Throughout the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley the presence of the word stoma is frequent. This thing has a huge impact on the society of the people in this novel. Stoma is a powerful drug that makes humans feel, quite frankly, feeling-less. Also, this drug gives the person taking it a type of high which makes them only feel joy, and the people seem as if they are extremely addicted to it as well.
No feelings of love or passion are felt while on this drug especially, which is one reason I think readers are so off put by the society portrayed, for we love our family, friends, and significant others. So, we feel as if they (the people of the novel) need to feel these emotions also, but why? They do not know any better, and they are most likely better off this way! The people are never sad or mad or hurt, but always joyful. They can never be sad from the death of a family member or mad because their boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with them because, first of all, they don't have family, and second of all, they never have committed relationships. Only fun, weekend flings with people who they are physically attracted to that just enjoy each others company.
So the question remains, is it better to have emotions in society that may hurt you in the end but are worth it, or just play it safe and not have them at all?
-Alexa Moore
In my opinion the people of the novel would be welcome to have these feelings of detachment of that's how they were really feeling; But, they are programmed to be detached so you cannot say that it is better for them if they know not that they can be attached. They are programmed from birth not to want attatchment, and although they experience no pain or loss they also don't know the simple joy having a best friend or boyfriend/girlfriend can bring. They spend their whole life going from one person to the next, never wanting to be alone-they always want company. This whole predictament could be solved if they were simply attached to some close friend. So although it saves them pain, in the long run I think it's worth a couple losses to not spend your life fearing being alone
ReplyDeleteI believe it is better to have emotions in society that may hurt you in the end but are worth it because that is what makes “life worth the ride”. The state in Brave New World promotes happiness and discourages the feeling of loneliness. It is true that no one wants to always be alone, but solitude is where some may find happiness every once in a while. Feelings are necessary in society because that is what brings about the changes and initiation of improvement. Without the ability to truly feel the whole spectrum of emotions of hate, love, and hurt, you aren’t able to seek or find true happiness. Without feelings you are not able to truly get the whole experience of life.
ReplyDeleteWe are shocked at the lack of emotion that the people display in the novel because that is not how we are raised to feel about family and friends. However, we must understand that the people of the novel were only taught the way of their society and what they believe is right and wrong after being corrupted as children.
Although feelings of sadness, anger, and frustration can hurt you, they can also allow you to grow as a person and learn from the experience. Sadness and grief can allow a person to become mentally stronger by getting over such an obstacle. If the level of "joy" seen in the novel was apparent in the real world, no one would learn any lessons about reality. Even though the world in the novel was seemingly happy and joyful, they were experiencing a happiness that was on a basic level. It wasn't true happiness, even if they did not realize that. Sadness and grief can hurt but feelings of love for family and friends can allow one to experience such a joy that not even soma can bring forth.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Megan's comment. I believe that our ability to feel emotions is a crucial aspect of life since it allows us to become more mature and prepares us mentally for any obstacles that we will face further in life. Without being able to feel sadness and despair, we would have no idea what genuine happiness would be like since we would have nothing to contrast it against.
ReplyDeleteFeelings can hurt you. It is not in our control therefore we cannot run away from it. Things happen and situations fall apart and of course it is all because of these feelings. Whether happiness or sadness, as Megan said, it is all a learning experience. Through our ups and downs in life we become a more mature and older person. One must go through the cycle of happiness and sadness so that we can truly feel those feelings. Those moments where we are extremely sad and hate the world and people for treating you badly, you wish you never had to go through those feelings. Truth is when you escape that sadness finally you are a different person. You see the world in a different aspect and you are not as innocent and naive. Sometimes, hormones just suck, BUT we learn so it's all good!
ReplyDeleteI believe it is better to experience feelings that may bring pain but also happiness in the end. Feelings of anxiety, frustration, anger, jealousy, and hate are not very pleasant but when one is able to overcome them, they can then feel true happiness. By facing a vast range of feelings, one will have more experience in life. With this experience, people are able to connect with and understand each other, allowing a society to be able to improve and prosper. An absence of feelings may provide a safe zone but limits the joy one can feel. A society will not mature and improve without facing and overcoming difficulties such as feelings of pain.
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