"'Disgraceful? But what do you mean? They're being death-conditioned. And I tell you,' she warned him truculently, 'if I have anymore of your interference with their conditioning, I'll send for the porters and have you thrown out'" (Huxely 208).
Consumer culture is to be able to be not affected by death, to do this children are conditioned. To be un-affected by death has some very good attributes as well as its defects. The positives of society being un-affected by death means a few things. Firstly, they can keep working and their lives will not stop because of someones death. Furthermore, the citizens of the World State do not have to be in any pain when their friends are dead; while they may miss their company there will be no heartbreak, this is because the people are conditioned by the their culture to not be affected, or hurt. However, the sentimentality that lies in life and the loss of the ones closest to people is a beautiful yet tragic feeling. The meaning of life is somewhat downsized when you make it so that death is nothing, and is just a part of life. All the while, death is just another cycle in life, but there is meaning in it because death is the birth of change. While some people are not affected by another's death the people closest to the one who had died, now have a change in their life that may not be avoided.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Brave New World: chapter 13~ when consent doesn't work...
"'Why don't you just go and take him wether he wants it or no" (Huxely 192).
In this novel, Brave New World, when you want to have somebody usually this is very casual and easy to obtain. When a person doesn't want to have someone it is socially acceptable to have that person by force and this is due to their culture they live in. This can be a benefit because even if this happens no one has to feel bad, or awkward, about the incident. On the contrary, making rape so easily obtainable and not against any laws, because erotic play is a social norm, can be the cause of something that may scar someone for their life and no one would ever help them. Furthermore, their body would be defiled, and they would have no comfort no matter where they looked. In relation, this leads to the other social norm for their consumer culture of drugs, soma, which the victim of rape would most likely take regularly, so they would not have to think about it ever. To tie it all together, the consumer culture allows rape to be accepted; this may be good because on one hand no one would feel bad, if the victim is on soma. However, the victim is being defiled and this consumer culture allows the meaning of life to lower by making it accebtable for people to rape others and others to be raped.
In this novel, Brave New World, when you want to have somebody usually this is very casual and easy to obtain. When a person doesn't want to have someone it is socially acceptable to have that person by force and this is due to their culture they live in. This can be a benefit because even if this happens no one has to feel bad, or awkward, about the incident. On the contrary, making rape so easily obtainable and not against any laws, because erotic play is a social norm, can be the cause of something that may scar someone for their life and no one would ever help them. Furthermore, their body would be defiled, and they would have no comfort no matter where they looked. In relation, this leads to the other social norm for their consumer culture of drugs, soma, which the victim of rape would most likely take regularly, so they would not have to think about it ever. To tie it all together, the consumer culture allows rape to be accepted; this may be good because on one hand no one would feel bad, if the victim is on soma. However, the victim is being defiled and this consumer culture allows the meaning of life to lower by making it accebtable for people to rape others and others to be raped.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Brave New World: Chapter 12~ Drugs fix everything
"He was ashamed of his jealousy and alternately made efforts of will and took soma to keep himself from feeling it" (Huxely 185).
Through consumer culture the citizens of the World State take drugs for anything that is wrong and this is great because you have people who are not always happy and when they are on soma suddenly everything is okay again. This drug has no side effects so the government doesnt have to deal with any addicts that just waste space; because all the drug addicts that might have wasted space take soma, so they are still able to work and be contempt with themselves. However, this society full of drug addicts is always just ignoring their problems by taking the beloved soma, but these people, just like the people in the real world that take drugs, degrade themselves to drugs all they ever know what to do is drugs. Having a consumer culture where it is okay to take drugs just to be happy is degrading the meaning of life. Life means so much more when you get through hardships with willpower and without having to rely on a drug that makes everything seem better.
Through consumer culture the citizens of the World State take drugs for anything that is wrong and this is great because you have people who are not always happy and when they are on soma suddenly everything is okay again. This drug has no side effects so the government doesnt have to deal with any addicts that just waste space; because all the drug addicts that might have wasted space take soma, so they are still able to work and be contempt with themselves. However, this society full of drug addicts is always just ignoring their problems by taking the beloved soma, but these people, just like the people in the real world that take drugs, degrade themselves to drugs all they ever know what to do is drugs. Having a consumer culture where it is okay to take drugs just to be happy is degrading the meaning of life. Life means so much more when you get through hardships with willpower and without having to rely on a drug that makes everything seem better.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Brave New World: Chapter 11~ No such thing as a distraction in a book
"'We don't encourage them to indulge in any solitary amusements'" (Huxely 166).
