Brave New World Research Paper: Impossible Choices

8/17/2019 Brave New World Research Paper: Impossible Choices

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Andrew Churchill

Ms. DeLury

8 June 2015

AP Literature & Comosition

Impossible Choices in Civilizations and Societies

Introduction

!eor"es #ataille$ a noted %rench intellectual$ once ostulated

that a'o(e all$ human e)istence re*uires sta'ility$ theermanence o+ thin"s, -#ataille 5/. Countless societies ha(e

tried to em'ody this ideal$ yet it remains elusi(e. s this

'ecause o+ human nature t aears that the +ree will o+ an

indi(idual is imossi'le to reconcile with the common "ood o+ a

society$ hence main" the sta'ility human e)istence relies so

hea(ily on a seemin"ly imossi'le "oal. 3+ course$ the tradeo4

'etween +ree will and the "reater "ood$ social sta'ility$ means

that attainin" sta'ility is theoretically ossi'le$ i+ +ree will is

undermined. hat oses an array o+ di6cult *uestions7 is +ree

will worth the cost it accrues +or a societys lon"9term

rosects s sacri:cin" +ree will a +easi'le solution to attain

immortality +or a society Brave New World $ 'y Aldous ;u)ley$

raises all o+ those *uestions. ;u)ley was a #ritish author$

+ascinated with societal structures and their interlay with

ersonal ri"hts and leasure. Brave New World was his most

+amous 'oo 'y +ar. ts story o+ a dystoia that "oes with$

rather than a"ainst$ the human "rain, -


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coalescin" into a 'rand9new world society$ with as9yet

unnown imlications. %urthermore$ the no(el is modern in the

(ery way it concei(es o+ and resents its characters=, one

would 'e ill9ad(ised to attemt to :t the characters o+ #ra(e

ew Borld to any tye o+ corresondin" archetyes -%irchow/.

n +act$ he taes modernity to an e)treme in #ra(e ew Borld$

turnin" a usterin" eu"enics mo(ement into widesread

"enetic en"ineerin"$ isolated research a'out mechanisms +or

teachin" humans into routine sycholo"ical conditionin".

#ra(e ew Borld tells the story o+ a society hundreds o+ years

into the +uture$ nown as the Borld @tate and controlled 'y a

consortium o+ shadowy$ all9ower+ul Borld Controllers., hesociety consists o+ an odd mlan"e o+ structures and

hilosohies$ a comle) dissonance, -%irchow/ incororatin"

theocratic a'solutism with dictatorial leaders and a communist

air o+ colla'oration$ then throwin" in er(asi(e consumerism

and a ri"id caste system to 'oot. he intent is to create a

society imer(ious to any su'(ersion= e(ery decision is

redicated uon maintainin" ermanence a'o(e all else. n the

rocess$ the Borld @tate imlements controls such as

sycholo"ical conditionin" and normali?ed de'auchery= these

controls$ which do an e)cellent Eo' o+ maintainin" the sta'ility

o+ the society$ simultaneously a'ro"ate most o+ their o'EectsF

+undamental ri"hts$ ultimately dehumani?in" them and callin"

into *uestion the (alue o+ such social sta'ility the +ordian

society holds so dear. Academic in*uiries into the

"o(ernmental hilosohy and methods o+ control emloyed 'y

the Borld @tate o(erwhelmin"ly conclude that the %ordian

society ro's its mem'ers o+ that which maes them human.

here+ore$ the consensus is that the Borld @tate is an immoral

construct. Bhile leasure a'ounds in #ra(e ew Borld$ as

accessi'le to its citi?ens as water$ that leasure comes at the

mossi'le Choices in Ci(ili?ations and @ocieties Churchill 2


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cost o+ a'stract concetions such as the +reedom to 'e

unhay, -


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"uaranteed a 'asic set o+ ri"hts$ and the +airness and social

mo'ility o+ that system has made it a model +or the rest o+ the

world. he Borld @tate$ o+ course$ di4ers (astly +rom the

American aradi"m. %ar +rom "uaranteein" 'asic li'erties$ their

society is 'ased entirely on eliminatin" any concetion o+

human ri"hts. n +act$ the +ordian society is ractically

unreco"ni?a'le relati(e to our own. Hather than 'ein" a society

de:ned 'y its indi(iduality$ the Borld @tate is shaed 'y its

re(ailin" con+ormity. hat conditioned con+ormity is

essentially a roEan horse$ a (eil cloain" the massi(e

in(alidation o+ ci(il li'erties. t Idenies indi(iduals their own

ri(acy and ersonal +eelin"s$, -Karricchio/ relacin" them with

a suosedly ideal collecti(e consciousness. 3+ course$

eliminatin" ersonality and ri(acy amounts to little more than

a 'latant annulment o+ two human necessities. Pri(acy and

ersonal +eelin"s are two incredi'ly (alua'le and ar"ua'ly

+undamental human ri"hts= to understand why$ reali?e that all

human ri"hts stem +rom the (ital ideal o+ indi(iduality$ the

necessity that all eole are allowed to ha(e their own$ uni*ue$

sel+9determined identity. A'rid"in" them is ain to a'ro"atin"

the indi(idualFs humanity$ yet the Borld @tate does so with noissue. Clearly$ somethin" in the +ordian society is allowin" them

