I am currently reading Aldous Huxley's Brave
New World and
have noticed that its plot utilizes what appears to be an opiate based drug
known as soma that makes the taker happy and careless. The drug is a powerful tool used by the
government to keep the population in a blissful and sedated state. The name soma is also the Latin root for "sleep", similar to the prefix "narco"
in narcotics. This is rather interesting as it is almost as if the government
is trying to keep the masses asleep from the real problems that lie in their
ruling body as well as their lives that is managed in every aspect, including
ones physical and mental state. I
believe that Huxley is likening it to that of a modern day synthetic heroine or
a similar opiate as those who partake of these become quite passive and
submissive. Taking advantage of the
drugged out state of the consumers and effectively removes any possible resistance,
allows them to maintain their control over the people and further their reign. Not only is this an unethical and immoral
method of manipulating the people, but is also in a way a form of enslaving the
masses.
Austin, do you think we are passive? Passive consumers? Do you think we are asleep? What might be our soma?
ReplyDeleteSoma is an indulgence that blinds the consumer from their problems and varies from person to person. For many this is television, radio, the internet, or other sources of popular culture. Through these the populous begins to passively accept the status quo that has been established. While I agree with David in that we are in essence creating our own soma, I believe that the government and corporations are using this established soma as a way of implementing their ideals and principles.
DeleteI believe we each create our own soma to escape the world we do not want to deal with. Mine is playing games while other people's may be alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, money, vacations, or any other distraction. The government does not need to create a soma for us, we enjoy creating our own.
ReplyDeleteI concur with David. The government does not need to create a soma, life should be your soma. Enjoy life and all it has to offer. Thats all we can do.
ReplyDeleteBut Josh, if indeed "life should be your soma", and you want to enjoy life and ALL it has to offer, how could you fall apart after just one hour without your devices? It's not about willpower. It's about choosing other things, living slowly, going deep inside your own head and heart.
ReplyDeleteHello Austin, I know that you posted this a while ago, but I'm reading Brave New World right now and I certainly agree with you. It is completely immoral to make a society believe that it's okay to drug themselves daily to forget about their problems. In our society today I think that technology is in fact our soma. This thought made me refer back to the book Amusing Ourselves to Death because the author, Neil Postman continuously reminds us that technology isn't good for us because it makes us view things differently then they really are. Both Postman and Huxley think alike because they see what our world can become, but sometimes I feel that the benefits of technology can outweigh the the negative effects.
ReplyDelete