“Three charming girls from the Bureaux of Porpaganda by Synthetic Voice waulaid him as he stepped out of the lift.
'Oh, Helmholtz, darling, do come and have a picnic supper with us on Exmoor.' They clung round him imploringly.
He shook his head, he pushed his way through them.
'No, no.'
'We're not inviting any other man.'
But Helmoltz remained unshaken even by this delightful promise. 'No,' he repeated, 'I'm busy.' And he held resolutely on his course. The girls trailed after him. It was not till he had actually climbed into Bernard's plane and slammed the door that they gave up pursuit. Not without reproaches.”(BNW p.68)
This quote clearly portrays Helmholtz's arrogance and feeling of superiority in his society. It is evident that he has the ability to think for himself and decide whether or not he thinks something is right unlike the others in the community. Having the ability to decide whether or not something is right make it easy to argue that Helmholtz's has a conscience. All those characteristics that I briefly mentioned about Helmholtz are evidence of individualism.
So, what's wrong with that? Well, in a society where “Community, Identity, [and] Stability”(BNW p.3) are important, individualism can lead to someone questioning the way of life. That in turn opens the eyes of others in the community. This can lead to a coup d'etat resulting in a new society in which people believe in individualism and now longer live up to “Community, Identity, [and] Stability”(BNW p.3). In societies as these, Helmholtz could be considered as too smart for his ability to think freely weakens the power that the set government has on him.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Playing The Game
"But one's got to make the effort," she said, sententiously, "one's got to play the game..."(43)
In life, it is impossible to escape the surprised and somtimes accusing looks of people when you have acted in a manner that you are not expected to. Depending on your staus in life, the family you were born into, or simply the society you live in, there are always expectations. However, many individuals are guilty of not wanting to follow all or certain of those expectations for one reason or another. Lennina Crowne is one of those individuals. I am one of those individuals. We don't mean any harm by not abiding by the rules. We simply want to be unique or deep inside we don't feel that those expectations fit our being. In Brave New World, Lennina is expected to be promiscuous and sleep around with many guys. She doesn't feel like doing this but her friend Fanny convinces her that she must "make the effort and play the game" because if she doesn't she will get in trouble. That is the same in life, even if we don't like it, we must play the game until we are sure that we can finally emancipate ourselves from it. This was my problem a few years back when I used to be forced to go to church. I hated church and wanted nothing to do with it so I rebeled and instead of being a good boy, as was expected from a child who had been raised in church, I decided to not care anymore and do whatever I wanted. It was all great for me until I realized the reputation I was giving my parents. Therefore I decided to play the game and while I was still forced to go to church I was a "good boy" in the presence of the christian comunity until about a year ago that my parents stopped forcing me to go. I still act in good manners in their presence so that they won't think that my parents raised a demon, but when they are gone I am the same old Kevin. One's got to play the game, perhaps not fully, but just enough to get by in a world full of expectations.
In life, it is impossible to escape the surprised and somtimes accusing looks of people when you have acted in a manner that you are not expected to. Depending on your staus in life, the family you were born into, or simply the society you live in, there are always expectations. However, many individuals are guilty of not wanting to follow all or certain of those expectations for one reason or another. Lennina Crowne is one of those individuals. I am one of those individuals. We don't mean any harm by not abiding by the rules. We simply want to be unique or deep inside we don't feel that those expectations fit our being. In Brave New World, Lennina is expected to be promiscuous and sleep around with many guys. She doesn't feel like doing this but her friend Fanny convinces her that she must "make the effort and play the game" because if she doesn't she will get in trouble. That is the same in life, even if we don't like it, we must play the game until we are sure that we can finally emancipate ourselves from it. This was my problem a few years back when I used to be forced to go to church. I hated church and wanted nothing to do with it so I rebeled and instead of being a good boy, as was expected from a child who had been raised in church, I decided to not care anymore and do whatever I wanted. It was all great for me until I realized the reputation I was giving my parents. Therefore I decided to play the game and while I was still forced to go to church I was a "good boy" in the presence of the christian comunity until about a year ago that my parents stopped forcing me to go. I still act in good manners in their presence so that they won't think that my parents raised a demon, but when they are gone I am the same old Kevin. One's got to play the game, perhaps not fully, but just enough to get by in a world full of expectations.
