Showing posts with label society. Show all posts
Showing posts with label society. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
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.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Media and it's Influences
In Brave New World society has viewed other people as important or unimportant due to there height. In our society, people with great physical appearance have been viewed as normal or weird. In our society teenagers and adults try to achieve that "perfect" image of themselves due to influences of the media. For example, the brand Abercrombie & Fitch is an influence of the media. The pictures that Abercrombie produces to get people to buy their clothes are mostly: topless, muscular, tall, blonde hair, and white complected. This gives off an idea that in order to look "cool" or "attractive" you have to wear their clothes or just by wearing there clothes brand you would automatically be attractive and fit in with society. In Brave New World, Bernard has always been insecure about his height because he has an image to keep up. He is an Alpha-Plus and yet he can't seem to fit in or get the respect he deserves since he isn't like the other Alpha-Pluses. The same situation is applied in our society today, you see little girls wanting to be like music artist because they have fame, fortune, and a good life.
I think that, yes, media messes with people's heads. The media influences people of all ages to what clothes to wear, how to look (appearances), and even what you should like.
I think that, yes, media messes with people's heads. The media influences people of all ages to what clothes to wear, how to look (appearances), and even what you should like.
Social Media
“And yet, bottled as she was, and in spite of that second gramme of soma, Lenina did not forget to take all the contraceptive precautions prescribed by the regulations. Years of intensive hypnopaedia and, from twelve to seventeen, Malthusian drill three times a week had made the taking of these precautions almost as automatic and inevitable as blinking.” (BNW 77)
In the novel Brave New World Huxley focuses in the idea of conditioning via media. The media gives people in that society an idea of how to live their life not only happily but righteously as well. One of the most noticeable ways of this can be seen is in the aspect of sex. From the beginning children are taught that it is OK to be promiscuous. The music they listen to seems to put them in the right mood for intercourse and also they are given protection and told that it’s OK to do it as long as they use their protection. The the ideas of the society are openly shown through the media. This arises contrast and similarities amongst our society and the Brave new World society.
The similarities of these societies come through the fact that both influence their people to do certain things via the media. However, while Huxley’s world is open about it, our world is not. For example, when the topic about promiscuity and sex at a young age comes to the stage, most people look down on these things with a passion. However, there are commercials such as the Trojan condoms commercials that give the message to go do these things. Contrary to what parents teach their children, these ads tell teens that it is OK to go have sex as long as they are protected. In my opinion i believe this shows the hypocrisy of our world as opposed to Huxleys’s.
In the novel Brave New World Huxley focuses in the idea of conditioning via media. The media gives people in that society an idea of how to live their life not only happily but righteously as well. One of the most noticeable ways of this can be seen is in the aspect of sex. From the beginning children are taught that it is OK to be promiscuous. The music they listen to seems to put them in the right mood for intercourse and also they are given protection and told that it’s OK to do it as long as they use their protection. The the ideas of the society are openly shown through the media. This arises contrast and similarities amongst our society and the Brave new World society.
The similarities of these societies come through the fact that both influence their people to do certain things via the media. However, while Huxley’s world is open about it, our world is not. For example, when the topic about promiscuity and sex at a young age comes to the stage, most people look down on these things with a passion. However, there are commercials such as the Trojan condoms commercials that give the message to go do these things. Contrary to what parents teach their children, these ads tell teens that it is OK to go have sex as long as they are protected. In my opinion i believe this shows the hypocrisy of our world as opposed to Huxleys’s.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Conditioned to Believe
The media now a days influences and conditions our society. A lot of the commercials you see on television, the ads you see online, to the billboards you see on the side of the freeway can be misleading. Many times when things are misleading, people tend to believe them and therefore are conditioned to believe a certain thing. In the book Brave New World, people are conditioned to believe only what they are told. Due to hypnopedia, the society only knows as much as they are told. For example they are conditioned to believe that nature is no good. To them, it's wrong to like nature. The society also doesn't believe in books. Nobody reads books in the "New World". Such conditioning could potentially lead to "the perfect society", but in our world, the perfect society is out of our reach.
