How Brave New World Resembles the 21st Century

¶ … Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Today, the human genome has been successfully sequenced and researchers are continuing their efforts to reduce the incidence of birth defects through early in vitro detection. Moreover, prescription drug abuse in on the rise, and many observers caution against the emergence of a world government that controls all countries. In addition, the ready availability of birth control has created an environment in which promiscuous sex is not only tolerated, it is in essence being encouraged. Likewise, industry and consumer robots are increasingly automating formally manual tasks. In fact, in many ways, modern society is increasingly resembling that of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932). This paper reviews Huxley's book to elaborate on these five most important ideas, followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.

Review and Discussion

At first blush, the world of Bernard Marx, the story's protagonist, appears to truly be a utopian society where everyone has everything they need to enjoy life to the fullest -- except that this utopia is flawed in a number of ways. First and foremost, the use of genetic engineering to create castes of workers who are specially designed to work in different environments means that some members of this society are tortured even before they are born. For instance, by depriving some incubating embryos of oxygen or subjecting them to extreme hot or cold conditions makes them comfortable working in various inclement settings and uncomfortable working anywhere else.

The ubiquitous use of soma to keep the population under control is another important point made by Huxley whose soma drug resembles the Xanax et al. prescription drugs and legalized marijuana that are becoming increasingly commonplace in many Western societies today. Unlike most drugs in the real world, though, soma is virtually harmless and the only adverse side effect appears to be a bit of sluggishness the next day and an overarching desire for more of it on a continuing basis.

In addition, the manner in which Huxley describes sexual relations in his Brave New World is another important point because it highlights the hypocritical nature of sexual mores during the early 20th century while underscoring the need for some type of assurances that even with universal birth control, it is possible to have children the "natural way" despite society's proscriptions against it. When people in this Brave New World violate society's proscriptions against natural child birth, though, the implications are severe and these children have no future in the "normal" society.

The fourth main point made by Huxley is the use of a one-world government to control human society in its entirety. Excepting only some primitive savages who still live on isolated reservations, the whole world falls under the direct control of various high-level administrators who decide what is best for everyone.