Brave New World: The Basis of Religion
In the novel "Brave New World" civilized society lives in a world of science and technology. Major changes have occurred during the future; Utopia now revolves a religion of drugs and sex. God and the cross have been replaced by Ford and the symbol T, the founder of the age of machines. Instead of Sunday church, members now attend solidarity services where morals and tradition are not learned, but rather faith is taught in the belief of hallucinations produced by a substance known as "soma." Soma has effectively replaced the belief in a higher being by its elimination of problems and stress resulting in a lack of imagination , creativity, or "soul." Yet religion can still be found in today's society because of man's continuing need for answers to questions that cannot be solved by science or technology.
Religion can be regarded as the beliefs and patterns of behavior by which humans try to deal with problems and stress that cannot be solved through practical applications of science or technology. "Brave New World" deals with stress by its elimination of problems through the use of soma. As shown in the novel, the people have been addicted to soma as to the point of rioting when their supply is threatened. Their attitude can be related to religious fanatics who accomplish violent actions in the right of their religion. Present day society turns to lesser forms of expression through weekly attendance to their place of worship in hopes of a stress-free life. To overcome these limitations, society turns to the manipulation of supernatural beings and powers.
Consisting of various rituals, prayers, songs, dances, offerings, and sacrifices, people try to manipulate supernatural beings to their advantage. Recipients of riches, power, and glory have often praised their Savior. These beings may be Gods and Goddesses or even ancestral spirits. In all societies there are certain individuals especially skilled at dealing with these beings and powers who assist other members of society in their ritual activities. A great amount of power can be delegated to these individuals such as the Pope or the Dali Lama. "Brave New World" has its own religious interpreter in the seven world controllers. Mustapha Mond controls the thoughts, emotions and happiness of the people under his control. By interpreting the collection of writings revealed by the higher being, high priests or priestesses can provide the answers to man's questions.
During the middle 1990’s the African-American female writer, Octavia Butler, published a series of dystopian novels, which served as social commentary on modern problems including the environment, the wealth gap, poverty, unemployment, scarcity of resources and political inefficiency. In “The Parable of the Sower”, Butler deftly utilizes the protagonist to question the efficacy of religion and the importance of philosophy in the face of the impending destruction of civilization. The protagonist, Lauren Olamina, invents a new religion in order to create a new future for humans on another planet. Throughout the book, Lauren asserts that her new religion, Earthseed, is in fact a religion. However, when measured against various definitions it can
Brown, J., Gutstein, E., & Lipman, P. (2009, May 29). Arne Duncan and the Chicago
McCarthyism became a household term, not only associated with the red scare. It is now a term used for any accusation without any evidence. This time period was not the first time people were accused of being a communist, however it did become a very big deal in the U.S. and happened most during that time. The idea of McCarthyism was developed even before McCarthy, he just made the idea popular. It’s origins are from many things. Every time the U.S. skirmishes with Russia, the idea increased. Also, according to "The Cold War Home Front: McCarthyism.", Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal was supposedly linked to communism. The idea came from a lot of places, McCarthy being the main one.
The Renaissance has not ceased to be an age of discussion and debate among historians throughout the recent centuries. The vibrant nature of the era marks it as a most fascinating period of history. The Renaissance can be described as an age carrying the essence of “self-discovery and fulfillment, of recognition of human worth, and a dynamic outpouring of artistic activity.” This new world flourishing with art and creative optimism was also steeped in a spirit of “revolt of the Medievalists.” In an effort of “rebirth,” the previous culture of the Middle Ages was rejected, and even scorned. Foundational principles in all fields were overstepped, and old cultural norms were practically obsolete. It was an era whose humanistic philosophy greatly impacted the lens through which man viewed himself and the world.