Being Different
“What the two men shared was the knowledge that they were individuals.” (67) Brave New World
Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson, both know they are different, they aren’t like the other Alpha Pluses. They’ve become aware of the physical and mental differences from the people that surrounded them. Bernard Marx is eight centimeters shorter than the expected height of an Alpha plus. He’s as tall as a Gamma, which is really embarrassing. And like Helmholtz, they are “a little too able.” In this society “a little too able” can be a thread. Maybe one of these days they will get tired of being told what to do and they might rebel. They would stop being followers and will become leaders. Another character that is different in her own way is Lenina. Society forces her to act a certain way so she can be like everyone else; “every one belongs to every one else.” (43) Lenina’s problem is that she doesn’t want to be promiscuous. She doesn’t want to be sleeping with everyone like everybody does, she wants Henry to be the only man in her life. And society disapproves of this.
I’ve never being someone that likes to follow the crowd. I’ve always try to stay true to myself, and don’t fall into peer pressure. Every where you go you will always have to face peer pressure. You have two choices: do what everyone else is doing or stay true to your self and never regretting what you might’ve regretted.
And this is why I relate to Lenina. She stays true to her self and doesn’t care if society doesn’t approve of her decisions. Being different is what makes you, you.
Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson, both know they are different, they aren’t like the other Alpha Pluses. They’ve become aware of the physical and mental differences from the people that surrounded them. Bernard Marx is eight centimeters shorter than the expected height of an Alpha plus. He’s as tall as a Gamma, which is really embarrassing. And like Helmholtz, they are “a little too able.” In this society “a little too able” can be a thread. Maybe one of these days they will get tired of being told what to do and they might rebel. They would stop being followers and will become leaders. Another character that is different in her own way is Lenina. Society forces her to act a certain way so she can be like everyone else; “every one belongs to every one else.” (43) Lenina’s problem is that she doesn’t want to be promiscuous. She doesn’t want to be sleeping with everyone like everybody does, she wants Henry to be the only man in her life. And society disapproves of this.
I’ve never being someone that likes to follow the crowd. I’ve always try to stay true to myself, and don’t fall into peer pressure. Every where you go you will always have to face peer pressure. You have two choices: do what everyone else is doing or stay true to your self and never regretting what you might’ve regretted.
And this is why I relate to Lenina. She stays true to her self and doesn’t care if society doesn’t approve of her decisions. Being different is what makes you, you.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
To Be Alien.
"Hence the laughter of the women to whom he made proposals, the practical joking of his equals among men. The mockery made him feel an outsider; and in feeling and outsider he behaved like one, which increased the prejudice against him and intensified the contempt and hostility aroused by his physical defects. Which in turn increased his sense of being alien and alone."(Huxley Pg. 65)
Throughout Brave New World Bernard Marx struggles with the conflict that he feels alone and alien, as if he does not belong in this society. He feels as if everyone around him criticizes him for who he is and because of this he acts more and more like an outsider. I too feel like an outsider at times. Although I'm sure that it is nowhere near as bad as what Bernard puts up with in the book. None the less I do find myself being alone and on my own most of the time.
Throughout Brave New World Bernard Marx struggles with the conflict that he feels alone and alien, as if he does not belong in this society. He feels as if everyone around him criticizes him for who he is and because of this he acts more and more like an outsider. I too feel like an outsider at times. Although I'm sure that it is nowhere near as bad as what Bernard puts up with in the book. None the less I do find myself being alone and on my own most of the time.
Lenina's Situation
"And after all," Fanny's tone was coaxing, "it's not as though there were anything painful or disagreeable about having one or two men besides Henry. And seeing that you ought to be a little more promiscuous …"
...Lenina shook her head. "Somehow," she mused, "I hadn't been feeling very keen on promiscuity lately. There are times when one doesn't. Haven't you found that too, Fanny?"
