Final BNW Blog

Religion is distanced from the workings of the state. In Brave New World, if you are not a world controller then you will have no religious education, and although the world controllers are educated about religion they separate it from the workings of the state. This is similar to America in regards to the separation of church and state. Another way the societies in BNW and America are similar is the way they define who the good and bad citizens are. In BNW there are rigid distinctions that identify who contributes to the betterment of society and who is breaking the rules. This is determined by who does their job and follows the rules of conditioning. In America there are also certain norms created by society judging who is and is not a good person. The good are patriotic, educated, working citizens who provide for a family and make a decent life. Vagrants and deviants are seen as second class people. A third similarity between the two is their emphasis on consumerism. In BNW the people believe in consuming as much as possible and view it as a sign of progress or achievement. America is similar in regards to this. We view consumerism as key to the stability of society, and accumulation of wealth is typically a measuring stick of success.

BNW Blog #2 - Conditioning Lenina vs. John

Lenina:

• Gives into the idea that society should be put before the individual
• Wants people to be very forward in their advances on eachother. Emphasizes liking someone in an encounter without emotional attachment
• She lost individualism through her conditioning by being conditioned through a technological and uniform approach
• Hypnopaedia has taken all control over her personality and cognitive developments to rigidly define right and wrong, there is no grey area and she is the same as everyone else

John:

• Has genuine affection for people, especially for Linda
• Shows reluctance in making advances towards women. Emphasizes *love* in a relationship with emotional attachment
• Is conditioned through nuanced and varying aspects of the natural human condition (relatively natural) that he is surrounded with on the reservation
• The Shakespearan conditioning was part of a larger system of conditioning. John learned from the ways of life of the savages, but also from Shakespeares teachings. This allowed for John to interpret the interactions he had with others so he had a part in his conditioning

Lenina is unable to emphasize with John's approach to the relationship with her, becuase she doesn't understand how a person might be reluctant to enter a relationship the way John (and most of us) see relationshps. John is also unable to express his love for Lenina in a way she can understand what he means because she literally has no concept of love.

Brave New World Post #1

Things similar between Utopia and Brave New World

• there is an emphasis on music
• people are afforded little privacy
• everyone works for the good of everyone else
• they look down on other civilizations as if they are inferior

The best part of Brave New World is the health of the population. Most diseases are eradicated and people have instant access to ways to ensure their health. This is good because if a population is healthy they are able to worry about bigger issues. As Maslow identifies, an individuals wellness must come before anything else.

The worst part of Brave New World is the splintering of families. I think a comforting family unit is critical for human development. A family unit makes people become responsible and is needed for role modeling and teaching lessons to younger people.

Utopia pgs. 41-61 - Assignment #3

-Slavery: slaves are taken from people who have comitted high crimes, people from other nations that Utopia take over who have been given the death penalty, people who have committed adultery, and from travellers who are caught without approval of the Prince. Native slaves are treated much worse than foreign slaves since the Natives should have known better than to commit a crime given their upbringing in Utopia. The Prince can restore liberty if it is proven that a slave has earned their freedom through work.
*The concept of slavery is a brutal one, but I think the way Utopians approach slavery is just. It creates good for the society and the slaves are able to regain their slavery if they show repentence. I would also prefer to be out and working as a slave than to be in a jail cell for my whole life.

-Sick and dying: The sick are cared for immensely and given the best treatment available. The old are also able to have their lives taken from them if they do not wish to stay alive.
*The caring for the sick is probably agreeable for all people, but the mercy killing is probably contentious. I think mercy killing is a just taking of life, because if a person is unable to function and generate happiness for themself they might as well die. A person also has the right to choose their own life, in my opinion.

-Marriage and relations: There is to be no sex before marriage, but before a marriage is approved both people will see the other naked in order to identify any imperfections the other may have. There is to be no polygamy, and divorce is only allowed in cases of adultery or perverseness.
*I think that as basic principles these are good, but if they are actually laws then it is unjust because I believe a person should have the right to make decisions regarding their own life.

-Law: There are few laws because the Constitution is so tight and neatly written. As a result of the simplicity there are no lawyers in the land and people are to defend themselves in court.
*On face this seems to be a pretty awesome idea. People will represent themselves rather than have law experts fighting over stuff using legal jargon. The law will also be simple and easy to understand.

-War: Men and women are both allowed to fight in war if they volunteer, but the main source of soldiers is hiring people from other nations. Utopia believes it is just to use deceptive means to end a war, such as offering citizens of other nations rewards to kill that nations leader. The Utopian armies fight boldly until the last man, but they would rather let their enemies escape than pursue them.
*I disagree with the Utopians when it comes to hiring out for soldiers, because if a nation is worth keeping then it is worth fighting for. It just seems very wussy. However, when it comes to war anything goes, so the rest fo the principles are just.

-Religion: Religious freedom is tolerated in Utopia. Most people believe in one deity, and people who do not believe in a deity are virtually shunned. The number of priests in the land are purposefully kept at a low number so the virtue of the position is maintained. The temples are magnificent by no images of God are created. There are no animal sacrifices.
*I finally agree with the Utopians when it comes to religion. Religion is too ambiguous and it is impossible to find the truth so freedom is the most fair way of approaching.