I was thinking about chapter 5, and how Henry Foster states that "All men are physico-chemically equal."
This set off a chain of many thoughts in my head.
The castes (Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons) were created to organize the different people on the World State. As read in chapter 1, each person gets different amount of things put inside them when being synthesized. Then I thought: The castes are made in order to separate the different people, but wasn’t it stated that they are actually equal?
As Henry mentioned, they are equal when dead, because they are used to fertilize plants, but no matter the caste, they will grow the same amount of trees as the rest.
And this led to my final thought: Just because a person is different, doesn't mean they aren't equal.
I mean, we're all different in our modern society, but we've got the same rights and freedoms as everyone else. And even though we think we're all different, we really all are fertilizers after all.
The Alphas and Betas often criticize the lower castes. Well, that isn't too different from us. Often, the minority races are made fun of (usually through use of a stereotype joke). But no matter what race we each are, we're all heading in the same direction in life, regardless of when we'll each get there.
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2 comments:
Hmmmm... That's a novel idea I guess. I never really thought about it that way. That makes alot of sense. The Alphas and Betas have that criticism in their programming from when they were younger and still developing just like how some younger children have prejudices instilled in them from things they hear in their own household. The big learning period for children usually spans from age 3 to 9. If they hear anything "significant" they repeat it either making their parents/older relatives proud or embarrassed.
You have a very interesting point, Louie. Now that I think more about it, I have to say that I agree there is some connection between the criticism of "lower" castes in Brave New World and the minorities of today. However, I do see some differences.
In Brave New World, the castes are bred to be contemptuous of each other. The Alphas sneer at the Gammas, and the Gammas sneer at the Alphas. Its the way they have been programmed.
Our world is a bit different. Minorities are ridiculed by other races, and the minorities ridicule the races that aren't minorities. Part of it is the way they are raised, but not all of it. I feel that the majority of this ridiculing is because of the distinction between the haves and have-nots that has been passed down from generation to generation. In our world, the hatred and prejudices between races comes more from pride and jealousy, while in Brave New World, the dislike come from their breeding.
I am not sure if I totally missed the point of what you were trying to say, Louie, but this is what came to my mind when I read your blog. Feel free to correct me on anything I missed.
_Sejal Shah
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