Brave New World, Dystopia and Modern World

In the novel Brave New World, Aldous Huxley creates a dystopia where people live without concern, possessions, relationships, or anything that truly makes us human. Written in 1932, the novel reflects a world that was becoming increasingly industrialized and tumultuous after the First World War. During this time, fascism and radicalism were on the rise, economies were stagnating, and governments were becoming more controlling. These factors inspired writers like Aldous Huxley to explore dystopian futures and to discuss what could happen if these trends continued. In this text, we will compare our contemporary world with the dystopian world of Brave New World, focusing on the themes of technology, social control, and consumerism.

Firstly, we can examine how people are controlled and pacified by technology in both the novel and our world. In Brave New World, the citizens of New London use soma to “regulate” their mentality. They are not allowed to feel emotions like love or sadness; instead, they must appear happy and mentally stable to live in New London. If they fail to do so, they are forced to undergo reconditioning by the system’s doctors. Regular entertainments are organized to ensure people feel “happy.” If someone doesn’t participate for a while, the system investigates and pacifies them—there is no tolerance for deviation.

When we look at our world, we can see parallels. For instance, soma is similar to the widespread use of antidepressants. We are conditioned to be happy and productive; otherwise, the system does not allow us to earn money or enjoy life. We often repress our true feelings and present a happy facade on social media. Social media influencers control us by dictating what to buy, wear, and follow. If we don’t keep up with trends and become outdated, we risk being ignored and disdained by those around us, much like the outcasts in New London. This social disdain drives many to seek therapy, which can be seen as a modern form of reconditioning, aiming to mold us into appropriate individuals for the world and the system.

Secondly, people in New London are driven by happiness achieved through consumerism and instant gratification. They buy new clothes and items to feel happy and to show off at regular entertainment. The system compels them to consume in order to maintain their happiness, and they cannot resist without facing reconditioning, as mentioned earlier. In our world, we see similar behavior. People buy what influencers promote to show off, seeking praise and validation. This echoes the novel’s idea that “Everyone belongs to everyone else.” Most people, both in our world and in New London, do not act as independent individuals.

Thirdly, the society in the novel is strictly hierarchical. Everyone belongs to a class—Alpha, Beta, Gamma—and must act according to how they were conditioned from birth. In our world, we also have social classes like the middle and lower classes. People are expected to conform to the roles they are taught by schools, media, and other institutions. Lower classes cannot access the spaces or privileges of higher classes because they cannot afford them. Additionally, we face issues like racism, ultranationalism, and homophobia, which threaten unity and equality. In both worlds, people are strictly controlled and conditioned. Unfortunately, we don’t have effective resistance against the system, although there are some movements around the world. At least we are not fully pacified like the individuals in New London. However, if we don’t resist, we risk becoming fully pacified in the future.

In conclusion, the world depicted in Brave New World shares many similarities with our contemporary society, and these parallels are becoming increasingly pronounced. Are we on the path to becoming like the dystopian universe Huxley envisioned? Can we resist the forces of consumerism and technological control? These are the questions we must ask ourselves after reflecting on the novel and our world today.