When watching television, I often stumble upon commercials of cellphone companies trying to convince the public that their company is the better one. Many people, being as gullible as they are, fall for what these companies say and therefore are conditioned to believe that the cellphone company being promoted is the best one out there.
When watching television, I often stumble upon commercials of cellphone companies trying to convince the public that their company is the better one. Many people, being as gullible as they are, fall for what these companies say and therefore are conditioned to believe that the cellphone company being promoted is the best one out there.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Ignorance is Bliss
...The nurses obeyed; but at the approach of the roses, at the mere sight of those gaily-coloured images of pussy and cock-a-doodle-doo and baa-baa black sheep, the infants shrank away in horror, the volume of their howling suddenly increased...(21)
In the second chapter of Brave New World by Aldonus Huxley, we are introduced to conditioning. This society is controlled down to the birthing process. Humans no longer mate to create young. The kids are cloned to the maximum, about 79 on average. Nor are the children raised or nurtured by another human being. They are created and trained for one purpose. That is to work to keep the community going. The creations are split into four different types. Their type determines what their position is in the hierarchy. In this part of the chapter we are exposed to how the Deltas, or lower class, are trained to dislike books and nature. The kids are shown roses and books. At first sight they reach for them. Then the kids are shocked and after several times of repeating the process the kids learn to hate books and nature. They are conditioned. In this society the lower class shouldn't like to read or nature. It was a very interesting topic to me. If we conditioned our world to live in peace, wouldn't that be good? We wouldn't have war or hate or pain. Everyone would be controlled without knowing. No one would get hurt because nobody would know anything. They do say ignorance is bliss. If people don't know what's being done to them then they'll be happier. In this society that's the idea, to be happy. At the very least contempt with your life. If we applied that theory to our world maybe we would live happier. I don't like this futuristic society, but I do believe ignorance is bliss.
In the second chapter of Brave New World by Aldonus Huxley, we are introduced to conditioning. This society is controlled down to the birthing process. Humans no longer mate to create young. The kids are cloned to the maximum, about 79 on average. Nor are the children raised or nurtured by another human being. They are created and trained for one purpose. That is to work to keep the community going. The creations are split into four different types. Their type determines what their position is in the hierarchy. In this part of the chapter we are exposed to how the Deltas, or lower class, are trained to dislike books and nature. The kids are shown roses and books. At first sight they reach for them. Then the kids are shocked and after several times of repeating the process the kids learn to hate books and nature. They are conditioned. In this society the lower class shouldn't like to read or nature. It was a very interesting topic to me. If we conditioned our world to live in peace, wouldn't that be good? We wouldn't have war or hate or pain. Everyone would be controlled without knowing. No one would get hurt because nobody would know anything. They do say ignorance is bliss. If people don't know what's being done to them then they'll be happier. In this society that's the idea, to be happy. At the very least contempt with your life. If we applied that theory to our world maybe we would live happier. I don't like this futuristic society, but I do believe ignorance is bliss.
Love of nature
"A love of nature keeps no factories busy. It was decided to abolish the love of nature, at any rate among the lower classes; to abolish the love of nature, but not the tendency to consume transport. For of course it was essential that they should keep on going to the country, even though they hated it. The problem was to find an economically sounder reason for consuming transport than a mere affection for primroses and landscapes. It was duly found." (p. 23)
In Aldous Huxley's Brave New World,the Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning (D.H.C.) said this to a child when the child asked him a question. This makes me wonder how messed up this society is to keep nature away from the people. They keep nature away from them because they think that it keeps them from "consuming transportation" and keeps them from getting all the work done. The very first sentence in the quote states that a love for nature kind of keeps the factories from running and keeping the society going. In our society today, nature is needed to keep the factories running. For example those who love nature like going camping, and in order to go camping you need tents and cooking materials, sleeping bags, etc. Someone has to make these products, so without nature there would be less products being made. The society in Brave New World is not much different from our society today, but in that aspect, it is.
