Welcome, You’ve Got a Brave New World

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Welcome, You’ve Got a Brave New World

The task of predicting the future is difficult at best, yet Huxley’s predictions of the future have proven to be eerily accurate in several areas. Many of Huxley’s predictions are being realized today, have already been realized or will be realized in a few short years. These specific predictions, which are closely related to today are our sexual practices, an obsession with youth and beauty, the minimal role of parents and the practice of religion.

In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World people treat sex as a form of entertainment rather than an expression of love between a couple. Most forms of entertainment in Brave New World somehow relate to sex. For example the feelies are pornographic movies with a more advanced plot line and the tremendous bonus of experiencing the same things as the actors on the screen. The government encourages sex and promiscuity among its citizens, if a person is not promiscuous they are seen as outcasts. Sex in Brave New World is not a private matter and is openly practiced. To ensure that sex’s purpose is for entertainment the government makes only thirty percent of the female population fertile. This ensures that the population will not view sex as a form of reproduction because the majority are not capable of sexual reproduction. The more partners a person has the more popular the person is.

A person is discouraged from having a long-term relationship with one person. If they have a long term relationship their loyalty to the government and Ford is in question, as evidenced in the following excerpt: “And you know how strongly the DHC objects to anything intense or long and drawn out. Four months of Henry Foster without having another man - why, he’d be furious if he knew”(page #) One night-stands are common and expected.

Sex is discussed openly in Brave New World. It is not seen as dirty, shameful or something to be discussed behind closed doors. From a young age children learn about sex and contraceptives. Children are forced to use contraceptives every time they have sex. They are encouraged to participate in sex play from a young age. Those who do not wish to participate are taken to a psychologist for an evaluation.

Religion in Brave New World is also linked to sex.

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