From what I’ve seen in the first
four chapters of Brave New World, it’s going to be a very interesting book. The
whole society is intensely planned out, with artificial birth, social class
determined before birth by physical and mental capabilities, and a weird thing
called hypnopedia, which influences one’s thoughts by talking to them while
they are asleep.
I think
hypnopedia is a genius idea, and one of the best factors in keeping a safe and
nicely controlled society. It reminds me a lot of 1984, where everyone in the
society is brainwashed, but somehow it seems a little less sinister. They might
be teaching unquestioned acceptance, but the people don’t all live in poverty,
information isn’t kept hidden, and there isn’t one ‘ruler’ who everyone must
‘love’. Everything taught to children through hypnopedia is for their own
benefit, and in turn, the benefit of the whole society.
Another
thing that seems pretty sweet about this world is that everyone is born into
their place, but they’ve been biologically altered so everyone is happy with
their lives. No one born into the Gamma or Eschelon classes feels like they
should be an Alpha because they know they aren’t smart or strong enough. It
would be nice to never feel out of place.
I guess the
one problem with this is that you don’t really get to choose your fate. For
instance, if you were born to work in the fertilization sector and you don’t
want to do that for the rest of your life, there’s not much you can do. But
this isn’t a very big issue in the society because people are taught to like
their job through hypnopedia.
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