Recently, I started to read <Brave New World> as an English study group I lead just began a meetup focusing on reading a novel. It was almost 5 years ago when I happened to read this classical novel, but all the memories of never-ending goose-bumps, chills, sighs (in a good way), and noddings still breathe inside of me. Often times, I've gotten compelled to close the book and to give myself a little moment for deep reflection to digest what I just read -- the incredibly smart analogies kept making me doubt and question all the norms I had had for almost my life. And when the last page was finally flipped, I sat still for a while, (I had to) trying really hard to make sense of all the thoughts and strange emotions arising in side of me. The little period of time for the read was full of pure exhilaration coming from when my intellectual curiosities perfectly were met and very last moment was theorgasmic epiphany, each of which were truly eye-opening experiences that I had not been able to experience quite often.
Many poeple praise <1984> as the best dystopian novel, but to me <1984> can't even compete <Brave New World>. Whereas the sole purpose of <1984> is explicitly vilifying an ideology: Totalitarianism, for <Brave New World>, criticizing the ideology is only a beginning, it goes way beyond the political system: from the nature of society or human connection, to a social mobility, and even to happiness. His clever analogies of distorted perfect world is to a large extent the one we go after under the name of happiness. That's where the genious of Huxley's masterpiece lies; a number of layers builds so profound that it's even more resonating with modern society than it was in 1940s. (of course it is my groundless bold assumtion but I'm darn sure about it.)
One of the distinct aspects of <Brave New World> is its twisted strict hierachy -- Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epcilon. Although there is a rigid rule not allowing any social mobility, what is so terrifying about is each class voluntariliy conforms the rule and loathe each other. Thanks to "conditioning (reframing of brainwashing in the book)", individuals have completely innated the norm and genuinely feel content with their lives and classes no matter how lowcase they belong to.
There's this part in the book when author describes how new babies are "conditioned" by listening a story with some kind of machine underneath their pillows. It goes like this, "and Delta Children wear Khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly colour. I'm so glad I'm a Beta." Ruling the society not by oppression or violence but by the voluntary conformity. That's the genious of this novel.
Tribalism. The meaning of this social term is "the state of living in a tribe", "tribal consciousness and loyalty; espeically exaltation of the tribe above other groups". Our society is polarizing, politically and socially, and everyone agrees that invisible social classes seem to be more and more solidified with social mobility dinimishing. Alpha, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons never mingle or even dare to question whether or not they can move up the ladder. Their voluntary conformity has been largely derived from the brainwash they went through since they were born. But, wait, how about us? Even without any brainwashing mechanism systematically conducted by our goverment, we are still voluntarily brainwashing ourselves and others, crawling to stuck in certain bubbles to which we think we belong. These bubbles, classes, or tribes whatever you call it, tear our society into pieces, resulting in only accelerating a structural hierarchy.
Anyhow, the book is not just about classes, as briefly mentioned eariler. So, if the recent <Squid Game> interested you about any "dystopian world," <Brave New World> should, I believe, definitely be on your list.
