Why do the people of the New World, feel that soma is the key to all of their problems? Whenever feeling uncomfortable, Lenina is quick to take soma. After doing some research, I found out that soma is a type of drug that is used to block pain. What kind of pain could the characters be feeling? I found out that it is also addictive and it doesn't seem as if Lenina is worried about how many she takes. It is obviously a way for them to numb any feeling that they don't want and to escape all worries.
It seems as if most of the characters are comfortable not knowing what else is out there. I do know that it is another way to keep the people of the New World under control or it wouldn't be there. I'm not sure if they are completely reliant on it, because it doesn't yet seem so. But do you think that this drug can have that significant a role in keeping the people under control. Do you think that without it, they would have a higher susceptibility of becoming free thinkers like Bernard and Helmholtz and feel that something is missing in this perfect world? Or even worse, maybe they will become more "savage" like.
Vectorbeam Doom
1 hour ago
8 comments:
The thing is, they don't. They are issued by the government to take it. Since they were youngins, they were required to take it and ever since take it at a daily basis. Soma is used to put down other emotions and put the feeling of happiness in play. The characters could feel a pain within them if they don't take soma which is physical dependence which is like every other drugs, which are addicting. Thats why the government issues it to keep control and keep everyone happy. Without it, they could be free thinkers, they could feel other emotions, and they could experience whats it's like to be an actual human beings, or it could turn them into chaotic savages not happy, and fighting for control. Depends on the situation.
From Is This It? by the Strokes (2001)
Soma
Soma is what they would take when
Hard times opened their eyes
Saw pain in a new way
High stakes for a few names
Racing against sun beams
Losing against fig trees
In your eyes...
Cleaning house, listening to old CDs. I forgot about this song.
Just for fun...
Go to Wikipedia, type in "antidepressants," and read the list. Pretty amazing. I guess human beings aren't supposed to ever feel anything other than sheer bliss.
Do YOU like sitting around with your loneliness, your dissatisfaction, your nagging suspicion that you're not good enough, not smart enough, not good looking enough? And Ford forbid you should ever actually feel sad. Something must be wrong with you if you're sad. And yet, look the world we live in. There are children eating dust, and celebrities who can't actually DO ANYTHING INTERESTING who are feeding their cats rare fish eggs sprinkled with diamonds. If you don't get sad once in a while, you're not paying attention.
I was thinking the same thing you were Tim about the soma. I thought at first it was like alcohol, addicitng and pain relieving. Lenina does like to take lots of soma. She takes it almost everytime something is wrong with her or something went wrong. I think later on in the book the soma will catch up with her, but we will have to see. It is so amazing how everyone takes soma to relieve their pain because everyone is addicted to it.
-Alex Martin
I see the Soma as Heroine and it seems really addictive. Lenina and the other people in the society take Soma because it is so addictive and a drug that can kill. I don't get what kind of issues she must have to take so many. Anytime something abnormal happens like her time with Bernard, she takes it. Over dramatic! But yeah, it probably helps since she is taking a lot. Without Soma, the people FEEL things: pain, hurt, sadness, abnormal things that you are not taught as a child.
Soma is one of the major reasons that this Brave New World is kept under control. Soma leads to happiness. If the people are happy, then they are less likely to rebel against the system. People are dependant upon this drug because they have always lived with it. If soma was suddenly taken away from all of the people there would be utter chaos. Just think of what happens in today's society when people go through drug rehab. It is a very difficult time for the people going through rehab. Now think of an entire society going through rehab at once. Imagine a whole society going cold turkey.
Soma is the thread of society that keeps it running smoothly.
The reason that the people think soma is the key to all their problems is that soma is the key to all their problems in their minds. If they have a problem, if they feel pain, if they had a bad day then they just take the drug and it is all better.
Something like this exists in our society. As already mentioned antidepressants and pain killers are heavily consumed in our society.
Why do we feel that all of our problems can be solved by taking medications?
When I was reading this book I found it creepy how when things were "too much" for Lenina to handle or if something was to grotesque or graphic, she'd take some soma in a heartbeat. And my perspective of it was that it was like one of today's illegal drugs or alcohol. Drugs and alcohol have always been the choice that people choose to "feel better" or "get away" from problems. I think soma is just is used as a symbol for all the drugs and alcohol people use to try and cope with things and I think it will end up badly in the end unless things change.
I thought of soma as some sort of drug, an anti-depressant of some sort.
And it totally neutralizes the people from feeling other emotions.
And they were very addicted.
Well, that's how I viewed it anyways.
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