The idea of a Utopian society is one that many are familiar with. A utopian society is defined as a seemingly perfect society actually plagued by mass corruption. While the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley may seem extreme, the ideas of the corrupted society expressed are not incredibly far off from today’s society. Quite frankly, today’s society is more like the New World society than what one may prefer.
One of the many similarities between reality and this novel is that of drug usage. Throughout the book, a substance referred to as “soma” is mentioned frequently. Soma is a mood-altering drug that is introduced as early as chapter five, when Lenina and Henry consume the drug rather casually. In the book, New World citizens are encouraged to ingest soma whenever necessary to ensure happiness. Much like reality, it is a common belief among people that a pill will solve everything. It is important to note that a drug can be defined as any substance that alters the body’s natural way of functioning. While illegal drugs are plentiful today, perhaps a closer comparison to soma would be a prescription
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In Brave New World, free expression of sexuality is adopted as young as seven years old. In this novel, casual sex is the only type of sex that society knows. There is even a “Solidarity Service” designed specifically to ensure that no person goes without fulfilling their sexual needs for a prolonged period of time. Sex is so common, that Lenina’s infatuation with John begins with declination to partake in the act of intercourse. Sexual relationships may not be quite so common in today’s society, however, they are becoming immensely more common. It seems that as time goes on, the value of an emotionally intimate relationship dwindles. Unfortunately, people seem to be more interested in short term affairs than steady kinships. Social patterns only suggest that this trend will continue to