Fanny nodded her sympathy and understanding. "But one's got to make the effort," she said, sententiously, "one's got to play the game. After all, every one belongs to every one else." (p.43) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Lenina is having a discussion with Fanny about Lenina wanting to be with Bernard and not wanting to be around other men. Lenina has a strong attachment with Bernard and Fanny is telling Lenina to not have this attachment towards Bernard because in their society, everyone belongs to everyone. This means that Lenina cannot be with only Bernard. She has to be with many different men, because she belongs to everyone and if she doesn't socialize with other men, then she is not following one of the society's motto, and this will make her different from everyone else.
I have been in a similar sitution as Lenina in the way that her environment is expecting her to act a certain way. Lenina wants to do something that her environment doesn't approve of and her environment is forcing her to act a certain way. When I was in my old public school all the students didn't care about learning, and they just messed around during class without paying any attention to the teacher. I was the only one in my class that cared about my grade and about my education. Everyone in class thought I was weird because I was the only one who cared, and they always tried to persuade me to follow in their foot steps. They acted as though not caring about your grades was a "law" that should be followed, and myself not following this "law" made me different from everyone else. Just like how Lenina is different from everyone else by only wanting to be with Bernard.
The Game of Life
"...But one's got to make the effort," she said, sententiously, "one's got to play the game..."(43)
Trying to be happy no matter the circumstances has always been a number one priority for me. Some people will live happy lives and others won't. This is a fact of life. However, I don't believe that you have to live a miserable life because you aren't at an advantage. Life is going to knock you down, kick you in the stomach, and then spit on you. It's a rough world, but we have to make the best of it. I feel like Fanny Crowne has the idea down pack. She understands the world she lives in and knows, maybe by force, that she has to try and play the game. This quote has such a strong impact on the audience. Fanny speaks boldly and bravely. It amazed me to see someone try and help a friend. In Brave New World I feel as if a sense of worry about me first and then everyone else is set. Fanny is trying to make Lenina realize she has to play the game in order not to get knocked down. Have you ever played the game Life? With every move your life is changing and in a matter of seconds everything can go down. Fanny is winning the game of Life because she knows she can't let life ruin her. She has to believe she can win.
What is expected of you
Huxley wrote,"Too little bone and brawn had isolated Bernard from his fellow men..." (Pg 67)
Bernard Marx is self conscious about his physical. He wonders if his fellow men look down on him even though he is in the higher rank. Bernard is different because for an Alpha Plus; he is suppose to have certain physical characteristics. For example, his shortness is viewed as a sign of a fault because he should actually be taller. The reason I relate to him is because I'm 18. Being 18 in the 11th grade is an assumption that I probably failed a grade, even though I didn't. People expect for me to be smarter because of the slight advantage I have to the rest of the class; but i really don't think my "advantage" would reflect that much in my grades but instead in other things. For example, I find myself thinking about things more and being more mature then other people in my grade. Bernard is also having
issues with what he is capable of doing and what people think about him since he is shorter than expected.
Bernard Marx is self conscious about his physical. He wonders if his fellow men look down on him even though he is in the higher rank. Bernard is different because for an Alpha Plus; he is suppose to have certain physical characteristics. For example, his shortness is viewed as a sign of a fault because he should actually be taller. The reason I relate to him is because I'm 18. Being 18 in the 11th grade is an assumption that I probably failed a grade, even though I didn't. People expect for me to be smarter because of the slight advantage I have to the rest of the class; but i really don't think my "advantage" would reflect that much in my grades but instead in other things. For example, I find myself thinking about things more and being more mature then other people in my grade. Bernard is also having
issues with what he is capable of doing and what people think about him since he is shorter than expected.
Caring Really Hurts
"Bernard's pale faced flushed."What on earth for?" she wondered, astonished, but at the same time touched by this strange tribute to her power."
I think I am a Bernard Marx. Bernard knows what he wants but he has his doubts about getting it. He is a little different then the others in the way that he is shorter then the regular Alpha Plus. But he is still an Alpha Plus, which is the highest category of human. Since Bernard doesn't get girls like his friend Helmholtz Watson, he spends a lot of the time thinking. Thinking about what he wants and he can't have, about how he's different and not good enough for girls or just things in general, and well he just doubts all of his abilities. He is a very intelligent man but he justs thinks too much. And sometimes you just need to do things without thinking. Like for example, over the summer I went to Florida with my family and my cousin Alexsandra. We were at the beach watching people parasailing and I've always wanted to do that. But I didn't say anything. And my cousin was like gets go. And I'm a little bit afraid of heights but I'm the kind of person that is terrified of something but will do it anyway. So she was like begging for us to go and I just said fine. I didn't think it through because I knew if I did I would make myself chicken out of doing it. So I just said yes and went. It turned out to be an amazing experience. Sometimes you just have to do things. Don't think too much, just do it.