to so massi(ely o(erloo that which humans should 'e

"uaranteed= some tradeo4 must 'e resent. #ecause

otherwise$ there can 'e no (alid e)lanation +or what

ultimately amounts to an a'usi(e society. #ut the a'uses do

not sto at mere ri(acy and ersonal +eelin"s. Hather$ the

main casualty o+ the Borld @tateFs tact is the desire +or

+reedom$ which has ine(ita'ly 'een suressed, -Karricchio/ as

a means to control the oulation. ;owe(er$ stealin" a

oulationFs desire +or +reedom is no small matter. he need +or

+reedom is a +undamental one= it has 'een since lon" 'e+ore

mossi'le Choices in Ci(ili?ations and @ocieties Churchill


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humans +ormed societies$ lon" 'e+ore they were e(en a (er'al

secies. %reedom$ howe(er$ is an entirely a'stract concetion$

and there+ore its elimination can 'e achie(ed with little

aarent e4ect. et +reedom is not such a small matter. n its

ro(ision lies the ey to +airness. A+ter all$ a +ree human is

human in the +ullest sense o+ the word= they are caa'le o+

e)ercisin" +ree will$ the hallmar o+ true humanity. here+ore$

stealin" a humanFs +reedom leads to internal emtiness$ the

'asic condition o+ +ordian society, -Karricchio/. A+ter all$ a

ersonFs ri"hts "i(e them humanity$ and stealin" that ersonFs

licenses as a human 'ein" e4ecti(ely dehumani?es the

indi(idual.

n the Borld @tate$ the citi?ens are not +ully human. Althou"h

they :t the hysical and 'iolo"ical de:nitions o+ humanity$ they

lac other (ital elements which would mae them human. hey

are characteri?ed 'y their internal emtiness, -Karricchio/$

and de:ned 'y their su'ser(ience to the Borld @tate and its

whims$ desite the sur+ace aearance o+ a hay oulace.

;ow is it$ thou"h$ that their lac o+ ri"hts is related to their lac

o+ humanity he answer is that ultimately$ the ri"hts

enumerated a'o(e lead directly to humanity. %or e)amle$ one

o+ the ri"hts mentioned a'o(e was +reedom. %reedom is

undenia'ly a (ital human ri"ht$ and there+ore it leads directly

to humanity. he +ordian society$ in stealin" its mem'ersF

+reedom$ is also ultimately stealin" its mem'ersF humanity. %or

a ersonFs character Imerely another word +or humanity is

shaed 'y su4erin"$ and the new world state has a'olished

su4erin" in +a(or o+ a continuous$ soma9stue:ed$ in+antile

NhainessF, -%irchow/. @u4erin" is a (ital asect o+ character+ormation$ and there+ore a (ital asect o+ 'ein" human. Bhen a

erson su4ers$ they e)erience stron"$ ain+ul emotion.

Gltimately$ they either transcend that emotion or succum' to



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it. Oither way$ such a si"ni:cant mental -and sometimes

hysical/ occurrence will indu'ita'ly lea(e a si"ni:cant imrint

on that ersonFs syche. hose imrints, ultimately +orm the

'asis o+ that ersonFs character= they shae their outloo on

li+e$ their actions towards themsel(es and others$ and all o+

their maEor decisions. Bhile ositi(e e)eriences lea(e imrints

Eust the same$ it is ne"ati(ity which stries the hardest and

ersists the lon"est. here+ore$ without su4erin"$ a erson

cannot 'e +ully human. hey are denied o+ the oortunity to

+orm those imrints$ and there+ore they are denied o+ the

a'ility to 'e an indi(idual. n the Borld @tate$ su4erin" has

'een a'olished in +a(or o+ an ostensi'ly much more leasant

constant +o" o+ arti:cial satis+action. ;owe(er$ that +o"ultimately o'scures the true loss7 +reedom$ and humanity. Bith

the nature o+ the Borld @tateFs restrictions on +reedom$

su4erin" is imossi'le$ and without su4erin"$ manind is

ultimately less human than e(er. he Borld @tateFs error lies in

its "oal o+ er+ection. #y (iewin" its duty as eretual

hainess and satis+action at any cost -a means to the ultimate

end o+ sta'ility/$ the Borld @tate +ails to reali?e one (alua'le

lesson7 in asirin" to 'e er+ect Iman is no lon"er e(en

human, -


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ara"rah hoe+ully esta'lished 'eyond dou't/. here+ore$ any

creation disallowin" or otherwise imairin" the e)erience o+

those emotions would$ 'y de:nition$ 'e re(oin" that human

ri"ht. n the Borld @tate$ Desire is dead...7 to admit the

e)istence o+ it would mean to reco"ni?e the +ailure o+

the...@tate, -Karricchio/. Desire is the most si"ni:cant su'set o+

assion. t is the root o+ erhas the most intense o+ all

leasures$ and e(en o+ all emotions$ lo(e. ;owe(er$ that also

means that it is ri(y to the it+alls o+ +ree will. he assion

that desire leads to is richly human$ 'ut it is also contrary to

the Borld @tatesF "oal -sta'ility and ermanence/ and

there+ore it is disallowed and discoura"ed$ throu"h such cle(er

de(ices as o'li"atory contracetion and institutionali?edromiscuity, -#uchanan/. he issue is$ that assion is an

essential +acet o+ humanity. Bithout the emotional +ul:llment

only they are +ully caa'le o+ ro(idin"$ a erson is ine(ita'ly

less human. A+ter all$ institutionali?ed romiscuity, is

undenia'ly a oor su'stitute +or true lo(e and real assion. n

summation$ the Borld @tateFs callous aroach to "uaranteein"

its citi?ensF 'asic ri"hts ultimately detracts +rom its residentsF

(ery humanity= in other words$ a ersonFs ri"hts determine

their humanity.

