Sorry guys, I know it seems like I keep comparing and contrasting Brave New World and 1984, but I thought of another discussion between the two that may be cool/interesting to put on the blog. I cannot remember if this was one of our in class questions or not, but anyways, here goes: Which world do you think is more possible to occur, Brave New World or 1984? Present some evidence as to which one you think is more believable, essentially. Here's mine:
I think that for either one to take place, a massive revolution would have to occur and our current system would have to be completely overthrown. With that being said, after the revolution, be it violent or peaceful, I think that the more likely universe to occur of the two is probably Brave New World. Many of the ideas in the novel are so realistic to me that it just makes it more believable in general. Technology, for one thing, is a huge part of Brave New World, and we are becoming increasingly dependent upon technology for daily life. In addition, I think science is becoming more advanced as well, and the conditioning and birthing techniques used in Brave New World seemed to all have some sort of scientific influence. While I think something similar Brave New World may be a possible universe, I believe it would take a great deal of time before it would ever occur.
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I am going to agree with Andy again in saying that the occurrences of Brave New World are more likely to take place today than those of 1984. As Andy said, technology was a large portion of the novel and is growing today. For example, in the near future, parents living in California will have the option to choose the sex of their unborn child. Although it may appear to be a stretch, this notion is not much different than predetermining a child’s social status as in Brave New World. Marking an individual as an Alpha parallels marking the sex of an individual. In addition, I believe the choice to abort one’s unborn child can be linked to the occurrences in Brave New World. Similarly to the novel, killing an unborn individual is predetermining its future, or lack thereof. Furthermore, in the novel sex is utilized solely for pleasure. This idea can be connected to the present because sex is no longer used purely for reproduction. With the introduction of various birth control methods, the thought of using sex as a means for pleasure was launched. Finally, I feel as though the topic of sex is more openly discussed than it once was. This openness of discussion can be related to the casual sex had in Brave New World.
ReplyDeleteWay to go guys :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely had to take a minute to think about both of your thoughts.
I agree with both you of (obviously), and it's kind of a scary thought when you think of how advanced technology really is. It reminds me of I-Robot with Will Smith, lol. anyways, I don't know if our world could ever really get to the point where we are so technologically advanced that computers do everything since there are still people out there who aren't even aware how to work one. It would definitely be a decision that would force some people to get up to date fast.
The technology point is very valid. I often wonder what will happen to us if we all become rocket scientists or intensely dependent on technology. If there is an electrical failure and we can't get it back, will we know how to survive in the natural world?
ReplyDeleteThe overthrow would be the most difficult to come about. Once that is done, the following uprisings are quelled, and the generation that witnessed all of the above pass on, such a system would be easy to keep in place. I think both books purposefully left out the details of the new world order coming to fruition to make us beware and question anyone who would propose such a system.
I agree with Andy in that there would have to be a revolution for either society to take place. And once that system is in place another revolution would be needed to reverse it, but the ways both societies are run keep the masses from a) questioning their fate or b) having the courage to defy it. So long as Big Brother and Mustapha keep the people from wanting or contemplating a revolution, a revolution will never occur. That said, there are eerie similarities between our modern society and that of Brave New World.
ReplyDeleteWe have become heavily dependent on technology as it evolvers into something we cannot control. We have already begun cloning and once humans get a hold of something, they always take it to the nth degree. The debate over technology is becoming less and less about “ethics” and “morals” but more about “what can we use it for” and “how to make this better/easier”. In that movie we watched, The Gods Must be Crazy, I thought what the narrator said about the civilized people was interesting. He mentioned that in an effort to make life simpler man has made it more complicated. And it’s true. Walking takes little to no thought, while you have to constantly multitask while driving.
Sex has become so casual these days. It’s not unusual for people to sleep with someone they just met the same day. And then apparently “marriage is obsolete?” PLEASE. People want to wait to have kids but don’t want to give up the pleasure of sex. That’s one of the things wrong with our world as well. People wait until they’re like fifty to have kids. Jeez, if you can’t bake an adequate cake with old milk and eggs, what makes you think you can make a baby. /rant
Frustration aside, I think our society is closer to becoming like that of Brave New World. Full of lukewarm contentment and no fervor, desire, or drive for anything.
