Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel, Brave New World, published in 1932 as the world was emerging from the Great Depression and on the cusp of totalitarianism and war. It is set in a future version of Earth called ‘World State’ where humans lead a comfortable but boring existence through drug-induced comfort and artificial reproduction. In this happy society humans are known as ‘Universals’ and are classified into castes based on their role in society, such as Alpha or Beta; essentially dividing people into those who have more privileges or less privileges based on their attributes. In this world there is no pain, fear, anxiety or sadness – just tranquil contentment. Aldous Huxley intended his book as an attack on what he saw as the false utopias of his time – from Communism to Fascism to New Liberalism – which he believed would lead to greater suffering in the long run.
Aldous Huxley
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