I think I am a Bernard Marx. Bernard knows what he wants but he has his doubts about getting it. He is a little different then the others in the way that he is shorter then the regular Alpha Plus. But he is still an Alpha Plus, which is the highest category of human. Since Bernard doesn't get girls like his friend Helmholtz Watson, he spends a lot of the time thinking. Thinking about what he wants and he can't have, about how he's different and not good enough for girls or just things in general, and well he just doubts all of his abilities. He is a very intelligent man but he justs thinks too much. And sometimes you just need to do things without thinking. Like for example, over the summer I went to Florida with my family and my cousin Alexsandra. We were at the beach watching people parasailing and I've always wanted to do that. But I didn't say anything. And my cousin was like gets go. And I'm a little bit afraid of heights but I'm the kind of person that is terrified of something but will do it anyway. So she was like begging for us to go and I just said fine. I didn't think it through because I knew if I did I would make myself chicken out of doing it. So I just said yes and went. It turned out to be an amazing experience. Sometimes you just have to do things. Don't think too much, just do it.
"This Escalator-Squash champion, this indefatigable lover (it was said that he had six hundred and forty different girls in under four years), this admirable commitee man best mixer had realized quite suddenly that sport, women, communal activities were only, so far as he was concerned second best." -- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World. (67)
Helmholtz Watson is a character that has it all. The problem is that he does not value any of this because is was just given to him. He never had to fight for it, so he just takes for granted. Many people in his society will die for the features that he has been gifted with. The conflict this character has is that he has all this exceptional features, yet he is not happy with himself. He feels as if he is totally empty. He wants to know what he can do, but he does not what to do. I can relate to this because I was given the opportunity to get an education, and maybe sometimes I take that for granted. Sometimes I feel like I have opportunities other kids will love to have. Sometimes I know i am not doing what I was sent to do, but it just sometimes I just do not know how to accomplish this.
Helmholtz Watson is a character that has it all. The problem is that he does not value any of this because is was just given to him. He never had to fight for it, so he just takes for granted. Many people in his society will die for the features that he has been gifted with. The conflict this character has is that he has all this exceptional features, yet he is not happy with himself. He feels as if he is totally empty. He wants to know what he can do, but he does not what to do. I can relate to this because I was given the opportunity to get an education, and maybe sometimes I take that for granted. Sometimes I feel like I have opportunities other kids will love to have. Sometimes I know i am not doing what I was sent to do, but it just sometimes I just do not know how to accomplish this.
Too able
"Yes, a little too able; they were right. A mental excess had produced in Helmholtz Watson effects very similar to those which, in Bernard Marx, were the result of a physical defect." (p. 67; Brave New World, Aldous Huxley)
Helmholtz Watson is an Alpha plus in the book meaning that he is at the top of the society; he is very smart. To me it seems that he knows much more than others, maybe even more than he's supposed to. Those kind of people sometimes seem like a threat to society because you never know when they might use that knowledge for something bad. The way this relates to me is that there are people out there who "know it all" and those kind of people tend to be cocky sometimes. I'm not saying Helmholtz is cocky but from a book I've never read before I don't know what to expect. Who knows what Helmholtz will use his knowledge for or if he'll even use it to his advantage or not. In our society the know-it-all's sometimes take advantage of opportunities and I'm just wondering if Helmholtz will be one of those that if he sees an opportunity he'll take advantage of it. Helmholtz also is capable of getting all the women he likes but oddly enough, he does not. He's different from everyone else and in a way he's an outsider. Sometimes I feel like an outsider but I never feel like an extremely smart person like Helmholtz is.