In Aldous Huxley's Brave New World,the Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning (D.H.C.) said this to a child when the child asked him a question. This makes me wonder how messed up this society is to keep nature away from the people. They keep nature away from them because they think that it keeps them from "consuming transportation" and keeps them from getting all the work done. The very first sentence in the quote states that a love for nature kind of keeps the factories from running and keeping the society going. In our society today, nature is needed to keep the factories running. For example those who love nature like going camping, and in order to go camping you need tents and cooking materials, sleeping bags, etc. Someone has to make these products, so without nature there would be less products being made. The society in Brave New World is not much different from our society today, but in that aspect, it is.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Society
The ranking of class and social status is what I’ve learned from Jane Eyre, because she didn’t let it determine her future as an adult. Instead, she learned how to manage her money and use it wisely. She also got in contact with her inner self, because she didn’t let money decide what type of person she was going to be.
While growing up, Jane did not have a pleasant life as a child. She dealt with many hardships from the Reed's Family and when she left to go to school at Lowood too. As a child, she was told her status was "less than a servant", by Miss Abbot(pg.11). She was also treated badly and lost the only friend she ever had. When Jane was residing in the Reed's house at Gateshead Hall, she was not treated the same as her cousins: John, Eliza, and Georgiana. Mrs. Reed did not include her in any of the family affairs, such as: taking pictures, being in family portraits, and participating in carriage rides. In Mrs. Reed's eyes, Jane was not classified or worthy enough to be apart of the events and that was known throughout Gateshead Hall. Although Jane tried to do the right thing by her aunt, who was a ruffian, she was eager to let her know how she really felt on the inside. Jane has had her name dragged in the dirt by Mrs. Reed, which has caused her reputation and her image to be abased,disowned and dishonored. Lowood was also a place where Jane spent most of her life at trying to find herself. When Jane was first introduced to Lowood, she had a hard time adapting to the new environment and her new home. Jane was classified as an orphan because her parents had died and as she was telling Mr. Rochester, my uncles' wife "cast me off", "because I was poor, and burdensome, and she didn't like me."(pg.226,227). Since Jane's image had been tarnished at Gateshead Hall, when she went to Lowood Mr. Brocklehurst introduced her as a "liar" to all of the students and staff by saying "...You must be on your guard against her; you must shun her example; if necessary, avoid her company, exclude her from your sports, and shut her out from your converse. Teachers, you must watch her: keep your eyes on her movements, weigh well her words, scrutinize her actions, punish her body to save her soul: if, indeed, such salvation be possible, for (my tongue falters while I tell it) this girl, this child, the native of a Christian land, worse than many a little heathen who says its prayers to Brahma and kneels before Juggernaut--this girl is--a liar!"(pg.66,67). At this point her status is beyond low because of her reputation. Although Jane's status at Lowood was low, she took advice from her friend Helen, which eventually brought her to the top of her class. As life continued to prevail, Jane was able to get a job at Lowood and then move to bigger and better things in life. She soon scored a job as a governess at the Thornfield estate and soon met the love of her life.
Money is not the key to all problems and you should not let it determine your life. As for Jane's so-called family: John, Eliza, Georgiana, and Mrs. Reed, they were controlled by money. They let it be the prime concern in their life . They also thought because they have a lot of money, everything was going to be okay. Having money is a good thing, but it's how you maintain yourself and how responsible you are with it. As children, John, Eliza, and Georgiana were treated better than Jane, because they were rich. Mrs. Reed also let money raise her children. They had no responsibility as children, and they were also spoiled by luxurious things. Everything that they had was better than Jane's, they were living the life of luxury. For some people, this lifestyle can become addictive because they have the need to want more and more of everything. Although they went to a better school than Jane, she came out on top when they became older. Jane's life may have been hard to bear at first, but now everything is good, because she is getting married, she's educated, and she doesn't have to worry about being content in a stable environment. If we reflect on her families life, it will be a big disappointment because all of them are having a hard time at this point. When Jane was going to back to Gateshead Hall to see Mrs.Reed for her final days, she was told by Robert, "Mr. John died yesterday was a week, at his chambers in London"(pg.224)... "he ruined his health and hesitate amongst the worst men and the worst women. He got into debt and into jail: his mother helped him out twice, but as soon as he was free he returned to his old companions and habits. His head was not strong: the knaves he lived amongst fooled him beyond anything ever heard. He came down to Gateshead about three weeks ago and wanted missis to give up all to him. Missis refused: her means have long been much reduced by his extravagance; so he went back again, and the next news was that he was dead. How he died, God knows!--they say he killed himself"( 225). Mrs. Reed took a grudge against Jane to her grave. She hid a letter from Jane that her uncle had sent, "It said that he was well-off money wise, but he had no heir. He wanted to adopt Jane. This would have been a wonderful opportunity for Jane, but Mrs. Reed never gave her the letter..." said by Richard on November 13,2009 in the blog titled "Forgive". One blogger inferred that *his was posted by Lizette on November 13,2009 in her blog titled "The Letter". Jane had forgiven Mrs. Reed for everything that she had put her through. Edwardo said "I honestly hate the fact that Jane has forgiven her". His blog was titled "Forgive and forget" on November 13,2009. Eliza and Georgiana were just not getting along as sisters were supposed to. Eliza told her sister "After my mother's death, I wash my hands of you: from the day her coffin is carried to the vault in Gateshead Church, you and I will be as separate as if we had never known each other."(pg.240) As far as their lives they were not happy or morally satisfied with themselves.