Paths to Social Stability

As e)lained a'o(e$ a society is a solution to the ro'lem o+

colla'oration which$ ultimately$ ele(ates humans 'eyond their

animalistic roots. A society turns a com'ati(e$ indi(idualistic

secies into a communal$ ci(ili?ed or"ani?ation. he situation is

undenia'ly ideal$ as it ro(ides a whole "reater than the sum

o+ its arts$ 'ene:tin" une*ui(ocally all those arts. t seems

illo"ical$ then$ that this o'Eecti(ely "enius construct is so lia'le

to derecate$ that manindFs "reatest in(ention is also one o+

their most ehemeral. %or societies and ci(ili?ations are Eust

mossi'le Choices in Ci(ili?ations and @ocieties Churchill Q


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that7 ehemeral. hey seldom endure$ e(en the "reatest. Home

and !reece are the two ci(ili?ations that come to mind when

one thins o+ "reatness and lon"e(ity$ yet they lasted +or a

relati(e 'li on the hori?on o+ human e)istence. @ocietal

sta'ility seems to 'e an imossi'le "oal. ;owe(er$ 'y

classi+yin" the su'(ersi(e inuences main" that "oal

imossi'le$ then understandin" how to counteract them

systematically$ it is ossi'le to understand how the Borld @tate

has$ +or all intents and uroses$ attained ermanence.

%or the Borld @tate$ the ultimate "oal is a society that lasts as

lon" as the world it e)ists on. %ar +rom e)istin" as a mury$

a'stract "uidin" rincile nown 'y all 'ut +ollowed 'y +ew$social and societal sta'ility is at the +ore+ront o+ the minds o+ all

in the +ordian society with any sem'lance o+ ower. t is

ractically a reli"ion$ an a)iomatic and e(en do"matic de(otion

to comlete ermanence. hat er(asi(e mindset amon" the

rulin" class is clearly conduci(e to their "oal$ 'ut it has some

unsurrisin" side e4ects. he most si"ni:cant downside to

Brave New World Fs dedication to sta'ility is their (iew o+ most

o+ the citi?ens o+ the threat. o the Borld Controllers$ e(ery

'a'y created in their la's has the otential to su'(ert the

society and end what others ha(e wored so hard to maintain.

here is a collection o+ articular actions which articularly

strie +ear into the controllersF hearts$ a select +ew su'(ersi(e

inuences which the Borld @tate (iews as the "reatest threat

to its continued e)istence. he most redominant o+ them all is

intellect= those in char"e o+ the +ordian society now that the

true "enius must :nally lose +aith in the NhumanF social settin"

that others deend on, -#uchanan/. his is the essence o+ whatthe Borld @tate is attemtin" to re(ent. All the residents o+

the +ordian society must 'e +ully reliant on it$ or true

ermanence would 'e ni"h imossi'le to attain. A sin"le



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erson smart enou"h to understand the +undamentally

oressi(e nature o+ the Borld @tateFs "o(ernin" rinciles

would ose a "reat threat to their care+ully maintained ima"e

o+ hainess and +reedom. A "rou o+ eole with that intellect

and understandin" would liely ha(e the caacity to tole the

Borld ControllersF (ise9lie "ri on their su'Eects$ as they would

'e caa'le o+ e)osin" the un+airness and ine*uality inte"ral to

the +ordian societyFs 'asic construction. here+ore$ a "reat

intellect is the "reatest su'(ersi(e inuence ossi'le on the

Borld @tate. ;owe(er$ runnin" in a close second is lo(e. Lo(e

seci:cally$ and assion in "eneral$ are a +undamental human

ri"ht$ and there+ore their "uarantee contri'utes directly to their

'ene+actorFs humanity$ as e)lained in detail a'o(e.Gn+ortunately +or the deni?ens o+ the +ordian society$ an Nonly

lo(eF is an incestuous lo(e$ in ;u)leyFs +uturistic world$ 'ecause

it tends to wor a"ainst the social solidarity which is the ey to

a eace+ul li+e, -#uchanan/. Bhile mere lo(e$ in(ol(in" little

more than two indi(iduals$ may seem er+ectly innocuous$ the

issue in the Borld @tate is that lo(e is a otential recedent to

stron" +eelin"s$ e)actly what Brave New World Fs society would

lo(e to a(oid. he intense -and +undamentally human/ assion

only lo(e can 'rin" will$ in many cases$ ine(ita'ly lead to

e*ually intense heart'rea. he deEection o+ reEection$ o+ a lost

lo(e$ is a raw and (isceral emotional ain= its (ictims are

there+ore$ in the eyes o+ the Borld @tate$ dan"erous$ due to

their liely lowered re"ard +or the laws and restrictions imosed

'y the Borld Controllers. O(en when the relationshi does not

end with a"ony$ the stron" 'ond it creates 'etween two eole

transcends most other thin"s that matter to them. %or

e)amle$ a man in lo(e will not care a'out societal re"ulationssuch as the restriction on all child'irth i+ it means he can 'e

closer to the o'Eect o+ his desires. O(en di4erent tyes o+ lo(e$

such as the lo(e 'etween a mother and her son -such as the

mossi'le Choices in Ci(ili?ations and @ocieties Churchill


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rota"onist JohnFs lo(e +or Linda$ his mother and +ellow outcast

