Brave New World - Dystopias and Apocalypses - Extra Sci Fi

We kick off a new season of Extra Sci Fi exploring the theme of dystopias and apocalypses. We begin with Aldous Huxley's *Brave New World*--a very early novel that make a compelling argument for *why* the dystopia exists at all.
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♪ Music: "Hypothetical" by Surasshu

[extrahistory]

Dystopian literature really began when the two World Wars, the Great Depression, and more socio-political unrest in the world began to disrupt the utopian aspirations of science fiction at the time. So enters Brave New World.

[maddie]

I absolutely love BNW, and one of my favorite parts are what you emphasized here: it's the rare dystopian novel where the totalitarian government isn't evil just for the sake of being evil, or because of greed or whatnot. The government in BNW believes that it's doing right, that they have created a utopia, and the villains are allowed to state their case without the author creating an obviously wrong strawman. This world came to be because of basically good people working with the best of intentions to make it so. It makes us question any utopic vision that we're presented with: would this perfect world really be as perfect as we dream of? What would we have to give up to achieve it, and are those sacrifices worth it?

[Linus]

"Happiness is never grand." That hit pretty hard...

[IndustrialBonecraft]

I never imagined Mond's arguments as this slightly aggressive tone - I imagined a sort of geniality. He more or less knows and agrees, but has made a choice based on rational judgement. The Savage never really gives good arguments, he just expresses his emotions and lets them stand in for arguments.

[legateelizabeth]

"You fight for the right to be miserable."
- Mustafa Mond, Regional World Controller.

[sethortiger]

BNW shows us a world kept under control through comfort. 1984 shows us a world kept under control through hate. Modern day has both of these in high amounts.

[brockmckelvey]

I loved Brave New World so much more than 1984. I thought that bright and shiny BNW had so much more potential to actually happen than bleak and dark 1984.

[sielentbrat]

As for me - "Brave New World" shows how close are the Dystopia and Utopia to one another. They both are about stability, the only difference is in a point of view.
Actually, I see it very well in post-soviet countries, where people grieve for USSR. Forgetting the lack of freedom, low life and constant fear but remembering only Holy Stability.

[lindsaywheatcroft]

“How would a modern society ever actually become a dystopia?”

*glances at camera*

[bemersonbakebarmen]

Make a special episode for Soviet Sci Fi, its a staple on the genre.

[JoCoBrony]

Thank Ford this was uploaded the day before my AP Literature exam.

[kam......]

Did we read the same book, or is this like a version for avoiding spoilers? Because John is young and it wasn't some judgement by Mustapha, but rather a conversation. And specifically the reservation was for Natives, not generally for people who decided they wanted to live there, which is a big part of a particular character's arc. General themes and Ideas are solidly explained but details of the book seem a little misrepresented.

[andrewmelnikov]

One of the best descriptions I've heard was,
"1984 teaches us to be aware of the things we hate and how they can destroy us. Brave New World teaches us to be aware of the things we love and how they can destroy us - with our own consent."

Of course, as our newest history shows, writing 1984 off as being "no longer relevant" is a huge misconception. People are prone to fear, and many people who are afraid are prone to trade all the freedoms they have for imaginary security.
Tyranny is not as extinct as some would like to think. Educating yourself and learning to be a better human is the only known counteraction, but it's painfully slow.
Brave New World, on the other hand, achieves total happiness... by downgrading humans and their desires to what a society can provide. Instead of managing supply it manages demand, making defective humans who are totally happy and unable to understand the horror of their existence because they are purposely made defective. Once again, education and improvement of human nature can help manage both supply and demand, but it's - yep, painfully slow.

[AverageAwesomeDude]

The scary thing for me when I first read this is that I thought the pro dystopia argument was better, more logical while also empathetic. When thinking about it philosophically I always think I’d choose the “savage” side but I still feel way too understanding of the other side to be comfortable. A sort of “yeah that makes sense” feeling that just rubs me the wrong way. And the concept of soma always hit me a bit hard because of some struggles I’ve had with substance abuse, I can see myself living like that and it always feels two ways: like it’s just not “right”, but it never feels completely wrong either, it’s not some abomination of a self image, it’s just a path of least resistance (a concept which has nothing wrong with it in itself but in this context can sound like an evil of lesser degree, but I meant it as simply another way). I still can never pick a side by the end, I like a good bit of sinning, and a good fight and a competition and emotional outburst at beauty, and love is pretty sweet but I can still always see myself living like that and being satisfied. Great Book plays melancholy on my heartstrings in beautiful melodies

[BionicleFreek]

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"

[jmalmsten]

"So this is the way liberty dies... with thunderous applause."

One of the few good lines in Revenge of the Sith.

[billytrespassers]

I'm so glad you mentioned _We_ - Zamyatin is terribly underrated.

[sirsquidly]

Here's hoping to see an episode on Fahrenheit 451, I've always loved that one the most for how it portrays society itself as being it's own issue, rather than it being left to higher government.

Also, the art for the Savage doesn't seem to match up very well with the descriptions given in the book, and the conversation with the World Controller being framed as a official trial doesn't really add up, as they were just in his office. It just felt a little odd is all.

[Darknight]

My life is totally defined as: "before Brave New World and after Brave New World". Glad that you talk about one of my favorite books, even if your view on those characters sound very weird

[francinemcloughlin]

3:13
GODDANGIT WALPOLE
England just isint enough for you anymore, Now all of humanity has to serve as well.