All of this information from Jane relates to me, because I'm not rich and I'm not apart of the upper class society. Although this may be true, I'm getting the same education and the same opportunity as most upper class children my age by going g to The Chinquapin School. The Chinquapin School is giving me a chance to do more and experience deep intensive learning. Just like Jane, my life hasn't always been a piece of cake, but I make the best of it because I know that one day I will be able to share my experience with my offspring and offer them a good life. Therefore, as a result I feel that it doesn't matter if your rich or poor because if your determined to control your life you can make the best out of it and be successful.
While growing up, Jane did not have a pleasant life as a child. She dealt with many hardships from the Reed's Family and when she left to go to school at Lowood too. As a child, she was told her status was "less than a servant", by Miss Abbot(pg.11). She was also treated badly and lost the only friend she ever had. When Jane was residing in the Reed's house at Gateshead Hall, she was not treated the same as her cousins: John, Eliza, and Georgiana. Mrs. Reed did not include her in any of the family affairs, such as: taking pictures, being in family portraits, and participating in carriage rides. In Mrs. Reed's eyes, Jane was not classified or worthy enough to be apart of the events and that was known throughout Gateshead Hall. Although Jane tried to do the right thing by her aunt, who was a ruffian, she was eager to let her know how she really felt on the inside. Jane has had her name dragged in the dirt by Mrs. Reed, which has caused her reputation and her image to be abased,disowned and dishonored. Lowood was also a place where Jane spent most of her life at trying to find herself. When Jane was first introduced to Lowood, she had a hard time adapting to the new environment and her new home. Jane was classified as an orphan because her parents had died and as she was telling Mr. Rochester, my uncles' wife "cast me off", "because I was poor, and burdensome, and she didn't like me."(pg.226,227). Since Jane's image had been tarnished at Gateshead Hall, when she went to Lowood Mr. Brocklehurst introduced her as a "liar" to all of the students and staff by saying "...You must be on your guard against her; you must shun her example; if necessary, avoid her company, exclude her from your sports, and shut her out from your converse. Teachers, you must watch her: keep your eyes on her movements, weigh well her words, scrutinize her actions, punish her body to save her soul: if, indeed, such salvation be possible, for (my tongue falters while I tell it) this girl, this child, the native of a Christian land, worse than many a little heathen who says its prayers to Brahma and kneels before Juggernaut--this girl is--a liar!"(pg.66,67). At this point her status is beyond low because of her reputation. Although Jane's status at Lowood was low, she took advice from her friend Helen, which eventually brought her to the top of her class. As life continued to prevail, Jane was able to get a job at Lowood and then move to bigger and better things in life. She soon scored a job as a governess at the Thornfield estate and soon met the love of her life.