+rom the +ordian society/ will still lead to su'(ersi(e inuences$

such as when John lashed out in an"er a+ter his motherFs death

'y destroyin" a lar"e suly o+ soma. Oither way$ lo(e can

easily lead to su'(ersi(e actions and nonchalance towards the

laws "o(ernin" the society$ and that is e)actly what the Borld

@tate +ears the most. here+ore$ lo(e is the second "reatest

su'(ersi(e inuence the Borld @tate wants to a(oid. Another

"eneral ossi'ility +or su'(ersion is any distinct indi(iduality

and the e)clusion stemmin" +rom it. he "reatest

demonstration o+ the ris inherent to that ossi'ility is #ernard

Mar)F sa"a. Mar) was a mis:t +rom his 'irth$ a runt amon"st

the "enerally hysically intimidatin" Alha caste. As a man$ hewas o+ten e)cluded and looed down uon +or his hysical

a'normality$ and ultimately it made him +eel as i+ he did not :t

in. he "reater art o+ the 'e"innin" o+ Brave New World is

entirely dedicated to his stru""le +or accetance. ;owe(er$ he

has a si"ni:cant issue7 he wanted to 'e acceted 'y his

society$ 'ut only on his own terms$ terms that are not

acceta'le in the lon" run i+ sta'ility is to 'e maintained,

-%irchow/. #ernardFs search +or a lace to :t in in the Borld

@tate is an anomaly$ a rare occurrence o+ unhainess in a

society where hainess is all that matters. ;is unhainess

was not Eust a shame= it was dan"erous +or the society as a

whole. A+ter all$ #ernardFs deEection due to his ina'ility to :t in

with the rest o+ the society led to assion$ and assion -desite

'ein" a human ri"ht/ is anathema to the +ordian society$ as

e)lained a'o(e. he entire redicament could ha(e 'een

a(oided i+ #ernard had not 'een so di4erent$ i+ he had not 'een

such a distinct indi(idual. he +ailin" can 'e attri'uted to alase in the technolo"ical rocesses used to control the

citi?ens$ demonstratin" the (ast imortance o+ those

rocesses. Gltimately$ the Borld @tateFs "reatest worries



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re"ardin" its own ossi'le su'(ersion all stem +rom a +ear o+

indi(iduals. hey 'elie(e there can 'e no social sta'ility

without indi(idual sta'ility, -;u)ley 0/$ and that the

su'(ersi(e actions -or e(en thou"hts/ o+ one ha(e the otential

to roc the society as a whole. 3+ course$ the Borld @tate does

not Eust stand 'y and allow itsel+ to 'e su'(erted= it taes

decisi(e$ reemti(e action to ensure that its own ermanence

ne(er +ades.

Bith so many ossi'le su'(ersi(e inuences +rom mere

indi(iduals$ it seems the Borld @tate would ha(e a si"ni:cantly

hard time counteractin" all the attacs$ su'tle and o'(ious$ it

could ossi'ly 'e undermined 'y. n +act$ erhas the most

liely reason one could hyothesi?e +or the di6culty o+

attainin" a ermanent society is the imossi'ility o+ stoin"

e(ery sin"le ossi'le incidence o+ su'(ersion. t seems hi"hly

imro'a'le that the Borld @tate could e4ecti(ely control its

millions o+ inha'itants$ without lettin" a sin"le one sli throu"h

the cracs and 'ecome a su'(ertin" ni"htmare. %urthermore$

e(en i+ the Borld Controllers could de(ise a system o+ control

+or e4ecti(ely controllin" the entire "lo'e worth o+ citi?ens$

humans traditionally resond (ery oorly to control= men tend

to ha(e a desire to maintain their own +ree will$ and not su'mit

to the whims o+ a controller. 3+ course$ the +ordian society did

e4ecti(ely sol(e all these ro'lems$ creatin" a system o+ total

control +or e(ery sin"le li(in" man$ woman$ and child under the

Borld @tateFs ausices. Doin" so was clearly no small chan"e

to the traditional structure o+ a ci(ili?ation= rather$ it was as

+undamental rethinin" o+ e(ery sin"le institution and construct

we now in modern society. Amon" the new institutions

introduced 'y the Borld @tate7 su""estion techni*ues$ "enetic

maniulation$ leasure9"i(in" dru"s and$ o+ course$ +eelies and

tele(ision$, all o+ which disenseId with the need +or



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reression in the +ordian society, -Karricchio/. 3+ course$

reression is not a'sent +rom the Borld @tate$ it is Eust cloaed

in leasura'le de(ices which hide the truth +rom the citi?enry.

