Brave New World (1932)

Brave New World is a view of a world taken by the Left; a world where "science" is the religion; a perverse, singularly cold world where humans have been “freed” from conventions and norms (sexual and behavioral); a society encroached by an almighty, overreaching government. Albeit in George Orwell’s “1984” the government, Ingsoc (English Socialism), shapes a dark, brutal society, and in BNW it furnishes a mock religion, drugs and sex in order to make the emptiness of society palatable and working bearable (panem et circenses comes to mind), both societies have in common the fact that they are a product of Leftwing (highly controlling) governments. Nothing could be farther from Conservatism and Capitalism; nothing could be closer to a Leftwing view of the ideal society. This book is actually an exposé of socialism. Anyone who would like to understand what socialism or communism is, should read this book and the following: 1984, The Gulag Archipelago, Animal Farm, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged. ( )

I'm not going to rate this because it seems silly to rate a book like this which has been so influential just because it's not exactly my cup of tea. Amazing for all the ideas that we are still grappling with, but chilly.

And now, I'm off for my half grain of soma.............

Theme: a society with genetic engineering, communal polygamy, no pain
Type: political science fiction , futuristic
Value: 1-
Age: mar
Interest: 1-
Objectionable: swearing, sexual overtones, sexual details (108-9)
Synopsis/Noteworthy:

He was a genius. that is all I can say. ( )

I thought I should read this having recently finished 1984. This book was not particularly well written or easy to read. The first few chapters were especially confusing.

It is sometime in the future and the world is a very different place. Babies are being manufactured in laboratories staffed by ever youthful adults who were also grown in labs. Deformities and disabilities have been eliminated. Individuality in appearance, thought and speech no longer exists within the civilised communities. Everyone has been conditioned from birth to think the same thoughts and behave in the same manner as everyone else. They are conditioned to make mass purchases of products to ensure consumerism ticks over. Everything they could wish for is on tap including sex with anyone they choose. There are no individual relationships and feelings are largely absent being seen as a weakness.

Bernard is not quite the same as everyone else, he feels uncomfortable and that there must be more to life than conditioning and duplicated experiences. He stumbles into uncivilised areas full of savages in his search for humanity. The savages seem to be remarkably similar to the human race as we know it. What will Bernard make of the fascinating horror that he has discovered and what will he do with his knowledge?

For some reason I found this book more chilling than 1984. The ideas were just a little too close to home to make enjoyable reading. Governments and those that think they know best are progressively conditioning the human race to think, act and speak alike through political correctness. They are eliminating all uncomfortable topics and subjects. People are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. They seek things for themselves at the expense of others. That is what happens when people abandon God and He eventually leaves them to their own devices. Brave New World may not be as far off as we think.....

For Christians, however, we can take comfort in knowing that all things are in God's hands and under His control. That nothing can happen without His allowing it and that one day Jesus will return and this earth will pass away.

Brave New World may make readers think. But it has a lot of sexual content some of which is quite graphic although not explicit. There is the odd swear word and some violence. For those reasons I wouldn't recommend it for sensitive readers. ( )