BNW vs. 1984 govt.

There are not many similarities that I can find. I mostly find differences in techniques that each governmental system uses but some of the similarities in their ideals are.

• The major one is that both societies are controlled by one entity. The people are completely loyal to the state, for the most part until some half crazed person comes in and disrupts the entire flow of the system and just screws everything up for everyone.
• Control of the masses. In Both societies they control the masses by how they think. In BNW it was hypnopedia, in 1984 it's the type of speech that the people use.
• Both societies are always checking up on their people, sortof. In BNW they 'check up' on their people by controlling how smart they are and also with word of mouth, if someone gets to smart for their own good they are moved to a new sector. In 1984 they can literally see every move you make and can hear everything you say or do and if you have too much thinking going on then they vaporize you.
• I don't think that this has to do much with the government necessarily but I thought that it was interesting that both of the protagonists in these books are male. I think that was just the stereotype at the time but it just seems interesting to me that people of that day who were writing about changing the system didn't go off the reservation and write about a woman who was changing the status quo.
• In both societies the government tries to fill as much time as possible with tasks that do not allow you to think on your own. In BNW it was electro-golf, in 1984 it's hate minute or just the stereotype that if you are alone you are wierd and it's bad to do that.
• Both governments lie to their people about what is really going on. In BNW the government tells it's people that they are happy, and they are, to an extent. In 1984 the government tells it's people that war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength which to a certain extent is but after that it just doesn't make any sense.
• Lastly in both books the protagonist is trapped because of the fact that true free will is supressed by the government

BNW vs. America

One of the main comparisons that I see between BNW and America is the amount of consumerism. We in the United States are stereotyped as people who only want something until it's ours. We will go and buy, buy, buy and in the end we only end up with a house full of useless junk. Just as in BNW where they can only create a new game if it has more parts than the one before it. Another comparison that can be made between BNW and America is the amount of technology going on. We in the United States like new technology although not necessarily the research that goes behind it. We want our products to be made faster and easier through the use of technology and are most excited when some new gizmo comes out. Such as the XBOX 360. This ties back into consumerism but on it's own the research part of the development of new machinery is not very glorified in our community. Just as in BNW where figuring things out on your own is prohibited. The third thing comparison that I see between BNW and America is the individual. Most of the students in my school do not really care about anyone but themselves. An example of this would be the interactions between clicks and even between the students in those clicks. No one has much allegiance to anybody. They may be your best buddy bud one minute (yes a literal minute) but the next minute they might be talking trash behind your back. Now, I do not think that the trash talking happens in BNW but "everyone belongs to everyone else." There is no allegiance to anyone as you can read when they make a feely out of John whipping himself: allegiance is given only to the state. Which thank goodness in the US we do not have that problem because as you can see complete allegiance to the state can sometimes end up in a situation that most of us think is horrible.

Lenina vs. John

John and Lenina have a difficult time understanding each other for various reasons but all of them relate to the fact that they were raised in complete different societies with completely differrent mores.

• In Lenina's world they are encouraged to be promiscuious, however, for John this creates tension and makes him feel uncomfortable because in Shakespeares' world, from which John learns, women who paint an inch thick are downcasted in society.
• Also, John has never seen technology. He is absolutely fascinated by this. Unfortunately, this makes Lenina feel awkward because that is what she is used to and when she goes to the reservation she freaks out.
• Lastly, John has figured his beliefs out with thinking and reading. Whereas, Lenina is trained to believe a certain thing. John's knowledge is more useful because he can rationalize it and he understands it deeper than Lenina does her beliefs.

BNW and Utopia

What connections have you seen between Utopia and BNW?

• Both Brave New World and Utopia claim to be, or claim to have perfect societies. Some other similarities about the two books would be the way that they try to give everyone what they need such as food and shelter, whether they be high on the totem pole or not.
• They also both do not have any sort of disease. Or atleast, in Utopia they never talk about having disease and in a Brave New World they have eradicated disease.
• In both societies everyone likes their job and everyone's job likes them.
• They don't have war. Atleast in BNW they don't, and in Utopia they try to not have any war and even if they do they don't ever use any of their people.

What seems good about BNW?

• The technology of BNW is amazing and I would love to be able to "drive" a helicopter. Which back in that day they actually thought was going to be the car of tomorrow.
• Ofcourse, the whole disease eradication thing is pretty cool.
• I find it cool, although alittle creepy, that they can change someone's genes. It fascinates me to think about being able to change who someone will be with just a push of a button.

What one thing troubles you most about it?