The story of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley depicts a utopian society conflicted by stability. People are oblivious to the morals and ethics upheld by their ancestors 600 years before and, in turn, are demoralized. Babies are born in laboratories, relationships last no longer than "bedtime", and drugs are provided by government for daily use by their citizens. The drug, "soma" symbolizes estatic rapture experienced by the gloomy looking for escape, material religion for those looking for comfort from a supernatural force, abused aphrodisiac for lovers looking to have a good time, and complete technocracy from a government using a controlled substance to dominate the minds of its people. Soma and its uses reveal a society in ruins using drugs as an escape from reality and life's struggles.
Jenkins, Jason. "Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS): A Fairy Tale Growth Story." Investment U RSS. N.p., 16 May
The people of Brave New World are kept calm with a drug called soma. Described as having “all of the advantages of Christianity and alcohol and none of their defects”, it’s a psychoactive drug that induces feelings of calm, therefore contradicting any need to discover and potentially tackle the true source of one’s distress. Soma subdues
“Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators” United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Northeast Washington: 1978. Web. 9 Feb 2012 http://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Huxley effectively uses distortion in Brave New World in his depiction of Soma as a replacement for religion. Soma is a rationed narcotic that is emphasized by the government to help the people escape from their problems. The people of Utopia have become dependent on the drug to keep them in a constant state of pleasure. In their "perfect" society there is no escape from happiness. The primary example of the degrading effects of Soma is Linda. Brought back from the Savage Reservation after being left behind pregnant, Linda faced many moral and ethical dilemmas she chose to avoid. Her addiction to Soma, which is looked upon as a good thing by everyone except John, brings about the terrible end to her life in which she was in a state of constant delusion. Soma, as Mustapha Mond puts it, is "Christianity without tears" (244). Soma, in effect, is the key to social stability in Utopia. Soma prevents uprisings, saves revolutions and suppresses emotions. Although Huxley's distortion of religion is powerful, there are other strong arguments in the book.
Behn, Aphra. “The Disappointment.” The Norton Anthology: English Literature. Ninth Edition. Stephen Greenblatt, eds. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 2313. Print.
J. M. Powell (ed.), Innocent III: Vicar of Christ or Lord of the World?, 2nd edn (Washington DC: Catholic University of America Press, 1994)
The society of the Brave New World is quite different from ours, with their lack of spirituality proving that point. “The pleasure-seeking society pursues no spiritual experiences or joys, preferring carnal ones. The lack of religion that seeks a true transcendental understanding helps ensure that the masses of people, upper and lower classes, have no reason to rebel” . Another main difference, is the absence of mothers and fathers, and the technology that makes it possible. “Brave New World is a futuristic society designed by genetic engineering, and controlled by neural conditioning with mind-altering drugs and manipulative media. It predestines human embryos to certain levels of intelligence, and chemically does away with the concept of old age”. Today, the technology is simply not available to create hundreds of humans from the same egg. Yet another prophecy that differs greatly from those of today, is the use of soma and casual sex. In today’s society both of these things are frowned upon greatly. However, in the brave new world, they are promoted. The prophecies promoted in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, are quite different from those promoted in today’s society.
“Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, "What's in it for me?”- Brian Tracy. Faust is illustrated to be an exceedingly sophisticated scholar and alchemist; a man of discontent, and is compelled to obtain a vast amount of the world’s knowledge that surrounds him. In spite of all his triumphs, Faust becomes strangely unsatisfied at his life accomplishments’, “Oh God, how hard I’ve slaved away, With what results? Poor foolish old man, I’m no whit wiser than when I began!”(Goethe Lines 121-20).
"Oil Embargo, 1973–1974 - 1969–1976 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." Oil Embargo, 1973–1974. U.S. State Department, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2014.
The first study will be presented in two parts; 1.) Foundational research on empathy in leadership, 2.) Opinions formed from a different group based on the outcome of the first study. This two-part study has been conducted among business students throughout a period of three years and serves to discover why empathy is not an essential part of leadership today. Also incorporated in this article are other literature-based reflections that concur with ...