Reaction to Question 4

I'm definitely in the camp of "I don't know how I feel about the society in this book." Yes, yes, of course it's bad. But... it's all based on comfort and contentment. It is indeed messed up that part of being happy is being on drugs and having a lot of purely physical sex. But then I compare BNW to 1984 and I can't help but think, "Wow, this society is just not that bad in comparison." What I do think is insightful about this book is that Huxley wrote this book to enlighten people that our goals (technology, sex, etc.) will not lead to true happiness. I think 1984 was about how much control the government could gain under the propaganda of "universal happiness". That was about the people that were in power staying in power. BNW is about where we as a people/society are trying to go or what we try to attain. I don't think both are truly comparable.

Reaction to Question 3

The Director, MM, is arguing for the positivity of society while the Savage is arguing that society is horrific. I think both have good points. The director points out everyone is always happy and society is stable- no wars, no disease. However, in exchange for stability and contentment there is no passion in life. Passionate anger, love, sadness, etc. People don't really feel. That's where the savage's argument makes quite a bit of sense. The Savage points out that he's felt all passionate feelings and he wouldn't trade them for stability. I know I wouldn't trade those feelings for stability. And Shakespeare and love and grief. That's what makes us human. I understand the savage and his argument yet i didn't necessarily feel for him. It was odd but when I read about him whipping himself I wasn't moved. His argument in Chapter 17 is not about freedom. He brings up God and literature. I think part of my problem in getting into this book is I couldn't identify with John.

reaction to question 2

I think that the control in BNW is actually a lot deeper than just surface level. I think many things used are for distraction. As long as the public is distracted than no one has time to think. Also, if everyone is happily distracted and content then no one has any reason to complain. It's quite brilliant actually and I never though of it. I was so critical of the reality of this book because I didn't think pure distraction could keep people from feeling. But with sleep conditioning and tampering with fetuses, how could anyone think freely? The odd thing is I don't think anyone is doing it for power because who stays in control? It's all done randomly. And if somehow you swim through the drugs and distractions and realize something is wrong you can go to an island with others like you. There is no free will in this book which is sad. I think whats most unsettling from this book is that you're set for life from the moment you are conceived. And the conditioning done when you are a baby is discomforting. It's all for control but who stays in control? Why?