Stark Contrast (Spoilers!)

These past few weeks have been very insightful. First, we began by reading through Herland .. and now (this week of March 15) we're reading brave new world.

Herland (if you didn't already know) is about a society full of strong, independent women who have gained the ability to give birth without men. Their society was cut off from the world by a rockslide, and they began to populate the land. Their entire society and ideals are based off the idea of maternal love and protection. Everybody is each other's sister, mother, and aunt. Kids are encouraged to study and chase their natural passions. These hypothetical women live (truly) selfless lives.

I can see why, then, Dr. MB chose to let us read Brave New World as the next topic. The societal order, where all men and women are grown in tubes and their places in society are predetermined, is very restrictive. Nobody has the chance to choose, and are conditioned to believe that their life (even though they were grown) is the best for them. Everybody lives for "orgy-porgy", soma, and "having" other people .. as if they're trying chocolate. Everyone is conditioned to believe that these base, childish desires (sex is childish, what? this book is weird) are normal, healthy, and socially acceptable.

At the end of Chapter 7, Linda said something that made me think of the scene in Donnie Darko, looking into the mirror and seeing a monster looking back.

"They're so hateful, the women here. Mad, mad and cruel. And of course they don't know anything about Malthusian Drill, or bottles, or decanting, or anything of that sort. So they're having children all the time -- like dogs. It's too revolting. And to think that I . . . "

Reading that passage really struck a chord .. something resonated. I'm not saying I agree with the way "civilization" is established in Brave New World. What I'm saying is that, often, we just get stuck in the daily ritual of things, without thought of how things might be otherwise. Then, a story comes along like this that really slaps you across the face. It says, "Wake up! Things can be different, and things can change! And they can change for the worse!"

Huxley seems overly concerned with the affinity to leisure, instant gratification, and gluttony. Often, Bernard, Lenina, and Henry complain about how the helicopter was three minutes late! God forbid! How DARE that helicopter be 15 seconds behind schedule! Brave New World is a society of no restrictions and instant gratification, the complete opposite of Herland. In Herland, all of the women are modest, rationed, and planners. Here, in Brave New World, the members of society are the complete opposite. There's a sort of stark contrast between the two worlds.

An interesting idea, though, is Brave New World, even with its Episilon Double Mega Minuses and soma, still seems like a more engaging society. Something about being able to do and go wherever you want whenever you want is appealing. But, is that luxury really something worth having? If you could look in the mirror and see your "Frank" (read: the giant terrifying bunny from Donnie Darko), would you change yourself into something nearer to this brave new world? Or would you embrace the bunny?