Brave New World Project
by Justin Pizarro
"Community, Identity, Stability." Grand words. "If we could bokanovskify indefinitely the whole problem would be solved.
ii. The Director was explaining to the new scientists about the processes that occur in the hatchery, He was referring to the Bokanovsky Process in which he can create up to 96 clones of a single person.
iii. This is the centerpiece of the entire story because it includes the central theme of this civilization. They are trying to create a Utopian society by controlling and regulating every part of life. They condition and create people to make what they believe to be the perfect society, yet all this control is what makes this a dystopian society. The way that Huxley presents it is to show that even though these people are trying to make something of perfection, all that is gold does not glitter. It isn't as good as it seems to be. This is shown through Bernard who is struggling with living in this world. If it truly was a Utopian society everyone would be happy and there would be a state of bliss. Instead we have a crude heartless system that strips people of free will and their "Identity" just so that they could have something that looks good on the outside but is corrupt. I believe that this quote employs the idea that people are giving everything up to have a perfect society and there truly isn't one. In our world right now there is no way to solve all problems and make everybody happy. Everyone's desires conflicts so making one person happy would trouble another. What the World Controllers have done is put the world in a state of Ignorance. Nothing had gotten better. People are being controlled, killed, and isolated but because it is conditioned in that this is the norm, it seems perfect to everyone else. This is just a shroud over our eyes to make us believe that something like World Peace that cannot be accomplished has been.
How are we a Dystopian Society?
Things that we find the norm today are problems that are deleted in BNW. Our world is encased with unpleasant things that hurt people in some type of way. Poverty has stricken our world and the threat of an entire world obese is becoming more and more prevalent. Incurable diseases like HIV taken out thousands a year. What is a dystopia? Dystopia is us. Dystopia is imperfection. Though that imperfection is thought of negatively it could be what really individualizes us. Its the pathway through we can grow outside of any limitations. There is no stopping what our society can accomplish. With the good comes that bad. We can take preventative measures such as added security for violence in schools, or groups against bullying for teens, but not everything can be stopped. That's just the fact of the matter. A utopia is an impossible feat. That's what freedom does. It makes it so that every person can do what they please within societies expectations. And most peoples ideas of utopia dissent with others creating a dystopia. But, on the same token I believe that our society being in a state of a dystopia is man made. Its from the neglect from the higher powers towards the lower powers. Our poor are kept poor while the rich get richer! How is it that we can spend millions of dollars making commercials about countries but cannot spend that money helping them out? We put ourselves in a situation then complain about it. Our world is corrupt and self destructive but we only add to the fire. The news is plagued with scenes of murder, rape, and extortion. Something new happens every day. I believe dystopia is just another word for humanity. With control and brainwashing, maybe a utopia could be achieved. Make everyone ignorant to the fact that they are being controlled, and make the world "perfect", but it will never be. Dystopia is normality.
Imagination- Just an Illusion
"The days passed. Success went fizzily to Bernard's head, and in the process completely reconciled him (as any good intoxicant should do) to a world which, up till then, he had found very unsatisfactory. In so far as it recognized him as important, the order of things was good. But, reconciled by his success, he yet refused to forego the privilege of criticizing this order. For the act of criticizing heightened his sense of importance, made him feel larger" (Chapter 11, page 157)
"The song "Just an Illusion" by Imagination talks about someone who has had a lot of success or has done a lot and is hoping that its not all just an illusion. I connect this to the society of the New World and to Bernard himself when he is parading John around to show that he is important and to make himself feel good. But it really is just an illusion because when John doesn't come out, Bernard is again at the bottom of the totem pole. I also connect the lyrics "Could it be that it's just an illusion putting me back in all this confusion?", to Bernard's thoughts about society. He never felt that he was part of the New World, and the only way that he could get over it would taking soma which is the illusion. After he was done with his "vacation" though, he was thrust back into the crude reality that he still didn't belong in this world.
"When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed" (Chapter 8, page 133)
GMO's and GMP's in today's society.
Dystopian Hero in Today's World
An event that John may organize is a meeting with all of the leaders of the worlds Superpowers to solve the issues with violence and promiscuity, because that's what he experienced when he was a child with his mother. He would try to push for change so that others wouldn't have go through what he did. Though i believe that this would end badly for him because the only thing that the governments worry about is money and power, and not petty things such as love and some cheating girls. I believe it would occur at our nations capital.
Words cited
2. http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm
3. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism
5. Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Bros., 1946. Print.
6. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-dystopia-more-reality-than-fiction/
7.