Soma In Brave New World Essay Research

Soma In Brave New World Essay, Research Paper

Outline

Thesis: In Brave New World, Happiness is created by early

age conditioning and by the use of a drug called

Soma, which produces euphoria with no side effects,

or as Huxley describes it a vacation . In today s

world with our increasing stress, our rising

numbers in mental illness, and our incessant use of

anti-depressants it seems that today s society is

on a quest for Soma. But is Soma the answer.

I. Introduction

A. Introduction to Society in Brave New World

B. Introduction to Soma

II. Society Today

A. Statistics of stress

B. Causes of Stress

C. Statistics of Stress

III. Today s solution

A. Medications

B. Difficulty of Medications

C. Society s view of Medications

D. Medication Alternatives

E. Meditation

IV. Conclusion

In Aldous Huxley s science fiction novel, Brave New World, Huxley attempts to create a vision of a Utopia future where happiness and stability is generated by the government, or otherwise known as the World Controllers. In Brave New World, the motto Community, Identity, Stability is posted at the entrance of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre the place where people are now born from test tubes and where conditioning takes place (Huxley 3). One ovary can be manipulated to form up to 96 identical clones. The conditioning process is done to place individuals in certain classes. For example, the lowest class Epsilons, would be conditioned to dislike books, or even to only enjoy standing on there heads, so when in society, and on the job they are happy to be doing only their job, to be associating with only their class, and would not have any craving or desire to pursue a different lifestyle. This would create stability, and where there is stability or the absence of conflict, happiness can exist, according to Brave New World.

Happiness is not only achieved by conditioning but also by the use of a drug called Soma, or the perfect pleasure drug that provides a mindless, inauthentic happiness, which would make the people comfortable with their lack of freedom. In today s world with increasing stress, the rising number of mental illness, and the incessant use of anti-depressants, it is only reasonable to conclude that we too are on a quest for Soma.

Looking back, I have gone through periods where I would have really liked to have Soma. Even as I write this paper, Soma sounds appealing. Being in college and having worked full time, I have been asked by many if I was stressed out. As a matter of fact, the term stressed out seems to be used quite frequently. How many times have I asked a friend or co-worker how they are doing and received America s newest and most prevalent saying, stressing out . How about you. According to Dr. Melissa Stoppler, a physician, researcher, writer and former faculty member of Georgetown University s medical program, the proportion of workers who reported feeling highly stressed more than doubled form 1985 to 1990 . This is more than Ten years ago! 75-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints or disorders . Does this sound like a problem to you. Well to add, this is America and of coarse with what almost seems like an epidemic, stress management programs have begun to crop up. Dr. Stoppler adds that it is estimated the market for stress management programs, products, and services was $9.4 billion in 1995, and is projected to be $11.31 billion for 1999 (Stress-America). According to the Health Resource Network, a non-profit health education organization, 75% of the general population experiences stress, every two weeks (Stress Facts). Stress has become such a large concern for Americans that the US Public Health Service has made reducing stress by the year 2000 one of its major health promotions (Stress Facts). I don t know, but it is now April 2001, which ironically, for the last eight years April has been recognized as the Stress Awareness month, and I have not yet received a call once, from the US Public Health Service. I won t hold my breath.

You may be thinking why I have brought up this issue of stress. I wonder if happiness and stress can coexist. I don t believe so. According to a stress management company Stress Directions, stress seems to play a large role in the production of depression, Depression, only one type of stress reaction, is predicted to be the leading occupational disease of the 21st century, responsible for more days lost than any other single factor . And, just to regress, they also claim that $300 billion is spent on stress related compensation claims per year (Stressdirections). Now, if we add depression to the mix, it is predicted that depression costs the U.S. $53 billion per year. 10% of adults, more than 17,000,000 people, suffer from major depressive illness every year (Know 11).

Being equipped with all these facts, perhaps we are well on our way to solving these two critical health issues. Well, with the present decrease in our economy it would be skeptical of myself to make that prediction. However with our ultramodern science we have come to what most medical doctors would call a cure. Today s Soma, we call Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Wellbutrin, just t

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