The worlds consumer culture demands that people do not take part in solitary distractions because this would enable them to think for themselves. Now this is a good thing because it keeps the social stability without really needing to enforce anything; furthermore, in this direction of accomplishing social stability there is no use for drugs. However, the defect of this way of accomplishing social stability is that no one may be able to rise with their own power for they can never be alone to think of how to get things done. Of course this stands for most of the population which is why this way of consumer culture keeps stability, but this can be very problematic when the time comes for people to think for themselves because in this world, the Brave New World, people may only conform and to conform in a way is to degrade one's self.
The worlds consumer culture demands that people do not take part in solitary distractions because this would enable them to think for themselves. Now this is a good thing because it keeps the social stability without really needing to enforce anything; furthermore, in this direction of accomplishing social stability there is no use for drugs. However, the defect of this way of accomplishing social stability is that no one may be able to rise with their own power for they can never be alone to think of how to get things done. Of course this stands for most of the population which is why this way of consumer culture keeps stability, but this can be very problematic when the time comes for people to think for themselves because in this world, the Brave New World, people may only conform and to conform in a way is to degrade one's self.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Brave New World:Chapter 10~ Daddy doesn't care...
"My Father! The laughter, which had shown signs of dying away, broke out again more loudly than ever" (Huxely 184).
The significance of the Father and Mother in society has been thrown away; this could be benefit to consumer culture, or society, because the people will not have anything holding them back anymore. Parents no longer in play means no more having to think of family and the people can progress faster because if there were to be controlling parents then the society's brightest minds would be held back the culture of family having a say in what you do. However, the defect of the loss to a familial structure in society would be that morals in the social consumerism is significantly altered. There is no need for marrying and no more need for monogamy, everyone is everyone else's and that is how society conducts itself in the Brave New World. Furthermore, this degrades life in the sense of believing in having a soul mate in which only the two belong to one another, the sweetness of the meaning in this is thrown away once the consumer culture of giving yourself only to one other person is changed into the consumer culture of romance being a very casual thing and to be done with anyone.
The significance of the Father and Mother in society has been thrown away; this could be benefit to consumer culture, or society, because the people will not have anything holding them back anymore. Parents no longer in play means no more having to think of family and the people can progress faster because if there were to be controlling parents then the society's brightest minds would be held back the culture of family having a say in what you do. However, the defect of the loss to a familial structure in society would be that morals in the social consumerism is significantly altered. There is no need for marrying and no more need for monogamy, everyone is everyone else's and that is how society conducts itself in the Brave New World. Furthermore, this degrades life in the sense of believing in having a soul mate in which only the two belong to one another, the sweetness of the meaning in this is thrown away once the consumer culture of giving yourself only to one other person is changed into the consumer culture of romance being a very casual thing and to be done with anyone.
Brave New World: Chapter 9~ The drug with no side effects
"As soon as they got back to the rest-house, she swallowed six half-gramme tablets of soma" (Huxely 170).
In the Brave New World the nature of their consumer culture is so dependent upon their beloved drug, soma. This has the benefit of this is that the people are always happy. Making life easier for those of the people that need more breaks. This drug culture gives the society a stronger backbone for people who do not have much willpower. In contrast, in the real world we all have our own outlets in life giving us a certain feeling of how when life is tough we can have our own personal way of leaning on something to make us feel better, but in the Brave New World everyone has the same exact outlets. This proves useful in ensuring the happiness of the people. On the other hand, this makes it less gratifying to make it through tough times in your life. This deducts the meaning of life into a drug.
