Vectorbeam Doom
5 hours ago
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Future Possibility
I have just finished reading Brave New World and started reading Postman's book. My opinion is that I think Huxley's book is very interesting compared to Postman's, but yet again, I have just started reading 2 chapters. I think the characters in Huxley's book is absolutely crazy, even though I understand why they do what they do in their society also, because this book was written for the future. What kind of world is there without anyone NOT believing in God? Plus, no nobility, heroics, or love? This Utopian Society is a Robotic society. But, I think it can be the future with the way religions are not being taught as much as it used to be to children, Religions may disappear. Also, the way how some women and men go around and do not like being tied down, it is a possibility that having affairs is not a big deal any more in the future; it will be very common. With the way science is going, there is a very big possibility that scientists can create the people the way the want to and alter minds and personalities. Like the people in the book, maybe we may have an illusion of wanting a specific Utopian society and it may turn out like theirs is. But I would not want our world to end up like the book, it sounds too organized and boring. As I live a world like Huxley's book though, I will not be able to feel bored. I feel that a world with personality, intelligence, and bits of horrors is a place I would live, where everyone is different. Who would not agree with me about that?
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11 comments:
Congratulations on moving from BNW to Amusing Ourselves to Death [which, my friend offers a more realistic approach to the situation on hand].
Yes, the people in BNW are lunatics compared to us, but then again other civilizations seem crazy compared to us [as us to them]. So, people in these civilizations [fiction or not] are in delusion, not knowing much of a life outside of their own understanding of it, so their normal is different from ours.
And Mrs. Fletcher has already stated this book is a satire and a warning, so while Huxley certainly has concerns he wants the readers to address, it is absurd if we take this book literally. That is to say, don't worry about having to take "Soma" any time soon...
What kind of world is there without anyone NOT believing in God?
For some reason, this question confuses me. It seems to me you are asking "What kind of world is there without anybody who is an atheist?"... But I'm going to assume you're asking the opposite.
Well, my friend, as I've stated before, I am an Atheist. And from that point of view [mind you, you don't have to take me at my words, friend], I'll answer the question.
A world without religion would be a world where people base their opinions on evidence, rational thinking [not that religion or belief in God can't accomplish this...], and tolerance [again, not that religion or belief in God can't accomplish that...], instead of one where people base their opinions on a book, personal faith, or religious doctrines.
Now, please do not be offended. You capitalize the "G" in God, and I assume you're talking about the Christian God because of that. But, no belief in a god means the end of orthodox religion, which means the end of people crashing into towers with planes and "holy wars". [Again, just to clarify, I don't believe religions cause these things, but religion in the hands of deluded people].
And I disagree with the assumption that religion/belief in god is disappearing... around 92% of Americans believe in god leaving people like me in the minority.
BUT, I agree with you on this... A society where our human emotions like love, hate, anger, sadness, and happiness are absent is a sick one. People have feelings, and we should express them in a constructive manner... That's what makes us who we are. Without them, the world would be too organized and boring.
But rejoice, because the totalitarian society in BNW does not seem likely to happen in that extreme. People like us won’t let it happen anyway.
What I meant was that, there are many people who believe and do not believe. But in the world we live in right now, you will find that everyone at least either believes or does not. No one in the society in Huxley's book believes one bit or is taught. Like I was stating, I was just thinking about it. I also read in a magazine with a statistic that in the future, some religions may disappear. It also had examples of teens and kids who say that they have no desire to have a religion when they start their own family or actually care to go to temples, churches..etc. But that, I am just stating.
The statistic you read in a magazine is off base. What magazine? What statistic? Actually, there are more and more religions every year. If you think religious fundamentalism is a factor in our world today, just wait until you are my age. People were nervous about Kennedy being a Catholic, but in my lifetime, what a presidential candidate's religious beliefs are have come front and center. This is an American thing. Europeans, Latin Americans just look at us and shake their heads. In Europe, it is quite respectable to be an atheist. Nobody gives it a second thought. Here in America, though, watch out. Saying you are an atheist opens you up to all kinds of scrutiny and suspicion.
The statistic you read in a magazine is off base. What magazine? What statistic? Actually, there are more and more religions every year. If you think religious fundamentalism is a factor in our world today, just wait until you are my age. People were nervous about Kennedy being a Catholic, but in my lifetime, what a presidential candidate's religious beliefs are have come front and center. This is an American thing. Europeans, Latin Americans just look at us and shake their heads. In Europe, it is quite respectable to be an atheist. Nobody gives it a second thought. Here in America, though, watch out. Saying you are an atheist opens you up to all kinds of scrutiny and suspicion.
I have to agree with you completely.
If a Presidential Candidate ever came out as an atheist, he would be put down to all kinds of "scrutiny and suspicion"[Does he not have morals?! Will he not appeal Intelligent Design taught in schools? Will he continue to abide with the separation of Church and State?]. It's almost safe to say that it is nearly impossible [if not, fully impossible] for an atheist, agnostic, and perhaps an “apatheist” to run for public office in America...although, I don't know if Pastafarian[not to be confused with Rastafarian] made the cut line...
It is a safe bet to say that there might never be a world where no one believes in some kind of a deity, or supernatural thing bigger than them. That's where you separate fact from fiction in BNW.
Oh, I'd say you were right about that; no Atheist could get elected to national office here in the US. And what is a Pastafarian? A believer in good Italian food? If so, then I am one of those.
Oh, I looked Pastafarianism up...hilarious. Thank Ford for critical thinking.
Actually, my BA is in Comparative Literature with an emphasis in Religious Studies. Then I did 20 post graduate units in Feminist Spirituality at Immaculate Heart College -- radical nuns, aethists, theists, pagans, buddhists, voodoo priestesses and christians -- all wicked smart, and all challenging the status quo. Pretty heady stuff.
Comparitive literature, huh. That's interesting, and with an emphasis in religious studies no doubt. Now, from my meager understanding of Comparitive Literature [I hope my assumption is correct], I would think that anybody hoping to enter a job in the field of english[or anything around it] should find great interest in it. The studying of literature from other cultures is interesting, you might even find a gem from another country [ahem...Les Miserables...]
It seems like a challenge. I can't wait until I am able to jump into some pretty heady stuff myself someday.
Yes, thank Ford for critical thinking.
WOW. This is a very heated discussion.
Even though I totally agree with Ashley that i would rather live in a world with personality, intelligence, and originality. We still have to consider why they are stripping these rights away. They want to build a better society, a happier society. A society where there is no war or conflict.
So let me ask you this. Do you want to live in a world of peace and happiness if it requires you to strip yourself of your personality or intelligence? Do you think this is the only way achieve world peace?
I agree with Ashley that a society without individuality and intelligence would be so boring. There would be peace in the world, but I don't think anybody would be happy that they don't have individuality or intelligence. I don't think this is the only way to achieve peace. I think that if all of the world leaders just sat down and talked to each other about their problems, then that would be the first step to achieving world peace. The world wouldn't turn into the society like in Brand New World. In my opinion, I don't think scientists will do all of that to people because it is just unreasonable and no one would be happy in that kind of world.
Your comments are all great but i just wanted to add a little more something. You know what they say, in every situation there are advantages and disadvanteages. Sure these "brave new world people' are nuts, they also make their world a wonderful place to live in.
Imagine a world were you can do whatever you want, there's no worries about anything, it's like you are just living in the moment or something. All you have to do is just take one sweet little sugar capsule and your alive (If that makes any sense). You see it's not so bad afterall.
The disadvantage part is that you don't know who you are.
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