Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Sleep Teaching (Brave New World)
In chapter two, the Director takes the students to a dormitory where the children sleep in a row of cots. Here he explains the concept of sleep teaching that involves emitting a voice on a loud speaker and telling the Beta children they are better than the other classes of society. Can this idea overall be considered as unjust and weak? The director believes this is "the greatest moralizing and socializing force of all time." However, it does neither to improve the distinction between right and wrong or produce a positive outcome. In my opinion, this procedure teaches the children to be prejudice and narrow minded. It is merely planting negative thoughts into the children's minds towards the other groups in society while making them think they are themselves happy where they are placed. They aren't given a chance to form opinions of their own because the opinions and judgements of the factory are already planted in their minds. I also find it to be cowardly to promote confidence and happiness by announcing these words while they are sleeping. It's as if it proves that their world is not as perfect as it seems and they must be secretly reassured that it is and that they too are a part of something good. Also, although it is a small act, is it possible that it can produce future problems and hatred between the social classes? Is this a process to help cover up the fact that they do not live in the "utopia" they are striving to create?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree that it is an unjust and, in my view, immoral procedure for 'finetuning society'. It prevents the kids from developing their own thought process. The goals are rather selfish: to create a society in wich the economy is perfect and allow for the leaders to gain more control over these 'zombies' of students. At least in our government, subliminal messaging is illegal (I find the sleep teaching a form of subliminal messaging) because it creates an unnatural desire or though in people that is very dangerous in terms of gathering support or soldiers.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, of all the things in Brave New World, sleep teaching is the only thing I long for. Of course, I'd have to be cautious that some nefarious government agent didn't sneak the wrong tape into my sleep teaching machine...but I'd love to wake up one day and realize I understood Jacques Derrida, or could read Tolstoy in the original Russian.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes sleep-teach myself with my Japanese CDs and songs, so that part of it is an extreme beneficial aspect, I have nothing against the isea itself, but the way they use it upsets me. It reminds me of the other day last week when I persuaded my mom to buy me ice cream with calm and steady repitition. She would mention Rite-Aid and I would ask, "For ice cream?" In the end I was surprised she bought ice cream and she said, "That's why subliminal messaging is illegal. It's because it works." I concluded that if one were to use any type, it would have to be for oneself. It can be educational, and it can be lethal.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of sleep teaching can have its highs and lows. For one, sleep teaching can be transformed into a technique designed to control another, as seen in the novel. The different classes all formed distinct opinions of each other that was not formed on their own but formed by their superiors. I agree in the terms that this could bring out further tension between social class and aid in the creation of unforeseen problems in their society. However, sleep teaching can be useful, if used correctly. If sleep teaching was purely used for knowledge and educational purposes, the people in society would have greater intelligence, and it could perhaps become beneficial overall.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree that the technique of sleep teaching used by the factory workers in Brave New World were completely unjust, I do think sleep teaching has benefits. Also, the director did mention that the more primal forms of sleep teaching were giving knowledge, however when questioned participants could only repeat the facts. People who used sleep teaching for knowledge had no real understanding of what they had repeated to them, they only knew what they were told. Sleep teaching in a Brave New World was used to brainwash people into submitting to their government and playing their role in society.
ReplyDeleteWell in my opinion, it's almost like they are composing people,and programming them as you would a computer in order for that person to perform the designed task perfectly, efficiently and happily. The lower classes, don't FEEL lower class; and the higher classes can appreciate their rank. I don't think it's such a bad thing, it sure beats having a job you despise then not performing it to your best and in thus effecting others work. The conditioning you speak of does give people a narrow mind, but for the sake of the world it created more stability, less conflict, and more productivity.
ReplyDelete