In the Brave New World the nature of their consumer culture is so dependent upon their beloved drug, soma. This has the benefit of this is that the people are always happy. Making life easier for those of the people that need more breaks. This drug culture gives the society a stronger backbone for people who do not have much willpower. In contrast, in the real world we all have our own outlets in life giving us a certain feeling of how when life is tough we can have our own personal way of leaning on something to make us feel better, but in the Brave New World everyone has the same exact outlets. This proves useful in ensuring the happiness of the people. On the other hand, this makes it less gratifying to make it through tough times in your life. This deducts the meaning of life into a drug.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Brave New World: Chapter 8~ Civil turned savage
"'Turned into a savage,' she shouted. 'Having young ones like an animal ... If it hadn't been for you, I might've gone to the Inspector, I might have got away. But not with a baby. That would be too shameful'" (Huxely 153).
The people born in the world state are manipulated and are made to think that a meaningful and very important occurrence in the real world is a horrid thing. This devalues birth itself thus decreasing the meaning of life. The people of this world are hiding behind consumerism and they can not see anything except for what is right in their minds, or what they have been conditioned to believe is right. However, by devaluing the meaning of birth they explored other options of production of humans. A much more efficient way of population control, but just because it benefits society in this scientific way does not mean it devalues the meaning of a life. The people that are born from 'decantation' are also alive, and while they may have controlled thoughts they still have thoughts of their own. These people are living and they do have feelings and they mean as much as they did when there was live birth only available.
The people born in the world state are manipulated and are made to think that a meaningful and very important occurrence in the real world is a horrid thing. This devalues birth itself thus decreasing the meaning of life. The people of this world are hiding behind consumerism and they can not see anything except for what is right in their minds, or what they have been conditioned to believe is right. However, by devaluing the meaning of birth they explored other options of production of humans. A much more efficient way of population control, but just because it benefits society in this scientific way does not mean it devalues the meaning of a life. The people that are born from 'decantation' are also alive, and while they may have controlled thoughts they still have thoughts of their own. These people are living and they do have feelings and they mean as much as they did when there was live birth only available.
Brave New World: chapter 7~ The old grow differently
"'That's because we don't allow them to be like that. We preserve them from diseases" (Huxely 131).
The people of the Brave New World do not experience their lives to the full potential. Since, their culture is conditioned and controlled to the point where even the sight of a person in their middle ages is monstrous. This devalues the meaning of having a life because going through life is to go through hardships, and in this society any hard ships are brought to nothing because they are either conditioned to avoid it or they are controlled to where their physical appearance does not alter. Furthermore, their way of coping, or avoiding, their problems is to take drugs, soma, which has no effect except making them weak willed people who need to rely on this drug which has no physical side effects. However, there is a positive side to their ability to preserve people into keeping a physique with no defects. This positive is that there are many diseases no one no longer has to worry about that come with old age. For example, they would not need to worry about getting Alzheimer's, or arthritis, or erectile dysfunction, as well as many other diseases.
The people of the Brave New World do not experience their lives to the full potential. Since, their culture is conditioned and controlled to the point where even the sight of a person in their middle ages is monstrous. This devalues the meaning of having a life because going through life is to go through hardships, and in this society any hard ships are brought to nothing because they are either conditioned to avoid it or they are controlled to where their physical appearance does not alter. Furthermore, their way of coping, or avoiding, their problems is to take drugs, soma, which has no effect except making them weak willed people who need to rely on this drug which has no physical side effects. However, there is a positive side to their ability to preserve people into keeping a physique with no defects. This positive is that there are many diseases no one no longer has to worry about that come with old age. For example, they would not need to worry about getting Alzheimer's, or arthritis, or erectile dysfunction, as well as many other diseases.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Brave new World: Chapter 6~Free as a bird in a cage
"'I don't know what you mean. I am free. Free to have the most wonderful time. Everybody's happy nowadays"(Huxely 107).
To be free in this world means to indulge the having a good time which is not necessarily a bad thing because with the people happy that makes living happily easier. You no longer have to worry about hating people, or having to stress or feeling anything you don't want to. Although, this form of happiness in the Brave New World is for those of us who are weak. Not to say they are less important or anything, but those of us in the real world who resort to drugs to help us forget our hardships, or for recreational use, are the weakest people in the world. Drugs of any sort are a gateway from reality and if you can't handle your own reality and must divulge in other worlds by taking the path of drugs you are weak. In conclusion, in the Brave New World they are all happy, but their idea of free is taking drugs and having a good time, by making the meaning to be free reduced to just having fun this deduces the meaning of life, which is full of hardships, to just playing around.
