A First Post from Smith
Brave New World is a well written, horrifying book that was written in the 30’s that everyone should read at least once.
The general idea (for those who haven’t read it already, and if you haven’t, do so immediately) is that in the future, humans are created in labs, are “conditioned” (stunted or encouraged by disgusting means) to cause them to only be able to live in a certain caste, have no free will and are “happy” because they’re on a drug called soma and are stimulated in every shallow way.
The most horrifying thing about this book, though, is how similar our society is becoming to this dystopia.
The obsession with stimulation.
The willingness to be ignorant for the sake of comfort.
Really, just the extreme human selfishness shown in the book is paralleled today in similar ways.
Everything in their society was based on feelings. Does everyone feel good? Is everyone “happy” and comfortable?
I see this all the time, and it’s gruesome.
But all through history, people have sought happiness for number one. Have to make sure I’m happy and everything’s fine. It’s amazing what lengths we humans go to to ensure our happiness or comfort.
What’s wrong with that, you may ask? And don’t you live the same way?
Sure, I seek happiness. I seek happiness, but I also seek truth.
Our society today seeks happiness at the expense of truth, at the expense of morality, and if the truth doesn’t make us happy, we’ll just pretend it’s not there.
Is that what we have become these days?
Weak, careless comfort-loving creatures?
That does beg the question- why even hold to morality if it doesn’t feel good? Often the “right” thing to do causes us discomfort. So why do we feel like we should do it? And if the morals are important, why?
I hope those questions drill into your mind and don’t leave you alone.
Don’t just believe something, know why you believe something.
Don’t just follow along and seek happiness, seek truth and reasons for what you believe.
That’s good for a small start.
-Smith
Required reading: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