he :rst and most ower+ul system emloyed 'y the +ordian

society is "enetic maniulation., Children are no lon"er 'orn

in the traditional sense$ the result o+ a union 'etween mother

and +ather. Hather$ they are created in test tu'es$ and

conditioned +rom their re9em'ryonic sta"es to their seci:ed

caste and ro+ession. %or e)amle$ Osilons -the lowest caste/

are deri(ed o+ o)y"en as they de(elo into a +etus$ in order to

stunt their "rowth= +uture chemical worers ha(e harm+ul

chemicals inserted in small doses into their tu'es$ so they can

'uild u a resistance. hese "enetically tailored and mass9

roduced 'a'ies are desi"ned to :t in er+ectly in their

seci:ed caste and ro+ession$ "i(in" e(ery sin"le mem'er o+

the society a sta'le +oundation +or their entire li+e. 3nce the

'a'ies are actually 'orn$ sycholo"ical conditionin" re(ents

them +rom *uestionin" their society or their u'rin"in".

Another de(ice is the su""estion techni*ue., ts main

imlementation is the ri"id caste system. Consistin" o+ :(e

castes$ +rom Alha to Osilon$ the caste system searatesciti?ens o+ the Borld @tate +rom the day they are 'orn and

ees them searate throu"hout their entire li(es. Bhile it may

seem to 'e an un+air system$ the "enetic en"ineerin" ensures

that mem'ers o+ the lower castes are too dull to understand

the con+oundin" nature o+ their dilemma$ and mem'ers o+ the

hi"her castes are lacated 'y their own sueriority. And :nally$

the leasure9"i(in" dru"s and... +eelies and tele(ision, ensure

that e(ery mem'er o+ the +ordian society has chea$ simle$

and unencum'ered hainess a(aila'le at a momentFs notice.

n order to a(oid any *uestionin" o+ these systems$ the Borld

Controllers are essentially a'le to stren"then owers caa'le



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o+ controllin" e(ery sin"le +acet o+ their su'EectsF li(es 'y

deri(in" them o+ all critical attitude, -Karricchio/ throu"h an

intense re"imen o+ sycholo"ical conditionin" continuin"

throu"hout the citi?ensF entire li(es. Bhile the loss o+ any

a'ility to *uestion oneFs surroundin"s and situations is

certainly dehumani?in"$ the Borld @tate simly does not care=

their "reatest riority is ermanence$ and a total a'sence o+

critics does wonders +or maintainin" a societyFs sta'ility.

Another method o+ conditionin"$ social$ also ser(es a similar

urose in 'locin" citi?ens +rom e)eriencin" any ossi'ly

su'(ersi(e emotions or assions. %or e)amle$ when Lenina

+alls in lo(e with JohnRa ossi'ly disastrous situation +or the

Borld @tate$ as lo(e ro(ides multitudinous ossi'ilities +or

su'(ersionRshe +ails to truly understand her +eelin"s$

ultimately limitin" her +rom e)ressin" hersel+ to John$ who

could not understand her se)ual demonstration o+ her lo(e -the

only way she new how to demonstrate it/. @he is +oiled

'ecause she has no name +or the new +eelin" and hence no

way o+ concei(in" or understandin" what it is, -%irchow/. he

lo(e Lenina +eels is an e)amle o+ her humanity shinin"

throu"h$ and thus roo+ that the Borld @tatesF citi?ens stillha(e a modicum o+ humanity$ desite the @tateFs 'est e4orts.

;owe(er$ it is still worth nothin"= the Borld Controllers

accounted +or the ossi'ility o+ a situation such as hers. hey

ensured that the concetion o+ lo(e was a dirty word$ not one

any o+ the citi?ens had any e)erience with$ in order to ro'

them o+ any ossi'le e)eriences o+ lo(e. @uch is the ower o+

the Controllers= they are a'le to control uno6cial, social

re"ulations alon" with the o6cial laws. 3(erall$ desite the

seemin" imossi'ility o+ counteractin" su'(ersion in all

instances$ the Borld @tate mana"es to do so throu"h a

care+ully mana"ed and concealed 'rand o+ oression that$

mossi'le Choices in Ci(ili?ations and @ocieties Churchill 1>


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desite its seemin" leasantness$ still amounts to comlete

control o(er the hundreds o+ millions o+ humans +allin" under

its inuence.

Fundamental Tradeofs

@o +ar$ the e4orts o+ this aer ha(e 'een dedicated to ro(in"

two simle yet ower+ul +acts7 indi(idual ri"hts 'rin"

indi(iduals humanity$ and societal sta'ility is ossi'le with

drastic inter(entions. Gntil now$ those two ha(e 'een mostly

unrelated. ;owe(er$ in reality they are ine)trica'ly lined to

one another. Hi"hts and sta'ility are$ as a matter o+ +act$

imossi'le to attain simultaneously= +or a society to 'e +air$ it

must accet su'(ersion$ and +or a society to 'e ermanent$ it

must a'ro"ate its citi?ensF 'asic ri"hts. he decision in either

direction causes riles throu"hout the +a'ric o+ the society$

ultimately resultin" in a we' o+ comle) conse*uences and

unintended results. 3+ten$ the "reater "ood can su4er alon"

with sta'ility when a society is de(oted to "uaranteein"

indi(idual ri"hts= similarly$ a deli'erately ermanent society

will "enerally tae an indi(idualFs identity alon" with their

ri"hts.