To be free in this world means to indulge the having a good time which is not necessarily a bad thing because with the people happy that makes living happily easier. You no longer have to worry about hating people, or having to stress or feeling anything you don't want to. Although, this form of happiness in the Brave New World is for those of us who are weak. Not to say they are less important or anything, but those of us in the real world who resort to drugs to help us forget our hardships, or for recreational use, are the weakest people in the world. Drugs of any sort are a gateway from reality and if you can't handle your own reality and must divulge in other worlds by taking the path of drugs you are weak. In conclusion, in the Brave New World they are all happy, but their idea of free is taking drugs and having a good time, by making the meaning to be free reduced to just having fun this deduces the meaning of life, which is full of hardships, to just playing around.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Brave New World: Chapter 5~The equality of life
"'All men are physico-chemically equal,' said Henry sententiously. 'Besides, even Epsilons perform indispensable services'"(Huxely 74).
Through this textual evidence it is advocating that life is meaningful even for Epsilons who are at the bottom of the social casts. For Henry to say this means that he acknowledges that they are people and they do something very important to society. The Epsilons do have a purpose and their cast can't be replaced by other casts because every cast has their own duties to benefit the whole society. Although, by producing their meaning in this way is in a sense degrading for who they are as people. These Epsilons are only able to work this way because of how things are. Since everything is decided by cast peoples' meaning cannot be risen or lowered no matter what. Thus, lowering the meaningfulness of life for every single person in every cast. In conclusion, the peoples' lives may have an indispensable purpose in their society giving them meaning, but their meaningfulness is brought up to nothing because society decides what you meaning is making the meaning of life a simple cast system.
Through this textual evidence it is advocating that life is meaningful even for Epsilons who are at the bottom of the social casts. For Henry to say this means that he acknowledges that they are people and they do something very important to society. The Epsilons do have a purpose and their cast can't be replaced by other casts because every cast has their own duties to benefit the whole society. Although, by producing their meaning in this way is in a sense degrading for who they are as people. These Epsilons are only able to work this way because of how things are. Since everything is decided by cast peoples' meaning cannot be risen or lowered no matter what. Thus, lowering the meaningfulness of life for every single person in every cast. In conclusion, the peoples' lives may have an indispensable purpose in their society giving them meaning, but their meaningfulness is brought up to nothing because society decides what you meaning is making the meaning of life a simple cast system.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Brave New World: Chapter 4~ The bad eggs in the basket
"'But, I say," he went on, 'you look glum! What you need is a gramme of soma'"(Huxely 60).
This is the first time the consumer culture actually has to do with a tangible object. While Bernard had looked glum Benito had decided to try to cheer him up with some soma, but in effect Bernard turned and left refusing the soma. You can tell in this quote that the hardships of life are very under minded here, and their solution to anything is drugs. Although, on the positive side of this issue the people have a socially acceptable way of coping without needing to worry and just keep living life to the fullest. Furthermore, this drug 'soma' has no side effects rather than things like alcohol or heroine or any drugs with side effects, so the use of the drug 'soma' is very efficient in keeping the people happy. To conclude, the use of 'soma' is very efficient in keeping social stability, and keeping any groups from being rebellious, but the use of this drug, 'soma', under mines the hardships of life and being able to get through tough times instead of just ignoring them.
This is the first time the consumer culture actually has to do with a tangible object. While Bernard had looked glum Benito had decided to try to cheer him up with some soma, but in effect Bernard turned and left refusing the soma. You can tell in this quote that the hardships of life are very under minded here, and their solution to anything is drugs. Although, on the positive side of this issue the people have a socially acceptable way of coping without needing to worry and just keep living life to the fullest. Furthermore, this drug 'soma' has no side effects rather than things like alcohol or heroine or any drugs with side effects, so the use of the drug 'soma' is very efficient in keeping the people happy. To conclude, the use of 'soma' is very efficient in keeping social stability, and keeping any groups from being rebellious, but the use of this drug, 'soma', under mines the hardships of life and being able to get through tough times instead of just ignoring them.
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