Helmholtz Watson is an Alpha plus in the book meaning that he is at the top of the society; he is very smart. To me it seems that he knows much more than others, maybe even more than he's supposed to. Those kind of people sometimes seem like a threat to society because you never know when they might use that knowledge for something bad. The way this relates to me is that there are people out there who "know it all" and those kind of people tend to be cocky sometimes. I'm not saying Helmholtz is cocky but from a book I've never read before I don't know what to expect. Who knows what Helmholtz will use his knowledge for or if he'll even use it to his advantage or not. In our society the know-it-all's sometimes take advantage of opportunities and I'm just wondering if Helmholtz will be one of those that if he sees an opportunity he'll take advantage of it. Helmholtz also is capable of getting all the women he likes but oddly enough, he does not. He's different from everyone else and in a way he's an outsider. Sometimes I feel like an outsider but I never feel like an extremely smart person like Helmholtz is.
Society Shouldn't be Promoting
I can compare a similar conflict in the novel Brave New World with our world. I notice that Lenina doesn't feel like she fits in society because she's not promiscuous. Huxley writes, "Lenina shook her head. 'Somehow,' she mused, 'I hadn't been feeling very keen on promiscuity lately. There are times when one doesn't. Haven't you found that too, Fanny?' Fanny nodded her sympathy and understanding. 'But one's got to make the effort,' she said, sententiously, 'one's got to play the game. After all, every one belongs to every one else.'"(Huxley 43)
Because society promotes promiscuity and Lenina doesn't want to be promiscuous she is forced to be someone she doesn't want to be. In my world, society promotes sex. In just advertisements, I see men with women all over them, men that don't have to be loyal to women, and it provokes guys to think that women are basically a game. I think that is wrong because more men are starting to being unable to control themselves and end up raping women, and violating them. This is becoming a problem in our world and its hard to stop it because 'sex sells' and men are going to keep getting brain washed.
Because society promotes promiscuity and Lenina doesn't want to be promiscuous she is forced to be someone she doesn't want to be. In my world, society promotes sex. In just advertisements, I see men with women all over them, men that don't have to be loyal to women, and it provokes guys to think that women are basically a game. I think that is wrong because more men are starting to being unable to control themselves and end up raping women, and violating them. This is becoming a problem in our world and its hard to stop it because 'sex sells' and men are going to keep getting brain washed.
Who am I?
Well at first it is difficult to relate to any of the three characters. Helmholtz is a bit too smart for his own good. He excels at his jobs with ease, he gets all the girls he could ever wish for, and he is tall and handsome. I know I am good and all, but this guy is just a little too much. I wouldn't be able to relate with this guy. The second character, Bernard Marx is very intellectual as well, but he is not a hot piece like Helmholtz. Bernard is the short guy who stands out in society, and as you know it, short people are known to be ugly in Brave New World. This sparks him to think about the society in which he lives in, he starts to question why he is different."Yes, a little too able; they were right. A mental excess had produced in Helmholtz Watson effects very similar to those which, in Bernard Marx, were the result of the physical defect." I think i could somehow relate Bernard but I'm not really physically deformed. The last character, Lenina is someone who wants to try different things. Things like limiting her sex life with just one male, and in the Brave New World this is considered to be wrong. She should be open with sex with everyone, she is suppose to be like everyone else. I think I can relate with Lenina the most. Reasons such as, me not being like the people that surround me. I feel like my thoughts are always negative and I can be very lazy sometimes. I know some people say that being lazy is just an excuse, but I feel like thats who I am. I know that I'm suppose to be like everyone else, positive in mind and always energetic, some what like Lenina has to be the same as all the other girls, sexually active with everyone. Overall I feel like I'm more of a "Lenina type" of character.
Helmholtz Watson Relation
"This Escalator-Squash champion, this indefatigable lover (it was said that he had had six hundred and forty different girls in under four years), this admirable committee man and best mixer had realized quite suddenly that sport, women, communal activities were only, so far as he was concerned, second bests. Really, and at the bottom, he was interested in something else. But in what? In what? That was the problem which Bernard had come to discuss with him–or rather, since it was always Helmholtz who did all the talking, to listen to his friend discussing, yet once more." (pg. 67 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Helmholtz has realized that he is smarter than the average Alpha plus in the society. He is thinking more and wants more out of life. I'm not saying that I'm smarter than the averaged person, but I do think a lot. Sometimes when I can't sleep, I just lay in bed and think about everything. I even think about how life can be boring and I want more than that. I even think of ways to make life more interesting. I don't think I will never be satisfied because in reality, I don't know what to do or think of. I don't think he and I will be satisfied with the things we have and want more. I think this is due to the fact that society wants us to do something and expects us to repeat the process until we die. For example, I have been at school for the last 12 years or my life and I'm going for 5 more years. I feel like I want something else like he does.