Man, I love these blogs! These are all such great thoughts, I really enjoy reading them! I hope everybody keeps blogging even after we graduate. I’ll be so disappointed if it fizzles out.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I really don’t think either one will happen in entirety. Mostly because I don’t think God would ever let that happen. Through out the history of man kind, many civilizations have done their best to eradicate God, but none have succeeded. Therefore I don’t think it’s possible for either of these civilizations to fully come into play.
However, similar versions of both of these societies have happened and are happening. I’d say America is very BNW, for reason’s you guys have already listed, and the Soviet Union was of course very 1984. I think today’s China is kind like a cross between the two. You’ve got the thought police on one end, and the booming economy on the other, plus birth control by government and highly stratified social status. Speaking of which did anybody check out the recent anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre? Pretty interesting, especially in the light of these books we just read. Ya’ll should check it out if you haven’t.
I think it depends on how the world is after the revolution. If the society is world and violent then people will gravitate to a more 1984-like society. If the world is peaceful then the world will gravitate toward a society more like Brave New World. People are more likely to give up their freedoms if their world is embroiled in chaos in order to re-establish order. Brave New World is a off-shoot of humanities desire to make everything easier, to eradicate sadness, misery and woe, worries that people in a peaceful world have the luxury of worring about.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andy on the technology stand. Screw dependency...we live through technology...I mean look how we're talking right now? So, that's pretty much all I had to say about that haha
ReplyDeleteThere is more likely to be a middle ground between the two. There may be the harsh reality of an absolute dictatorship intermingled with a way to easily keep a people in check through their self-indulgent, lazy, and hedonistic ways.
ReplyDeletei vote brave new world. it would be harder to keep people from thinking things than to tell them to have sex. one goes against human nature and the other is kind of the definition of it. people would go along with the creation of brave new world much easier than they would with 1984. we question everything around us as part of our instinct but if we were having fun in the world that we were in, we would be less likely to question why it's that way. and technology is overtaking more parts of our lives everyday.
ReplyDeleteI think both are equally capable of happening because our government keeps getting bigger and bigger through policy and surveillance is already increasing due to national security protection. Also, we are being more and more dependent on technology and looking more into things that involve pleasure instead of meaning. I think we are already moving towards these two societies. We are already trying to engineer babies like they do in Brave New World and we are becoming more susceptible to that of both societies of the novels.
ReplyDeleteI think Brave New World because it already seems like people don’t care anymore. This is what I am taking about:
ReplyDelete#1 Criminal Justice we went to the DEA academy Clandestine education training facility and the instructor talked to us about what really goes on in the when they arrive. Normally when they arrive to the labs they find people dead on the ground because of the toxins it takes to make that drug. Can you believe it people die to make drugs! Any ways just looking at VA alone this link shows (I don’t know if it is updated) the Clandestine labs that DEA had to seize http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/seizures/virginia.html
#2Next Sex…Some Music and other entertainments promote sex and reject abstinence. Listening to some lyrics today and comparing them to lyrics before seems like there are no sodalities anymore. It seems as if the thought about abstinence is ignored theses days. It seem like more people are thinking of sex as a recreational activity.
#3 And I agree with the technology comments above.I is becoming an addiction in itself. Technology can be great but when It becomes an addiction. Hmm..
I agree with Andy. Today, we depend on technology for every day tasks. From entertainment to science, everything we do has some sort of connection with technology. Its scary to think that we would end up in a world such as those we read about.
ReplyDeleteI guess Brave New World because it is presented as being a solution to many problems that plague the world. Also, with the constant expansion of government and technology, who knows what state the human race will be in in the future...
ReplyDeleteWe live in Brave New World! No, there isn't a surplus of cloned beings, but we depend on technology, we live in a world that thrives on pleasure and the basis of sex (procreation) has completely changed! Also, experimentation with cloning is evolving! Who knows how long it'll be before they're pumping out humans! But I can't see 1984 happening because I don't think enough people would allow themselves to be suppressed of thought (I mean, without being programmed at birth). Of course, that kind of control I don't think is possible either, but then again, that could be my unfailing faith in humanity hahaha
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