Money is not the key to all problems and you should not let it determine your life. As for Jane's so-called family: John, Eliza, Georgiana, and Mrs. Reed, they were controlled by money. They let it be the prime concern in their life . They also thought because they have a lot of money, everything was going to be okay. Having money is a good thing, but it's how you maintain yourself and how responsible you are with it. As children, John, Eliza, and Georgiana were treated better than Jane, because they were rich. Mrs. Reed also let money raise her children. They had no responsibility as children, and they were also spoiled by luxurious things. Everything that they had was better than Jane's, they were living the life of luxury. For some people, this lifestyle can become addictive because they have the need to want more and more of everything. Although they went to a better school than Jane, she came out on top when they became older. Jane's life may have been hard to bear at first, but now everything is good, because she is getting married, she's educated, and she doesn't have to worry about being content in a stable environment. If we reflect on her families life, it will be a big disappointment because all of them are having a hard time at this point. When Jane was going to back to Gateshead Hall to see Mrs.Reed for her final days, she was told by Robert, "Mr. John died yesterday was a week, at his chambers in London"(pg.224)... "he ruined his health and hesitate amongst the worst men and the worst women. He got into debt and into jail: his mother helped him out twice, but as soon as he was free he returned to his old companions and habits. His head was not strong: the knaves he lived amongst fooled him beyond anything ever heard. He came down to Gateshead about three weeks ago and wanted missis to give up all to him. Missis refused: her means have long been much reduced by his extravagance; so he went back again, and the next news was that he was dead. How he died, God knows!--they say he killed himself"( 225). Mrs. Reed took a grudge against Jane to her grave. She hid a letter from Jane that her uncle had sent, "It said that he was well-off money wise, but he had no heir. He wanted to adopt Jane. This would have been a wonderful opportunity for Jane, but Mrs. Reed never gave her the letter..." said by Richard on November 13,2009 in the blog titled "Forgive". One blogger inferred that *his was posted by Lizette on November 13,2009 in her blog titled "The Letter". Jane had forgiven Mrs. Reed for everything that she had put her through. Edwardo said "I honestly hate the fact that Jane has forgiven her". His blog was titled "Forgive and forget" on November 13,2009. Eliza and Georgiana were just not getting along as sisters were supposed to. Eliza told her sister "After my mother's death, I wash my hands of you: from the day her coffin is carried to the vault in Gateshead Church, you and I will be as separate as if we had never known each other."(pg.240) As far as their lives they were not happy or morally satisfied with themselves.
All of this information from Jane relates to me, because I'm not rich and I'm not apart of the upper class society. Although this may be true, I'm getting the same education and the same opportunity as most upper class children my age by going g to The Chinquapin School. The Chinquapin School is giving me a chance to do more and experience deep intensive learning. Just like Jane, my life hasn't always been a piece of cake, but I make the best of it because I know that one day I will be able to share my experience with my offspring and offer them a good life. Therefore, as a result I feel that it doesn't matter if your rich or poor because if your determined to control your life you can make the best out of it and be successful.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Revolt Against Tranquility
“It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Millions are condemned to a stiller doom than mine, and millions are in silent revolt against their lot.” (111)
This quote states exactly how I feel in my life because it says that humans are restless beings who need action in their lives. In my weekly routine, I cannot go a long time without having some sort of adventure because if I don't have action I feel useless in life. I get tired of the usual pedantic book studying at school and want to just get out into the world and explore instead of being confined to classroom walls. My mind gets restless because of the lack of variety of exciting ideas it receives daily, and I try to come up with amazing things to do to feel a bit of adrenaline rush through me.
It is not human nature to live a boring and routine life. This is very well displayed in history where explorers have sought new lands and new people even though they did not know what fate would meet them in those new places. In jail, which is mainly full of uneducated barbarians, one is confined to a plain life where one is not allowed the freedom to explore new thoughts and ideas because one is limited to other intellectual minds whom one can learn from. Even though prisoners can read, for many humans it is hard to understand something without the help or idea support of others who know more. As one of my uncles, who was once a prisoner, recalls, many prisoners revolt by spending their days studying the meaning of their life or just of life itself by lying in their jail beds and escaping into their own world, or by simply pondering upon what they did to get there and how they could have avoid it. This is a revolt in the sense that these prisoners decide to go against what most of society thinks of them (of being heartless beings without feelings and full of evil), and they silently prove to themselves that that is not the case anymore. I think the only humans satisfied with tranquility are those no longer living.
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