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In reply to the discussion: Huxley vs Orwell [View all]

muriel_volestrangler

(106,226 posts)
18. It's not that accurate a description of Brave New World
Mon Mar 30, 2015, 02:21 PM
Mar 2015

BNW is not just about a world where no-one wants to read a book; they've been conditioned to not want to do something solitary, like reading a book. The people don't go to 'passivity and egotism' through being given too much; what they have is carefully controlled to match what they been conditioned to want, and their conditioning is not towards egotism; they are conditioned to see themselves as a happy cog in the benevolent machine of what they are assured is the best possible society, and are carefully taught not to have an ego, or ambition. And there's not that much 'drowning of truth'; the world really is at peace, and controlled to stay that way, and everyone knows it.

I suppose you could say the in BNW the truth of the alternatives - a society with competition and suffering, triumph and disappointment, love and loss, and highs and lows - is covered up.

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Huxley vs Orwell [View all] Ichingcarpenter Mar 2015 OP
Huxley LibertyorDeath Mar 2015 #1
He did cali Mar 2015 #5
It looks like they were both right. Kalidurga Mar 2015 #2
this. n/t PowerToThePeople Mar 2015 #7
Thesis, antithesis... Fairgo Mar 2015 #9
That's what I was thinking deutsey Mar 2015 #14
I agree with this completely. Very good insight. nt stillwaiting Mar 2015 #16
GMTA hootinholler Mar 2015 #20
My friends and I used to debate this when I was in college, with all the "depth" and merrily Mar 2015 #3
the internets has created the nightmare of huxley. Facebook. i knew it was bad. pansypoo53219 Mar 2015 #4
Thank You For Sharing cantbeserious Mar 2015 #6
I have known since I was 13 that Huxley was right Tom Ripley Mar 2015 #8
We are becoming a culture of rose scented Fairgo Mar 2015 #10
Kicked and recommended a whole bunch! Thank you, Ichingcarpenter! Enthusiast Mar 2015 #11
“The heaviest restriction upon the freedom of public opinion is not the official censorship ... Scuba Mar 2015 #12
Who? Octafish Mar 2015 #13
Quite a wonderful and accurate analysis. DeSwiss Mar 2015 #15
I think Terry Gilliam got pretty close in "Brazil" hunter Mar 2015 #17
A great and frighteningly prophetic film. hifiguy Mar 2015 #23
It's not that accurate a description of Brave New World muriel_volestrangler Mar 2015 #18
Read "The Doors of Perception". It will open your mind. McCamy Taylor Mar 2015 #19
Okay, both of them were pretty good at defining the problems of the future. Did either of them have jwirr Mar 2015 #21
Both are 'right' it's just that only one of the two books is actually speculative fiction. Bluenorthwest Mar 2015 #22
The Orwellian active controls will be used only on those hifiguy Mar 2015 #24
Bingo!!! roamer65 Mar 2015 #26
They were both right. raven mad Mar 2015 #25
this discussion reminds me of the Hindu story of the six blind men Dr. Xavier Apr 2015 #27
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