, to be rich and successful, and to have all that any individual could ever ask for. We base our happiness on what we have in life, and we base our measure of failure on what we don't have, or what we can't have. We as a society, wish to achieve universal happiness so that we all may live peacefully. In Brave New World, their society was based on the happiness of all, personal satisfaction, and the fun and enjoyment that they could have in their everyday lives. They did not want to be exposed to fear, hate, pain or true emotion: "In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure"(Postman). Our society, as well as Huxley's created society, are based on trivial things: "Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture[...]"(Postman). Believe it or not, Huxley's fears are closer than ever to becoming a reality. Our society rarely takes time to take a moment and to look at what is most important in our everyday lives.



In both of these societies, (BNW and today), some citizens created dependencies on certain items and substances in order to remain happy and to function in a way in which an individual finds suitable. Soma would be the equivalent to "happy pills" our society. Both of these substances are relied upon in order to change an individual's mood and habits. Alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, etc. are all substances in which inflict change upon an individual. The main reason why many people turn to the substances is because they feel that they cannot handle the pressures of everyday life on their own, therefore, they turn to these substances. Much like soma, which was used in times of unhappiness.



Overall, the most pressing issue that links these two worlds is scientific advancement. In Huxley's world, human beings are created in bottles, and their destiny is pre-determined. Our world is quickly encroaching upon the same borders. Our scientists are experimenting with genes, in order to change the outcome of some children, born both naturally, and intravenously. We are essentially becoming a society that is one within the same. We are discovering advancements everyday that have the potential to change our morals, belief, and the genetic makeup of our entire society. These things are not science fiction, they are real-life stepping stones that our country is quickly stepping on.



We are becoming a society that lives for what it can receive, neglects important elements of everyday life for personal gain, and eliminates difficulties in order to avoid pain and hardship. We are becoming Huxley's world, disconnected from the "nitty-gritty" of human life, forever evolving into a society of change from previous generations. If we, as a society, continue on a path of not taking the time of actually living life, and working the hardest that we can in order to obtain society, we will surely become corrupt with a misleading, inaccurate lifestyle.