• The Zapping of the babies. I can deal with people being brainwashed in their sleep, just so long as they are taught good morals, which for the most part they are. But, I cannot fathom anyone electrically charging a floor to do that to a child, it is so inhuman. I can't stand to even imagine that occuring. It makes me want to vomit and then go on a rampage. That is how much it angers me to think of that.

Utopia

• "They treate their sick with all the cares they can"
• I don't understand why you wouldn't treat sick people with all the care that you can, so I agree with this strongly.
• "Consentual voidances of marriage"
• If two people are married and don't want to be then they should be able to void their marriage.
• "The Senate decides the laws"
• I disagree, from what I understood in the reading, the Senate has too much power, they decide case by case what is right and what is wrong. It seems like they do not have to follow much of a constitution.
• "They create awards for virtue"
• It would be nice to see more rewards for virtues than punishments for crimes in today's society.
• "No one is distinguished"
• No one, not even princes, are made out to be better than any others, in their dress or in their manerisms.
• "They don't think that lots of laws are good because not everyone understands all the laws."
• Agree, So many laws do confuse people. Disagree, but without lawas people go nuts.
• "Leagues are useless."
• agreee, case in point - United Nations, since we all have different ideas about how governments should be run; then the program is deficient. disagree, case in point - The United States of America, since we all have similar ideas on how government should be run it builds the entire system and makes us stronger.
• "War"
• Agree, they train both men and women, but they don't fight unless they are provoked, or they are helping one of their friends. Even if they are at war they usually try to either defeat the opposing side with subterfuge or they hire out for mercenaries.
• "They are very open to different religions"
• Sun, Moon, Christian, Vegan etc.
• "First and last day of every month and year is a festival"
• Parties are good for moral and it's nice ot be excited about something every month.
• "No Sacrifices"
• It should not be necessary to sacrifice animals in religious services.

Utopia

• "People view themselves as renting not owning land, so they believe that they should leave it better than they left it"
• I agree with this because in our society today some people do not take very good care of their land and it can really ruin a house, which leads to ruining the neighborhood. Now I know that we are talking about two different types of land but it's still our land
• "Diversity is needed"
• Any type of system, ecosystems and such, succeed more often with diversity than systems that don't have any diversity
• "They have similar clothes"
• It would be so nice to be similar to everyone in dress, that way you do not have to worry about what you're going to wear tomorrrow, it would always be the same thing.
• "In the schools you can learn whatever you want"
• I like freedom to choose what to learn
• "Everyone has a job but they don't have to overwork themselves"
• I would like my main job (going to school) to be like that, but it always seems like I'm always tired because of school things and other jobs?
• "The games are about learning"
• Their games are educational, not just about learning strategy like chess, but also virtues and vices.
• "The big dogs still think it is important to work"
• I don't really appreciate people who just sit there and allow everyone else to do all the work as they rule over them. People need to work on something wether they are 5 or 85 because if you don't have something to work towards or on then you become lazy.
• "The families eat quickly and then sit and chat"
• That is exactly how my family opperates.
• "In their religion soul's are immortal and virtuous deeds are rewarded"
• I believe that virtuous deeds should be rewarded.
• "A life of pleasure is a real evil"
• Disagree; life should be full of pleasure, if it isn't full of pleasure, then why live
• "Happiness coms from virtue."
• Being virtuous or good is very rewarding, whether it is tangible or not.

Utopia

• "You should not enslave yourself to a king."
• I agree with this because I think that enslavement is bad
• "We create our thieves and the punish our own creation for what it is"
• I disagree because if we didn't let them sit idle then they wouldn't become thieves, and alos because thieves are not just created out of idleness, they are created out of need.
• "Nothing equals a man's life"
• I very strongly agree with that because every human has their own potential to be great and nothing is equivalent to that
• "Extreme justice is an extreme injury"
• The punishment must fit the crime
• "Our Judicial system summed up in one paragraph
• I like our Judicial system, it's American
• "He who throws the dice often will sometime sget lucky
• The odds are in your favor that after enough times you will get the number you want, unless you're Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
• "Spread the Wealth"
• Agree and Disagree, it's nice ot have equality but the way it's described is socialism
• "As long as money is the standard, nothing can be governed justly or happily"
• Agree, and disagree people can be happy with the money they've got, but once it gets into the government then the entire country goes on freak out mode just like we are right now in this "recession"
• "VIRTUE HATH IT'S DUE REWARDS"
• I AGREE WITH THIS so much, I very much believe that if you have virtue, you will receive your correct rewards
• "Don't let princes get to high and mighty and make you insolent"
• In this case insolence is not bliss, insolence can get you killed, along with tyranny and acouple of other things that probably aren't good for your health. It's kindof a policy of mine to watch people and make sure they aren't getting to much power.