Specifications and requirements overview

Philosophy

Happiness is an emotional state in which an individual experiences feelings spanning between contentment and satisfaction or of intense joy. According to positive psychologist Martin Seligman, happiness is an emotion "consisting of positive emotions and positive activities" often related to the past, present and future. When an individual experiences happiness, they experience a meaningful life, or what Socrates referred to as the "good life." This state is achieved when one gains happiness from the exercise of their own unique and individual strengths and virtues for the greater good. Thus, true happiness, according to Socrates, is found only through individuality.

In Adulus Huxley's Brave New World, a world without happiness is portrayed. The reason for this lack of happiness is because, in the story, the world is devoid of any form of individuality. Thus, because true happiness is directly tied to individuality, without individuality, there can be no true happiness in the world of Brave New World.

Instead of true happiness, the society of Brave New World has created artificial forms of happiness. For example, the use of Soma as a method of finding happiness is a form of creating an artificial feeling of temporary happiness. However, according to Socrates, this is not happiness at all because the taking of an artificial substance, especially one produced and promoted by the government, has no inclination of individuality whatsoever. Thus, the taking of Soma is anything but a path to happiness.

The lack of true happiness in Brave New World is ironic because it takes place in a supposed utopia where society is carefree, healthy and highly advanced technologically. Further, warfare and poverty have all but been eliminated. But in order to have happiness, the people are dependent on government produced stimulation, including Soma and promiscuous sex. The reason for this is because this society lacks the staples of human identity and individuality, such as family, culture, art, literature, science, religion and philosophy.

In this sense, Huxley's utopia is an ironic, or false utopia as without individuality and happiness, society is not really a utopia. Thus, Socrates would agree with Huxley's underlying philosophy that true happiness is only possible through an expression of individuality. Without individuality, society is in fact a distopia.