Bhen the Gnited @tates o+ America were +ounded$ their

"reatest accomlishment and most uni*ue +eature was the

-mostly/ uni(ersal "uarantee o+ 'asic human ri"hts. Later$ as

the "o(ernment matured$ it 'ecame clear that the result o+

"i(in" e(ery man a le(el layin" :eld o+ ri"hts allowed +or

"reater social mo'ility than had e(er 'e+ore 'een ossi'le.

hose who would ha(e re(iously 'een rele"ated to drud"ery

+or the duration o+ their short li(es were "i(en an oortunity$

+or the :rst time on a lar"e scale in history$ to ad(ance

themsel(es. he a'ility to determine oneFs own +ate is the



15/23

hallmar o+ a society in which e(ery'ody is resected with a

'aseline o+ ri"hts. 3'Eecti(ely$ that structure 'ased on e*uality

is a +air one. 3n the sur+ace$ it aears to +a(or each man

e*ually. ;owe(er$ a system 'ased on indi(idual merit will

ine(ita'ly lend itsel+ to 'itter cometition$ and +rom that

cometition loss and ne"ati(e emotion will ine(ita'ly +ollow.

herein lies a *uandary$ one that cannot 'e resol(ed without

loss on one side or another7 should a society "uarantee

indi(iduals their ri"hts and 'ase accomlishment on

cometition$ or a'olish any concetion o+ indi(idual ri"hts and

assure the "reater "ood 'y destroyin" all indi(iduality -and$

alon" with it$ su4erin" and unhainess/ o this day$ no

society has success+ully attemted the latter= howe(er$ Brave

New World raises the enticin" and simultaneously terri+yin"

ossi'ility. he dystoian no(el raises the tradeo4 multile

times throu"hout. 3ne rime e)amle is their method o+

raisin" children. he Borld @tate is a'le to control...all asects

o+ a childFs 'irth and u'rin"in" and Iee adults in a

condition o+ in+antile deendency on a lar"er social 'ody$,

ultimately ro''Iin" the child o+ his or her...otentialities,

-#uchanan/. Ossentially$ the Borld @tate is a'le to a4ect truesocial sta'ility throu"h comlete social control. !one is any

otential +or indi(idual ri"hts= the Borld @tate has a (ise "ri

o(er its citi?ens$ and controls them in e(ery sense o+ the world.

he adults are rendered in+antile$, the children 'rainwashed

with the hilosohies and do"ma o+ the +ordian society.

;owe(er$ desite all that seemin"ly ne"ati(e inter(ention on

the art o+ the "o(ernment$ e(ery'ody li(in" in the Borld @tate

is er+ectly hay. O(en those with u"ly +eatures or other

hysical mal+ormations$ e(en those with tedious or e(en

dan"erous Eo's$ all are hay= +urthermore$ all are resect+ul o+

each other. Bhile Alhas may not lie Osilons$ they are still



16/23

mutually resect+ul o+ the otherFs role in the social 'ody as a

whole. t is true that none o+ them ha(e any ri"hts to sea o+$

and none o+ them are +ree$ yet the end result is a content$ and

sta'le$ society. @till$ is it not a 'ad thin" that the citi?ens o+

the #ra(e ew Borld are incaa'le o+ constructi(e$ ima"inati(e

thou"ht, -Clareson/ Gltimately$ they are losin" one o+ the

most 'asic human ri"hts$ the ri"ht to oneFs own thou"hts= the

Borld @tate hiEacs its citi?ens (ery minds +rom 'e+ore they are

'orn$ and continues to maintain its control until the day the

citi?en dies. t is a 'latant (iolation o+ 'asic rinciles o+ human

ri"hts$ yet the Borld @tate does it comletely intentionally. he

citi?ens ha(e 'een so conditionedRin order to reser(e the

sta'ility o+ their world, -Clareson/. hat 'latant (iolation is

really only desi"ned to allow all citi?ens li+elon" hainess and

the society an eternal dominance. herein lies the di6cult

nature o+ the tradeo4s societies must mae. @imilarly$ the

Borld @tate controls its citi?ens throu"h the Pa(lo(ian

conditionin" we encounter in the nursery I$ which is essential

to cuttin" the +uture citi?enFs connection to his or her

autonomous otential, -Bitters/. Bhat this amounts to is

another way o+ sayin" that the Borld @tate dehumani?es itsciti?ens. A ersonFs otential is odd in that it is o+ten de:ned as

much 'y their surroundin"s as 'y the erson themsel(es= the

Borld Controllers understand this and so they 'loc any

ossi'ilities o+ that otential resultin" in any e)cetional result.

