I've always found that kind of dystopian literature to be really interesting, especially since a lot of the older works, like 1984 and Brave New World are still so incredibly relevant this many years later.
In Brave New World, all words relating to family are considered swear words, and isn't it interesting how much the family itself is disvalued in today's western culture? In order to become a proper member of society, we have to distance ourselves from the shadow of our family, become "our own person" and take care to become nothing like our parents before us. A man who follows in his father's footsteps, say to become a doctor or mechanic, is thought to either have no thoughts of his own, or to have been pressured by his family into his profession.
Another parallel can be drawn from the Brave New World society's condemnation of monogomy to today's obsession with sex and promiscuity. "Sex Sells" really is the motto in business nowadays, and it's rare to see a commercial on TV that doesn't involve an attractive person or some kind of sexual imagery. Celebrities, like Colin Ferril, that are said to get around are actually more desirable than ones who keep to one significant other for a length of time.
And I'm not necessarily implying that our society has gone to complete pot, but it's kind of cool to look at all the similarities and things authors have predicted that've come true.
Um. Sorry, I'm rambling. In short, I think your geekery is awesome.
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Date: 2006-09-27 09:40 pm (UTC)In Brave New World, all words relating to family are considered swear words, and isn't it interesting how much the family itself is disvalued in today's western culture? In order to become a proper member of society, we have to distance ourselves from the shadow of our family, become "our own person" and take care to become nothing like our parents before us. A man who follows in his father's footsteps, say to become a doctor or mechanic, is thought to either have no thoughts of his own, or to have been pressured by his family into his profession.
Another parallel can be drawn from the Brave New World society's condemnation of monogomy to today's obsession with sex and promiscuity. "Sex Sells" really is the motto in business nowadays, and it's rare to see a commercial on TV that doesn't involve an attractive person or some kind of sexual imagery. Celebrities, like Colin Ferril, that are said to get around are actually more desirable than ones who keep to one significant other for a length of time.
And I'm not necessarily implying that our society has gone to complete pot, but it's kind of cool to look at all the similarities and things authors have predicted that've come true.
Um. Sorry, I'm rambling. In short, I think your geekery is awesome.