图书作者与内容简介

Brave New World is a dystopian novel, published in 1932, and is one of the three major dystopian novels tied with "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451". It is also rated as one of the top ten novels of the 20th century. The story is set in London in 2540 and describes the technology and domination, civilization and class of society in the new world. The content of the book warns people with exaggerated brushwork, discusses the hidden worries of today's technology.

我的观点

This book is a dystopian novel, but it is different from the dystopian novel I had read before. What I had read before was a fable that described contemporary society, a certain culture, or politics in society. However, this book makes me feel very different. This book is set in 2540 and describes a new world, just like its title suggests. What's special is that I believe the society depicted in the book is likely to be humanity's future. Why do I think so? It's because if science and technology become overly developed, many things that originally belong to culture or human nature will be mechanized. Everything will be replaced by science and technology, or the totalitarian rule of the ruler will lead to people's lives becoming chaotic and undemocratic.
The birth of human beings in this new world is as highly controlled as technology. They are divided into five classes: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon from top to bottom. Fertilized embryos are grown in bottles and monitored by superiors throughout the process. Moreover, different classes undergo distinct growth processes. They are conditioned mentally before birth, and upon leaving the bottle, they wholeheartedly identify with their assigned class. This system also reminds me of India's caste system. In India, people are divided into four classes: Brahmanas, Satrias, Wesias, and Sudras, and this system is hereditary. Although India officially abolished the caste system and discrimination after gaining independence from British colonization in 1947, the concept of class still runs deep in people's hearts, resulting in ongoing inequality. Similarly, in the book, people's minds are controlled to the point where they cannot rebel.
In the new world, people of every class are brainwashed to accept their own class, ensuring that no one desires to resist because everyone believes their status is superior. This guarantees stability, uniformity, and control by the ruling class.
In short, there is no disease, aging, school, love, family affection, or gods here. People in this society are happy, carefree, and affluent, largely due to the use of "Soma," a psychedelic drug with no side effects that helps people forget their troubles and eliminate pain.
But can a world without pain truly be happy? I don't think so. I believe that happiness is not solely based on emotional satisfaction; it encompasses many aspects of life. I find happiness in seeing my friends happy, enjoying delicious food, or having a great day. Happiness is, in fact, quite simple. There's no need for drugs, which, in my opinion, strip away the essence of happiness. Moreover, happiness is often linked to the experience of pain. To illustrate this from an economic standpoint, if I were to eat an ordinary delicious cake, my satisfaction might be rated at 10 points. However, if I were to consume an even better cake and then return to the ordinary delicious cake, my satisfaction might drop to 7 points. This concept is known as the marginal effect. In our daily lives, when we experience highly satisfying things, we tend to pursue even greater satisfaction to attain more happiness. Therefore, I perceive happiness as a matter of comparison, with each experience carrying a different degree of happiness. Relying on drugs to artificially stimulate dopamine release cannot provide genuine spiritual satisfaction.
This book leads me to ponder what the world will be like in 500 years. Will it be as advanced as depicted in the book, will it return to nature, or will climate change render it uninhabitable, potentially leading to human extinction? This book also serves as a warning about the hidden concerns associated with rapid technological advancements in our current era.