Brave New World Similar to Today essays

Brave New World Similar to Today essays How Similar is Brave New World's Society to Our Own? The novel, Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley portrays a so-called "utopian" society. When examining the surface, their society does seem truly perfect. It is problem free and everyone is happy. In addition the population is also controlled from their social status to their intellectual ability. However, after further examination of this "perfect" world, it seems strangely similar to our own society, which is not in any way near being perfect. The society in Brave New World and our society today share many similarities and differences. For instance, there are similarities and differences between the aspects of drug use, consumerism, and relationships. In the Brave New World, it is not illegal to use drugs. In fact, drugs are readily available for anyone in need of it. The drug in the new world is referred to as soma. It produces a euphoric feeling without the negative aftereffects. Furthermore, the consumption of soma is carefully regulated. As a result, overdoses do not occur unless someone is dying and they are given a fatal amount of soma. Everyone in the society is conditioned to take soma whenever they are unhappy. In fact, the consumption of soma is done on a daily basis. Every status has a required daily ration. Huxley created some to control people's emotions, which would maintain the stability of the society in Brave New World. However, in today's society, drugs seem to result in chaos rather than stability. Treatment for stress and or anxiety must not place the individual at a greater risk than their current condition. (Rutter, 57) It is illegal to take drugs with the exception of alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs. Sadly, in our society, drugs are also readily available for those that want it. However, they are not prescribed. Unlike soma, the drugs produce numerous negative aftereffects. Furthermore, the consumption of drugs is not regulated. ...