Are we living in the dystopian future described by Aldous Huxley? To listen to the novel: story.tel/barisozcan-202310 Until November 30, discover thousands of audiobooks with a 50% discount for the first 2 months! (partnership)
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Year A.F. 632. Careful, I didn't say Anno Domini, that is, A.D.. AF. which means After Ford. 632 after Ford. 632 years after 1908, when the first Ford Model T car in history was produced. Therefore, for us it is 2540. Why do you think such a historical reset was made instead of the Gregorian system?
Because Model T is a symbolic milestone. This automobile was the first product of the mass production method, which was established with a number of innovative techniques such as conveyor belts and specialized labor. A symbol of the dissemination of technology to the masses was this car. Therefore, they divided history with the T of technology. They almost deified Henry Ford, who produced it. For example, they say “Oh my Ford” as if they were saying “Oh my Lord”. Like “Oh my God!” In the future, we are heading towards a world where science and technology have become almost perfect.
In fact, the events begin in an "incubation and conditioning center" in New London. However, what is produced on the conveyor belts here is not automobiles. Babies. Moreover, these babies are also developed in different models. There are human types such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon.
In other words, a perfect (!) caste system has been established in the future. Class differences start from birth. The Alpha class, dressed in gray, is at the top, an intelligent, good-looking upper class consisting of leaders and thinkers. Betas wearing purple represent the middle class, consisting of lower-level managers and skilled workers. Green Gammas are the working class consisting of servants and semi-skilled workers. They were cloned using a method called the Bokanovsky process, but then they somehow continued their natural development. Deltas, also cloned by the Bokanovski method, are given alcohol injections that hinder their mental development, so they do low-level physical work and dress in khaki. They are programmed not to like books and flowers. And in general, they love to consume. At the bottom of the social pyramid are the clones called Epsilon. They cannot read or write. They are programmed to be extremely obedient. This is how the future World State, unlike the pyramids of the past, is built on biological engineering and conditioning. Two billion standardized people share only ten thousand surnames. They hatch to fulfill their predetermined roles. And from childhood, they are taught the new virtues of this new world, such as passive obedience, consumption, promiscuity, escaping loneliness, and prioritizing the group above everything else. These things are even taught to them even during their sleep using the hypnopaedia method. Citizens of the World State are given free pills. The main function of these pills called Soma is to make people instantly happy chemically. So, in this country of the future, happiness is guaranteed, almost mandatory. Honestly my friend, if you're not happy you're nothing. Have you ever felt like this? I must avoid pain and hardship.
I should be happy immediately! A TV series based on the novel started like this: “Welcome to New London. We have 3 rules: There is no privacy. No family. There is no monogamy. Everyone is very happy (!)” Aldous Huxley is an English writer, but he also taught French in his youth. And even in his own class, he was someone who couldn't keep order and couldn't keep control. Among his students is a guy named Eric Blair. This person later wrote a novel under the pseudonym George Orwell. Maybe some of you know. 1984. In other words, these two classic works written on dystopian societies were written by a student and teacher duo. So according to you, Which one do you think predicted these days more accurately? George Orwell's 1984 depicts how individuals' freedom is eliminated under the oppression of a totalitarian state. It presents us with a world that is constantly monitored by the "Big Brother" of the state. It shows how history and facts are changed and distorted. It depicts a society based on oppression, fear and violence. His teacher, Aldous Huxley, offers us almost the opposite in his brave new world. If we looked at it on paper, we would almost call it utopia. This is a very beautiful country of happiness. But in reality, this is a dystopia that looks like a utopia. Ustopia! Science and technology are very advanced, but they are used for control purposes. Everyone is happy, but individual and emotional depth is gone. People have been pacified with drugs, entertainment and superficial pleasures. I think we see these two different worlds today.
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Edited by: Alperen Çatak
Written and Presented by: Barış Özcan
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Full text of the video and sources used:
barisozcan.com