The thing I love about books like 1984 is how they mirror our society today. I know it isn't as "bad" as in the book but we're almost there.
My favorite thing about 1984 is the viewer. Only those part of Big Brother can turn it off. Know what it reminds me of?
Camera phones, built in webcams for "convenience", CCTV.
And the propaganda, the substandard mass-produced food. The Victory Gin (reminiscent of the junk they give us to "relax"). Not knowing who's in on the
spying or not. Brainwashing, kids selling parents out for speaking against Big Brother.
The garbage complexes they forced people to live in, reminds me of many big cities. The rallies, the Ministries deciding what is released and what
isn't.
The workers riddled with health problems but unable to get adequate care (Winston Smith suffered from a varicose ulcer on his leg).
Being forced to participate in health exercises. It's starting to be a "shame the chubbies, meat eaters" mentality.
Manufactured enemies, alliances, wars.
Brave New World is just the same. Introducing sexual knowledge to young people, mass production, genetic engineering, society defined on classes of
people. The suppression of Native beliefs, the manipulation of nature (they eradicated some if not all insects), the inculcation methods, the
arrogance of the system, etc.
The Giver too, I won't list the reasons though. So why are the young children exposed to books like this by the system?
To show them their future is already written out. Slaves from day one. No hope. And, to make the people angry at the system (laying the path to a
future manufactured rebellion).
I remember a college professor thinking Brave New World was amazing because there were no worries, no true responsibilities, "true freedom",
expression and understanding. He never backed up his beliefs just would repeatedly ask the same question "But if you're in the system and kept in
bliss would you know?"
Honestly, many people know the system is a trap, an illusion. And that conspiracies are disinfo to divide and distract from the real causes/culprits.
Just frightens me how the professors try to get people to put all their faith in the system. Put all trust and leave everything to them as long as the
shiny toys keep coming at you, there's no need to question, worry and investigate.
OT: Sorry, Brave New World was the subject of a punk band from the 80s called Reagan Youth. They're not white supremists despite the band name and
imagery. The song was called Brave New World. I don't buy into the punk is rebellion through buying records and looking like this, etc but the song
sums up the book perfectly.
"I see a perfect alpha-plus
I see an epsilon-minus
Everybody in their place
I take a soma holiday
To be born without face
Problems conveniently erased
And the matter of sex and erotic play
I take a soma holiday
Is this utopia, the dream of mankind?
Livin' your life on a factory line
Is this utopia, dream of mankind?
Livin' your life from nine to five"
edit on 2-10-2014 by Yeahkeepwatchingme because: (no reason given)