Effective and Utopian
Essay Preview: Effective and Utopian
Report this essay
Aldous Huxleys novel Brave New World depicts an effective and utopian society. Lenina and Bernard live in in the World State, created by Mustapha Mond. The World State is supposed to be a controlled, ideal place that promotes stability. Family is unheard of in The World State and nobody shows true emotions. In Huxleys Brave New World, the author presents an effective and utopian world by the economy, eliminating religion, and controlling people.
One way the World State remains effective and utopian is how the economy is stable. Conditioning the people creates a stable economy. From the beginning, when they are embryos, they live under certain conditions so that they are able to work continuously under those same conditions. For example, if the World State wants the embryo to become a firefighter, it will be put under extreme heat and maybe even smoke. This conditioning also makes the people enjoy their jobs and employed people are happier. Everybody in the World State needs to work: “Every one works for everyone else. We cant do without any one” (Huxley 74). With everyone working, there is a large amount of production and consumption, which keeps the economy stable. The World State believes that “The more stitches, the less riches” (49). Mending things takes too much time away from working and living. The World State would rather get rid of something than try to fix it, so nobody has to worry about problems. The big picture, like increasing consumption and maintaining stability is more important than minor issues. The ideal economy is just one example of what makes the society so effective and utopian.
Another way is by the elimination of religion. Eliminating religion ends discrimination and possibly even war. Ford and the model T replaced Jesus and religion: “All crosses had their tops cut and became Ts” (52). This is to ensure that everyone believes in the same thing, which will keep stability and remove individuality. However, nobody has to feel stressed or different from anybody else. The World State wants everybody to become one: “Ford, we are twelve; oh, make us one/ Like drops within the Social River; / Oh, make us no Together run/ As swiftly as thy Shining Flivver” (81). Everybody has the same experiences and ideas. In addition, wars will not break out over disagreements in religion, and according to Mustapha Mond, without war there is no need for God. Replacing religion with Ford keeps the people of society feel accepted and happy.
Finally, the World State controlling people makes it an effective and utopian society. Everybody takes soma regularly to stay in line and keep from rebelling. If someone rebels, consuming the soma will calm him or her down and help keep control. Soma gets rid of real emotions: “a gramme is better than a damn” (55). The people would rather consume soma so they do not have to deal with their problems. It erases