Happiness is never grand

I will not return to the detail of classic futuristic novel, widely known and described in other reviews. Huxley imagines a world Bypass trends of his time, derivation of trends but also, and this is more fascinating weak signals.

He plants with rigor and precision the décor of a world designed to ensure the happiness of each and social balance. No more sickness, old age ... over these evils against which humanity struggles for millennia. But as more art, more than religion, more passion ... Happiness is never grand. This is an anesthetic and sterilizing totalitarianism that is set up under the tutelage of conscious and cynical few leaders. Without soma, communism reigning for ten years and fascism to come will not reach perfection in the support of the masses.

It is the caste system, Alpha Gamma, which marks the most at first drive. By cons, it is often described in terms of genetic manipulation, which is an anachronism. Although the chromosome theory of inheritance in 1910, DNA will not discovered until 44 and elucidated its structure 52. In 1932, no genetic manipulation to the agenda. A careful reading of the first chapters shows that everything is based on the physical and mental conditioning, use of chemicals and embryo division. The real model of this caste system in the spirit of Huxley, is the division of labor (Taylorism) and the line work (Fordism) who triumph in the United States after the war (released in Modern Times 1936).

Two characteristics of this company, often much less cited since become part of our modern world struck me:
- Television, when she was in the 30s at the stage of experimental dissemination and she was not going to win after the 2nd World War. Sacred intuition have guessed that one day people would spend their screen time to watch sports matches!
- Liberalization of sexuality. One is obviously not the "Everyone belongs to everyone", but the idea that one can give an exclusive and definitive manner at a chosen spouse at home has become an oddity and multiple sexual experiences and partners is normal behavior.

After reading the other reviews, the style seems to have confused some readers. I read the novel without problem, and English more ... Maybe if you only have the habit of pulp fiction, science fiction category, you may have a little trouble past the first chapters (which describe the world quite so flat) and the events start to string together?

In any case, if you want to think, I recommend chapters 16 and 17, with an extraordinary dialogue between a few side "dissidents" and "Wild" John and the other controller Mustapha Mond. The rational cynicism Mustapha is almost convincing, while John, who had the revelation of what humanity through Shakespeare defends the right to not be happy, right to the suffering, the right to old age. It's upsetting and these crossings represent for me the novel of the keystone.

Too bad the end with a Wild which will cultivate his garden in opposition to consumer society is a little flat. Too bad the need to return to a primary and original savagery in most civilized humans is sloppy in the last chapter.