This books is a dystopic novel set in a future society driven by pragmatism and coldness. To be perfectly fair, I must say that I did not find the plot very convincing. The base story is a love story with some evolution and discoveries of the characters. However I found the plot hard to follow because of the numerous significant characters in the story. What I liked the most in this book (and I think that this is its strength) is the description of the features of this future society, where social relations (mostly family ones) are reduced to the minimum, emotional beliefs (including religion) are regarded as dangerous for society, and the happiness of individuals is ensured by the state by a systematic distribution of drugs. Another quite interesting feature of this society is that individuals are created in the lab, and that they are conditioned to fit the job (and the role within society) that they have been assigned before birth. Another way of looking at the (lack of) libero arbitrio. Overall, I personally liked this book a lot: I think it's inevitable for me to compare it to "1984". While 1984 had a powerful story and some important warnings about the future (and dangerous) directions our society might take, "Brave new world" has a less involving plot, but a more accurate investigation of the risks of the evolution of our society. The number of predictions that by now are almost facts is quite amazing, given the fact that this book was published in 1932.
As usual, I am reporting below the passages that I found to be the most interesting ones.
"We also predestine and condition. We decant our babies as socialized human beings, as Alphas or Epsilons, as future sewage workers or future..." He was going to say "future World controllers," but correcting himself, said "future Directors of Hatcheries," instead. (pg.13)
"Stability," said the Controller, "stability. No civilization without social stability. No social stability without individual stability." (pg.42)
"Yes, I know," said Bernard derisively. "'Even Epsilons re useful!' So am I. And I damned well wish I weren't!" Lenina was shocked by his blasphemy. [...] "what would it be like if I could, if I were free--not enslaved by my conditioning." (pg.91)
Bernard looked, and then quickly, with a little shudder, averted his eyes. His conditioning had made him not so much pitiful as profoundly squeamish. The mere suggestion of illness or wounds was to him not only horrifying, but even repulsive and rather disgusting. Like dirt or deformity, or old age. Hastily he changed the subject. (pg.138)
"[...] He's being sent to an island. That's to say, he's being sent to a place where he'll meet the most interesting set of men and women to be found anywhere in the world. All people who, for one reason or another, have got too self-consciously individual to fit into community-life. All the people who aren't satisfied with orthodoxy, who've got independent ideas of their own. Every one, in a word, who's any one. I almost envy you, Mr. Watson." (pg.227)
"[...] Universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily turning; truth and beauty can't." (pg.228)
As usual, I am reporting below the passages that I found to be the most interesting ones.
"We also predestine and condition. We decant our babies as socialized human beings, as Alphas or Epsilons, as future sewage workers or future..." He was going to say "future World controllers," but correcting himself, said "future Directors of Hatcheries," instead. (pg.13)
"Stability," said the Controller, "stability. No civilization without social stability. No social stability without individual stability." (pg.42)
"Yes, I know," said Bernard derisively. "'Even Epsilons re useful!' So am I. And I damned well wish I weren't!" Lenina was shocked by his blasphemy. [...] "what would it be like if I could, if I were free--not enslaved by my conditioning." (pg.91)
Bernard looked, and then quickly, with a little shudder, averted his eyes. His conditioning had made him not so much pitiful as profoundly squeamish. The mere suggestion of illness or wounds was to him not only horrifying, but even repulsive and rather disgusting. Like dirt or deformity, or old age. Hastily he changed the subject. (pg.138)
"[...] He's being sent to an island. That's to say, he's being sent to a place where he'll meet the most interesting set of men and women to be found anywhere in the world. All people who, for one reason or another, have got too self-consciously individual to fit into community-life. All the people who aren't satisfied with orthodoxy, who've got independent ideas of their own. Every one, in a word, who's any one. I almost envy you, Mr. Watson." (pg.227)
"[...] Universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily turning; truth and beauty can't." (pg.228)