Helmholtz has realized that he is smarter than the average Alpha plus in the society. He is thinking more and wants more out of life. I'm not saying that I'm smarter than the averaged person, but I do think a lot. Sometimes when I can't sleep, I just lay in bed and think about everything. I even think about how life can be boring and I want more than that. I even think of ways to make life more interesting. I don't think I will never be satisfied because in reality, I don't know what to do or think of. I don't think he and I will be satisfied with the things we have and want more. I think this is due to the fact that society wants us to do something and expects us to repeat the process until we die. For example, I have been at school for the last 12 years or my life and I'm going for 5 more years. I feel like I want something else like he does.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Conditioning of babies
In the second Chapter of Brave New World, a book written by Aldous Huxley, the students are being showed how the 8 month babies are being attracted to shiny book and flowers. The babies once they saw the shiny book and flowers began to crawl to the shining objects. Then suddenly the Director gives the signal to scare the babies away from the books. So “The Head Nurse, who was standing by a switch board at the other end of the room, pressed down a little lever.” “There was a violent explosion. Shriller and ever shriller, a siren shrieked... The children started, screamed, their faces were distorted with terror.”(pg 21)
Here the author explains how the babies are being conditioned to be sacred of books, so when they grow up the will not be attracted to books. This will prohibit them from reading and acquiring knowledge. This passage relates to this certain book I read called A Long Way Gone. The reason I think they are similar is because in A Long Way Gone the children are also conditioned at an early age. The children are taken from their families are condition to hate humans. The children have to grab revolvers and begin to shot at people. No matter what person it is they are just trained to kill. Once these children grow up they will become like killers machines because that is the only thing they know how to do.
The Backbone of Society
“For particulars, as everyone knows, make for virtue and happiness; generalities are intellectually necessary evils. Not philosophers but fretsawyers and stamp collectors compose the backbone of society.”(4)
Society is a difficult and complex structure to understand. It has many branches that keep extending and more levels of organization are added. Yet, what truly is the core or the trunk of that ever growing tree which we call society? Most people would say that it is the important humans or the ones known all over the globe such as the president of the United States because he can make a change. In the book Brave New World, the author Aldous Huxley explains through this quote that it is the workers at the bottom who are "the backbone of society", or the most important ones because they do the small jobs that eventually amount to greater works when all are put together. In example, if all the men who work in a construction site for a new building were to stop showing up to work, the men at the top who are in charge of them would be nothing. A society can not function with all leaders. Every particular who has a small roll in society, helps keep it stable therefore maintaining everyone in it happy. The generalities that if you want to be a good citizen in society you must strive to be on the top are, as he calls them, “necessary evils” because a few spots are needed to be filled, but this blinds individuals into thinking that that's the only place they can serve for the good of society and they underestimate the smaller rolls and the common man is never thanked.
Society is a difficult and complex structure to understand. It has many branches that keep extending and more levels of organization are added. Yet, what truly is the core or the trunk of that ever growing tree which we call society? Most people would say that it is the important humans or the ones known all over the globe such as the president of the United States because he can make a change. In the book Brave New World, the author Aldous Huxley explains through this quote that it is the workers at the bottom who are "the backbone of society", or the most important ones because they do the small jobs that eventually amount to greater works when all are put together. In example, if all the men who work in a construction site for a new building were to stop showing up to work, the men at the top who are in charge of them would be nothing. A society can not function with all leaders. Every particular who has a small roll in society, helps keep it stable therefore maintaining everyone in it happy. The generalities that if you want to be a good citizen in society you must strive to be on the top are, as he calls them, “necessary evils” because a few spots are needed to be filled, but this blinds individuals into thinking that that's the only place they can serve for the good of society and they underestimate the smaller rolls and the common man is never thanked.
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