Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

From the Back Cover

Now more than ever: Aldous Huxley’s enduring masterwork must be read and understood by anyone concerned with preserving the human spirit

“A masterpiece. … One of the most prophetic dystopian works.” —Wall Street Journal

Aldous Huxley’s profoundly important classic of world literature, Brave New World is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically-advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order–all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our souls. “A genius [who] who spent his life decrying the onward march of the Machine” (The New Yorker), Huxley was a man of incomparable talents: equally an artist, a spiritual seeker, and one of history’s keenest observers of human nature and civilization. Brave New World, his masterpiece, has enthralled and terrified millions of readers, and retains its urgent relevance to this day as both a warning to be heeded as we head into tomorrow and as thought-provoking, satisfying work of literature. Written in the shadow of the rise of fascism during the 1930s, Brave New World likewise speaks to a 21st-century world dominated by mass-entertainment, technology, medicine and pharmaceuticals, the arts of persuasion, and the hidden influence of elites.

“Aldous Huxley is the greatest 20th century writer in English.” —Chicago Tribune

My Review

I’ve read this book several times and each times I recognize more and more similarities to our own current society. It’s a dystopian book in that it paints a picture of a society that is under full control of the government. No individuality is allowed and the state controls each person’s life from birth, where they are separated into different castes that are taught to hate each other and praise the greatness of their own caste. Family is abolished, intimate relationships are controlled by the system, and if you’re starting to feel down there’s always Soma nearby.

If one is to draw parallels to our modern society, the first that comes to mind is how similar the Social Democrats in Sweden thought about the society in the early 19th century (20th century if you’re murican), and still does. Their slogan read “from the cradle to the grave”, and they mean it. At least if you read about what the early pioneers of this school of thought wanted to achieve. Luckily, they didn’t fully succeed and we still do have some form of freedom and individuality.

“He who trades liberty for the illusion of safety shall find himself bereft of both, for true security is born from the embrace of freedom.”
– Benjamin Franklin

These are, of course, ideas taken to their extreme but it doesn’t stop power hungry politicians and other leaders trying to achieve this form of ultimate control over their serf. It’s the way of the world – leaders trying to achieve control while the people try to achieve freedom for themselves. Books like these are important in helping people understand the broader picture in a world where the digital walls are closing in on each person.

I thoroughly enjoy this book and, together with books like 1984, I think it should be mandatory reading for young people.

5/5 thumbs up!