Bhile indi(iduals may 'e arti:cially limited -contrary to their

ri"hts/ +rom such measures$ the end result is a more sta'le and

content social 'ody. Allowin" one erson to 'e e)cetional is

not conduci(e to the "reater "ood= it allows that indi(idual the

oortunity to e(entually su'(ert the societyRas was

esta'lished a'o(e$ a "enius, is the sin"le "reatest su'(ersi(e

inuence the Borld Controllers +ear. he most succinct



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e)lanation o+ the +ordian societyFs osition on this

+undamental tradeo4 is Mustaha MondFs assertion$

arahrased here$ that +ree will leads to chaos$ and... the

world is 'etter o4 with indi(iduality suressed and the "ood o+

the social 'ody e)alted, -atrooulos/. + one chooses to ut the

'ene:ts o+ +ree will a'o(e all else$ then the Borld @tateFs

aroach is a 'lashemous and un+air one. ;owe(er$ i+ one

instead chooses to 'elie(e that a societyFs a'ility to care +or all

its citi?ens and itsel+ -as +ar as sta'ility/$ then +ree will is little

more than an imediment. he choice 'etween the two ideals

is di6cult$ and in most cases it is imossi'le.

he Borld @tate$ in its creation$ was created with only one "oalin mind7 ermanence$ 'eyond the oint o+ any other society in

recorded history. O(ery sin"le structure and 'ureaucratic

or"ani?ation$ e(ery sin"le technolo"ical ad(ancement$ e(ery

sin"le social construct$ all were concei(ed$ created$ and

de(eloed with a sin"le9minded +ocus on social sta'ility$ and

nothin" else. Brave New World is technically a dystoian wor

o+ :ction$ 'ut it is unlie any other dystoia. Most ha(e a +airly

re"ular structure7 a society that is attemtin" to 'e er+ect is

actually deely awed$ a heroic indi(idual reali?es those aws$

and they heroically assem'le a "rou o+ other heroic

indi(iduals and$ to"ether -under the leadershi o+ that :rst

hero/ they tae down the e(il$ corrut society. ;u)leyFs Brave

New World smashes the mold o+ that archetye$ and relaces a

heroic li'erator with an o'tuse moral :re'rand$ in John$ and a

mil*uetoast without any real con(ictions$ in #ernard. nstead o+

an e(il$ oressi(e "o(ernment$ Brave New World o4ers the

Borld @tate. he Borld @tate is a eculiar "o(ernment$ one

that does not seem e(il yet clearly is. A+ter all$ it seems to 'e

lo(ed and de+ended 'y e(ery'ody John and #ernard come

across$ yet all those eole are also clearly lacin" in 'asic

mossi'le Choices in Ci(ili?ations and @ocieties Churchill 1Q


18/23

human ri"hts. he end o+ Brave New World does not 'rin" a

dramatic (ictory +or a heroic rota"onist$ 'ut rather a

systematic denial o+ the rota"onistFs entire world(iew and

their e(entual suicide. 3+ course$ ;u)ley decided to 'rea so

si"ni:cantly +rom the esta'lished mold +or a "ood reason7 his

"o(ernment is di4erent +rom those resented in other

dystoian wors. nstead o+ 'ein" an e(il or"ani?ation doomed

to +ailure$ the Borld @tate is a *uestiona'le or"ani?ation which

seems reared to e)ist in eretuity. All this is to say$

;u)leyFs seminal no(el is dedicated comletely to what a

society must do to attain ermanence$ true sta'ility. As it turns

out$ a sta'le society is ossi'le= howe(er$ creatin" one re*uires

si"ni:cant$ erhas e(en imossi'le$ sacri:ces o+ indi(idual

identity. n creatin" a society 'uilt to last$ the Borld @tate had

to emloy the ser(ice o+ all o+ its citi?ens. he issue is that they

cannot coerce the oulace +orci'ly into their ser(ice$ as doin"

so would 'e sel+9de+eatin" as unhay eole will ne(er 'e

satis:ed with their situation$ includin" their "o(ernment= so$ +or

the +ordian society$ what needs to 'e sol(ed...is the ro'lem

o+ Nmain" eole lo(e their ser(itudeF, -Karricchio/. n order to

create a sta'le society$ certain thin"s ha(e to 'e controlled +or. he "reatest causes o+ societal collases -esecially in

dystoian literature/ is the dissatis+action o+ many coalescin"

with the re'ellion o+ an indi(idual. he Borld @tate had to

control +or 'oth in order to 'e most e4ecti(e in maintainin"

sta'ility. @o$ it introduced three ey constructs7 the ri"id caste

system$ sycholo"ical conditionin"$ and encoura"ed

de'auchery -i.e. soma$ or"y9or"y$ etc./. he caste system

re(ents any lar"e su'set o+ the oulation +rom 'ecomin"

dissatis:ed all at once= the sycholo"ical conditionin" re(ents

any indi(iduals +rom 'ein" unhay= and the constant

de'auchery shrouds the li(es o+ the citi?ens in a ha?e o+ dru"s



19/23

and se). here+ore$ 'oth are imossi'le$ and the citi?ens all

end u lo(in" their ser(itude. ;owe(er$ the three de(ices

mentioned do more than Eust hel the citi?ens enEoy their

ser(ice7 they tae away the identity +rom the indi(iduals

imressed 'y the Borld @tate. Castes are merely a chea

imression o+ a true ersonality$ ser(in" to lacate e(ery

humanFs 'asic need +or a +oundational identity and little more.

