Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by gabriel_sakoda
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Brave New World blends the identity flattening nature of communism with the class-oriented oppression of capitalism to highlight how both extremes fail to enhance the human experience. The common thread between both systems in real life is the deception required by the ruling elites to make people believe that they are living meaningful lives. Even if that meaning is entirely manufactured and not self-substantiated. Author Huxley's society is also deprived of science to ensure that no commoner ever understands the procedures by which members of society undergo. Instead, they have infinite porn, Soma (depressant drugs with minimal side effects) and polygamy to turn to.
Brave New World's absurdism comes from drawing present-day parallels. Has our society devolved? No. It has actually welcomed conversations about books like this. When I was reading it, all I could think about was how insanely reachable these "innovations" are. Huxley's satire on content (feelies, synthetic music and biased media) do not read like some far fetched mutilation of present developments, but only one or two really fucked up timelines away. The criticism part of the satire now feels almost metamodern. The eradication of free thought not by fear (mostly), but by the depravation of dialogue and interpretation are prescient thoughts.
The blunt and biting force of characters like Mustapha Mond being a completely self-aware dictator is unsettling. The layer of manipulation required to operate a "utopia" are explored within Mond's character and ultimately prove that for humans to retain control of their lives, there must always be tension. The acceptance of that state of being drives the protagonists once they become of the World State. Through Bernard, John and Helmholtz, we see the need for political, cultural and artistic tension. We need discourse to progress and make meaning of the systems by which we have no control over. It is a fantastic book (a bit bigoted, but far from overtly offensive) and an incredibly accessible entry to sci-fi, dystopian and classic literary forms.
Brave New World's absurdism comes from drawing present-day parallels. Has our society devolved? No. It has actually welcomed conversations about books like this. When I was reading it, all I could think about was how insanely reachable these "innovations" are. Huxley's satire on content (feelies, synthetic music and biased media) do not read like some far fetched mutilation of present developments, but only one or two really fucked up timelines away. The criticism part of the satire now feels almost metamodern. The eradication of free thought not by fear (mostly), but by the depravation of dialogue and interpretation are prescient thoughts.
The blunt and biting force of characters like Mustapha Mond being a completely self-aware dictator is unsettling. The layer of manipulation required to operate a "utopia" are explored within Mond's character and ultimately prove that for humans to retain control of their lives, there must always be tension. The acceptance of that state of being drives the protagonists once they become of the World State. Through Bernard, John and Helmholtz, we see the need for political, cultural and artistic tension. We need discourse to progress and make meaning of the systems by which we have no control over. It is a fantastic book (a bit bigoted, but far from overtly offensive) and an incredibly accessible entry to sci-fi, dystopian and classic literary forms.