Chapter 3, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Question: What do you feel is the most important word, phrase, passage, or paragraph in this work? Explain why it is important.
Well this chapter had plenty of important and significant passages, words, or phrases in it which made it hard to pin point it to only one! I think anyone could pick any sentence out of this chapter and show the significance it has in the book as well as its relevance in todays society. This chapter is also somewhat confusing because of all the disjointed conversation going back and forth. One of the passages that stood out to me was when Mustapha Mond states, "the Controllers realized that force was no good. The slower but infinitely surer methods of ectogenesis, neo-Pavlovian conditioning and hypnopaedia..."(pg 50). I thought this passage was important because Mustapha explains the reasoning behind the design of this new society. Forcing the people with bloodshed didn't work; however, subtle coercion would produced results and this is definitely relevant to the book and todays society. A lot of people notice things that are blatantly forced on them; however, it is in the subtle ways that larger institutions inflict their control over the mass population. Things like Soma all are subtle ways to control the population and I think Huxley is trying to shed light on the fact that the people who are in control are not doing it in ways that are obvious, yet it is the subtle or slower changes that produce the results they want. Part of my fascination with chapter three is how Huxley shows the progression of this new world versus the one we know now and how that mass control will be come from change over time or generations to where we suddenly have woken up in our own new brave world.
I'm interested in the comparison you make between today's society and the society that is depicted in Huxley's novel. I wish you would have elaborated upon the similarities you see in how our society is subtly controlled and the ways the "Brave New World" is controlled.
ReplyDeleteI think you are absolutely right that forceful change is never welcomed within a society. This is especially true if the change seems unnecessary to the masses. All of the great leaders of the world have accomplished their goals through enacting change through the smallest and minute tweaks to order. Hitler is the most popular example of this. However, his Nazi regime also proved that leaders also need supporters. Somehow a leader needs to convince it's people that their way is better. Then, the small changes can really take effect.
How have you seen this in America or American culture? How does this compare to the "Brave New World"?
Thanks for sharing your insights! (:
When I taught this book, students read an article and watched a video about subliminal advertising--over the years, we have gotten even moreso--have you read about online subliminal images? Freaky--
ReplyDelete