he sycholo"ical conditionin" and unendin" +o" o+ se) and

dru"s actually steal the citi?ensF identities. hey mae them all

e*ual -within their castes/ and tae away any incenti(e +or

actions outside o+ the Borld @tateFs aro(ed ones. Anythin"

su'(ersi(e$ anythin" e(en outside o+ the ordinary$ all are

eliminated and relaced with a common code o+ conduct. %or

that reason$ the Nsocial 'odyF system is$ in the words o+ critic


20/23

well. n the Borld @tate$ the citi?ens are undenia'ly hay$ and

they clearly enEoy their li(es= +urthermore$ the society itsel+ is$

ironically$ +airly e"alitarian in that e(ery indi(idual has the

same oortunity to attain hainess. n a ri"hts9dri(en world$

more lie our own modern one$ indi(iduals are "i(en the

latitude to do ractically whate(er they want and accomlish

whate(er they wor at$ somethin" that +ordian men and

women could only dream o+. Ossentially$ Brave New World

resents a choice7 either our misery9ridden 'ut still richly

human world$ or the s*ualid hainess o+ the 'iotechnical

world to come, -


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lon"9term outloo$ as it "uarantees not only the humans ali(e

currently 'ut the humans ali(e +or thousands and e(en millions

o+ years to come the sa+ety and security o+ an e4ecti(e society.

#ut o+ course$ neither can li(e while the other sur(i(es.

Attemtin" to "uarantee indi(idual ri"hts will ne"ati(ely

imact the "reater "ood o+ the society= attemtin" to

"uarantee sta'ility will detract +rom the indi(iduality o+ a

societyFs inha'itants. ow that this aer has hoe+ully

esta'lished the ine(ita'le nature o+ these tradeo4s$ one

*uestion remains7 how can a society e(er hoe to choose

'etween the two here is a simle answer and a more

comle) answer. he simle answer is$ a society will do what

others ha(e done and are doin". hat is why no ci(ili?ation in

our modern world +ollows the Borld @tateFs lead7 it is simly

too radical a dearture +rom the status *uo to allow it to occur

+easi'ly. ;owe(er$ assumin" in the dystoian tradition that a

cataclysmic e(ent were to occur$ and a 'rand9new society and

"o(ernment would need to rise +rom the ashes. ;ow could they

decide he answer lies in intrinsic morality$ and e)lains why

desite its o'(iously un+easi'le and e(en immoral nature 'y

our own standards$ the +ordian society can still aealcomellin". A society which laces little (alue on intrinsic

morality in the traditional sense will 'e most liely to institute a

re(olutionary "o(ernin" structure and societal standard such

as the Borld @tateFs. Morality$ a+ter all$ acts lie 'linders on a

horse7 it re(ents its disciles +rom seein" anythin" outside o+

the narrow :eld o+ what is$ in a traditional sense$ morally

acceta'le. Bhen it is a'rid"ed or e(en disre"arded

comletely$ "o(ernments such as the Borld @tate can ourish$

:llin" the moral (oid. his may sound imossi'le$ and most will

thin they would ne(er suort the institution o+ such a

radically di4erent society. et the nature o+ Brave New World Fs



22/23

ower is encasulated in one simle +act7 in the eole

I;u)ley ortrays$ we can still somehow reco"ni?e oursel(es,

-%irchow/. A 'ra(e new world does not seem so +ar o4.

Bord Count7 0

Bors Cited

#ataille$ !eor"es$ and Annette Michelson. SKan !o"h as

Prometheus.S he M Press > -18/7 5890. J@3H.

;A


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%irchow$ Peter Od"erly. She Ond o+ Gtoia7 A @tudy o+ Aldous

;u)leys #ra(e ew Borld,.S he Ond o+ Gtoia7 A @tudy

o+ Aldous ;u)leys #ra(e ew Borld$ ..7 #ucnell GP$

18. . a". Ht. in Contemorary Literary Criticism.

Od. James P. Draer and Jenni+er Allison #rostrom. Kol.Q. Detroit7 !ale$ 1. Literature Hesource Center. Be'.

1Q May 2015.

;u)ley$ Aldous. #ra(e ew Borld7 And$ #ra(e ew Borld

He(isited. ew or7 ;arerCollins$ 200. Print.

atrooulos$ Mary Ollen. S-He/ne"otiatin" the Dystoian

Dilemma7 ;u)ley$ 3rwell$ and An"el.S he Literary An"el.

Je4erson7 Mc%arland$ 2010. 11592. Ht. in Childrens

Literature He(iew. Od. Lawrence J. rudeau. Kol. 1.%armin"ton ;ills$ M7 !ale$ 2015. Literature Hesource

Center. Be'. 1Q May 2015.

2/.S %irst

hin"s Mar. 20007 51952. Ht. in Childrens Literature

He(iew. Od. Dana %er"uson. Kol. 151. Detroit7 !ale$ 2010.

Literature Hesource Center. Be'. 1Q May 2015.

KAHHCC;3$ MAH3. SPower o+ ma"esUma"es o+ Power in

#ra(e ew Borld and ineteen Oi"hty9%our.S Gtoian@tudies 10.1 -1/7 8. Literature Hesource Center.

Be'. 1Q May 2015.

Bitters$ @ean A. SBords ;a(e to Mean @omethin" More7

%olloric Headin" in #ra(e ew Borld.S ;u)leys #ra(e

ew Borld7 Ossays. Je4erson$ .C.7 Mc%arland &$ 2008.

Q>98Q. Ht. in Childrens Literature He(iew. Od. Dana

%er"uson. Kol. 151. Detroit7 !ale$ 2010. Literature

Hesource Center. Be'. 1Q May 2015.

mossi'le Choices in Ci(ili?ations and @ocieties Churchill 2>

Brave New World Research Paper: Impossible Choices

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