Peer Pressure

In chapter 11 of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, John and Lenina attend the "feelies" which are sort of like movies. So in a sense, John and Lenina went to the movies for their date. After the feely, John and Lenina realize they like each other but even then they don't tell each other. Lenina was doubtful as to whether John liked her or not, and John refusing to have sex with her only confused her even more. This made Lenina seem sort of desperate to have sex with him maybe because it's the "right" thing to do--at least in the society of Brave New World. Everyone is encouraged to have sex as a way to keep everyone happy, and happiness is the main fundamental of the society making it "the perfect society." Since John is not used to the lifestyle of the people in the society, he doesn't feel the need to have sex right away, making Lenina seem desperate. This made me think about the movie "American Pie." This movie is about four teenage boys that make a pact to lose their virginity before their high school graduation. In this movie, the boys are desperate to have sex and they want to accomplish their goal before they graduate. They are willing to do almost anything to accomplish their goal and this reminded me of desperate Lenina. Just as Lenina wants to have sex, not just because she likes John but also because it's what they're taught or conditioned to do, the boys wanted a taste of what it was like to lose their virginity due to rumors about sex. I think all of this just falls into peer pressure.

Movies and Sex

A movie that had quite a bit of influence on me was "Youth in Revolt" in the movie the protagonist develops an alter ego so that a certain girl will like him more. He does this in hopes that the girl will eventually have sex with him. Although the movie is a comedy it kept stamping sex, sex, sex over and over into my head. The movie basically made me feel like i had to have sex and soon. This connects with the "feelies" in Brave New World because they are around to make the people feel like they have to have sex, it is common and natural and disliking them the way John does is considered queer and antisocial. Both these movies make the watcher feel like sex is something that must be achieved and that not acheiving it is a failure.