Ugh. Can I start by saying I cannot get into this guy’s writing style. I’m sure it’s intentionally written to sound impersonal and scientific-adjacent because it’s the future and there’s no humanity there but it’s kind of missing the mark for me. Sorry to huxley heads.
The grey building reminds me of the banality of evil — evil takes place in the most mundane of ways, person by person just going about about their lives and working their insignificant jobs, but it all adds up to being part of a vast evil empire. Community, Identity, Stability — reminded me of the French motto equality, liberty, fraternity. The difference to me is the brave new world version seems to imply conformity to the caste system in order to create stability while the French motto was inspired by revolution and murdering/upending the elite system :)
Nature vs technology seems like a big theme - there is no way of reconciling these two concepts. It’s natural to have a family unit and feel connected to the outdoors but they need to moralize (without a god?) that it’s wrong and selfish.
I pulled the same quote: “That is the secret of happiness and virtue—liking what you’ve got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their un-escapable social destiny.” There is a harsh caste system that creates order and forces people to be content.
You know I have to take some issue with the anti-communism. I get he’s trying to make a comment on the idea of a utopia. But Marx, Lenin, Trotsky were on to something. I can’t help but think huxley is actually critiquing capitalism — the need to consume and give up your body for work. Of course he makes Ford, daddy to American capitalism, the big guy. We’ll see where he goes.
Thanks for the comment, Tess! I really appreciate your continued participation. Everybody I've talked to who's reading said the same thing about his writing style and I agree as well. It's definitely hard to get into especially after reading Vonnegut.
I think you're spot on thematically. Nature vs technology has come up repeatedly and I think the impossibility of reconciling those two concepts has become even more apparent the more I've read, especially once the story moves to the Savage Reservation.
The banality of evil is also a great pull and apt comparison. What's interesting about the Brave New World is how this banality is actually scientifically engineered, but it absolutely plays on that same idea of people just doing their jobs and not questioning their role in the larger scheme of things (in this case they literally can't)
The more I read the more I read it as an indictment of capitalism--the Ford stuff (daddy to American capitalism lol) is just so on the nose, but it's familiar to us in the way Americans tend to idolize certain entrepreneurs.
Sorry this response is so delayed. I've been struggling to keep up with these posts for this read for a variety of reasons. But as I said your participation really means a lot and is encouraging, so thank you.
Ugh. Can I start by saying I cannot get into this guy’s writing style. I’m sure it’s intentionally written to sound impersonal and scientific-adjacent because it’s the future and there’s no humanity there but it’s kind of missing the mark for me. Sorry to huxley heads.
The grey building reminds me of the banality of evil — evil takes place in the most mundane of ways, person by person just going about about their lives and working their insignificant jobs, but it all adds up to being part of a vast evil empire. Community, Identity, Stability — reminded me of the French motto equality, liberty, fraternity. The difference to me is the brave new world version seems to imply conformity to the caste system in order to create stability while the French motto was inspired by revolution and murdering/upending the elite system :)
Nature vs technology seems like a big theme - there is no way of reconciling these two concepts. It’s natural to have a family unit and feel connected to the outdoors but they need to moralize (without a god?) that it’s wrong and selfish.
I pulled the same quote: “That is the secret of happiness and virtue—liking what you’ve got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their un-escapable social destiny.” There is a harsh caste system that creates order and forces people to be content.
You know I have to take some issue with the anti-communism. I get he’s trying to make a comment on the idea of a utopia. But Marx, Lenin, Trotsky were on to something. I can’t help but think huxley is actually critiquing capitalism — the need to consume and give up your body for work. Of course he makes Ford, daddy to American capitalism, the big guy. We’ll see where he goes.
Thanks for the comment, Tess! I really appreciate your continued participation. Everybody I've talked to who's reading said the same thing about his writing style and I agree as well. It's definitely hard to get into especially after reading Vonnegut.
I think you're spot on thematically. Nature vs technology has come up repeatedly and I think the impossibility of reconciling those two concepts has become even more apparent the more I've read, especially once the story moves to the Savage Reservation.
The banality of evil is also a great pull and apt comparison. What's interesting about the Brave New World is how this banality is actually scientifically engineered, but it absolutely plays on that same idea of people just doing their jobs and not questioning their role in the larger scheme of things (in this case they literally can't)
The more I read the more I read it as an indictment of capitalism--the Ford stuff (daddy to American capitalism lol) is just so on the nose, but it's familiar to us in the way Americans tend to idolize certain entrepreneurs.
Sorry this response is so delayed. I've been struggling to keep up with these posts for this read for a variety of reasons. But as I said your participation really means a lot and is encouraging, so thank you.