Hedonism In Brave New World

Alexander Makarewicz
Mrs. Ivelich
Advanced English 2
17 April 2023
Consumerism: Superficiality and Hedonism

How much does a person’s purchased goods dictate their life? Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World, is a criticism of modern society that tells the story about a futuristic dystopia with a government able to control its people with ease and people who accept existing for only pleasure. Huxley uses the dystopia setting to convey the issues surrounding how individuals lose the ability to experience life’s best qualities when overexposed to consumerism. In Brave New World, Huxley criticizes how modern society’s prioritization of consumerism manipulates an individual’s experiences, which focus on superficiality and hedonism instead of self-improvement:

During Brenard’s date, he spends time with Lenina alone in a secluded area, however, Lenina’s addiction to overstimulation takes hold: “‘But its horrible,’ said Lenina” … “She was appalled by the rushing emptiness of the night, by the black foam-flecked water heaving beneath them, by the pale face of the moon, so haggard and distracted among the hastening clouds. ‘Let’s turn on the radio. Quick!’ she … turned [the dialling knob] at random” (Huxley 91). Average World State citizens suffer from overstimulation created by hedonism or consumer-based products because of the World State’s promotion and subsequent addiction to sensory overload. Additionally, the effects are present even in environments that contain no overstimulating qualities, such as Lenina’s situation where she desperately covets consumption and stimulation from a radio in a non-stimulating environment. Hence, Huxley warns readers about the addiction to overstimulation caused by consumerism, that even without stimulation and alone in their own emotions or thoughts people continue to crave materialistic products. When Lenina decides who to date, she recalls her time at the North Pole away from the overstimulation around material products at the World State, recalling: “The trouble

From my own experience, many advertisements in modern society promote new phones or cars that allegedly hold many benefits compared to previous models. However, modern culture accepts the idea of continuously purchasing said products because, whether deliberately or not, corporations make the idea of owning new merchandise advantageous because they contain new technological advancements. Ergo, many individuals of modern society addictively purchase corporate goods to “stand out,” when, in reality, these individuals are undistinguishable from one another because of their superficiality, superficial enjoyment and lack of individuality. Another instance of consumerism from my own experience is vape or nicotine. Vape companies openly profit off of those addicted to their product, similar to Huxley’s instances in his novel that convey how consumer-based products overstimulate and subsequently create addiction in customers. Both cases involve customers relying on addictive goods that are self-deteriorating with damage extending beyond a physical