Have we conformed to the Brave New World?
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Conformity in the Brave New WorldUnlike the United States, who primarily praises individuality, the World State fully functions on the basis of conformity. Each group is identified based off a color they are meant to wear. Mulberry for Betas, green for Gammas, Grey for Altas and others. Each and every member of the World State is conditioned to think and believe a certain way..the way the government wants them to."Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without any one. Even Epsilons are useful. We couldn’t do without Epsilons. Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without any one (Huxley 56). The World State would not be able to function off of individuals. Instead it relies on each and every group as well as each group's ideals.
Conformity in the US"Conformity is the tendency to align your attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with those around you. It's a powerful force that can take the form of overt social pressure...(Psychology Today).
Conformity in the United States can most often be seen in a high school setting. Teenagers want to fit in and often conform to the ideals and behaviors around them. It is a little different from the Brave New World because it is the person's choice on which group they want to conform to, whereas it isn't the person's choice in the World State. Instead they are given the ideals they have to believe and what social group they will become. Another form of conformity in the US can be seen in various cultures such as African American, Japanese, Latino and others. Conformity is more apparent than any other time period before. We long to meet certain societal expectations and are subject to a certain schedule now similar to the Brave New World. It could very well be that we are slowly but surely becoming the Brave New World. |
Individuality in the USIn 2016, individuality is encouraged. We are constantly reminded to "just be ourselves" or to love who we are. However, people are looked down upon if they aren't similar to their peers or if they have different ideals and beliefs. People are made to feel ashamed, more often than not, if they are different. Americans, like members of the Brave New World, are ultimately conformists in order to be happy. In the U.S, Conformity is not specifically encouraged as much as it is in the World State, but is people are becoming more concerned with conforming to society.
Individuality in the Brave New WorldRight as they are born, members of the World State are immediately stripped of their individuality and are made to conform- into their own social groups. They are given entertainment through technology and are maintained on tight schedules. The act of conforming is ingrained in them, and individuality is heavily rebuked. In the book it says,
"Murder kills only the individual-and, after all, what is an individual?...Unorthodoxy threatens more than the life of a mere individual; it strikes at Society itself" (Huxley 137). To the Director and leaders of the World State, individuality is a threat to stability. |
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Bros., 1946. Print.
"Psychology Today." Conformity. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2016.
"Psychology Today." Conformity. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2016.