Among the echelon of fantasy that feels like an all-too-real portrait of the modern age is Aldous Huxley's satirical ride "Brave New World." Unlike the more piercing nature of "1984," Huxley is more fixated on a comic read of a culture that has been designed for nonstop pleasure. Everything becomes so accessible that the very concept of sex seems absurd, where even the birthing process has lost its sentimentality in favor of nonstop excess. Even in the quest for a titular brave new world, the people in charge of that journey don't have the wherewithal to make it better. Is everyone doomed to be distracted by debauchery as worse behavior becomes accepted, or will something change for the better? In short, the answer is like all satires and exists somewhere amid the humor.
At the start of the story, the protagonist is stuck in a world of convenience. He is, ironically, stunted at birth despite being born by machine. His journey through life feels codependent on his environment, and it results in dissatisfaction with his environment. Upon finding enlightenment, he visits an indigenous colony that inspires him to see the world as someplace more natural. It's here that the reliance on physical labor and free thought encourages him to explore the potential of a greater world. It's comical and often full of Huxley's keen eye for slapstick and complex thought. Even when outside forces attempt to ruin the purity of this culture, he manages to find humor in the darkness, leaving behind a greater commentary on how luxury can cloud judgment from deeper thought and make the world a dispensary.
At the start of the story, the protagonist is stuck in a world of convenience. He is, ironically, stunted at birth despite being born by machine. His journey through life feels codependent on his environment, and it results in dissatisfaction with his environment. Upon finding enlightenment, he visits an indigenous colony that inspires him to see the world as someplace more natural. It's here that the reliance on physical labor and free thought encourages him to explore the potential of a greater world. It's comical and often full of Huxley's keen eye for slapstick and complex thought. Even when outside forces attempt to ruin the purity of this culture, he manages to find humor in the darkness, leaving behind a greater commentary on how luxury can cloud judgment from deeper thought and make the world a dispensary.
What makes the satire land is that the protagonist can find self-actualization within the madness around him. Even so, it comes at a cost that finds him engaging with the entire spectrum of feelings, allowing for a sense of isolation and disconnect from others. The greater moral of the piece is a bit alarming, even if it's presented in a somewhat comic manner. By the final pages, Huxley executes the jarring moment with the intention to persuade and create a greater study of what it means to live a full life. Unlike "1984," this engages with something more impulsive and less convenient. The system may be at fault, but it's equally the conflict of the self to not conform, to look beyond comforts, and make their own legacy. The issue is that when enough people go along for the ride, who would want to get off?
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