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Aldous Huxley “BRAVE NEW WORLD” Vs. George Orwell “1984”
Neil Postman
What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to burn books because there would be no one who cared to read one.
Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information.
Huxley feared those who would give us so much information that it would reduce us to passivity and egotism.
Orwell feared the truth would be hidden from us.
Huxley feared that the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.
Orwell feared we would become a captive culture.
Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture preoccupied with some equivalent of the ‘feelies’, ‘the orgy porgy’ and the ‘centrifugal bumblepuppy’.
As Huxley remarked in “Brave New World Revisited” the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions”.
In “1984” people are controlled by inflicting pain.
In “Brave New World” people are controlled by inflicting pleasure.
Orwell feared that what we Hate will ruin us.
Huxley feared that what we Love will ruin us.
By Neil Postman
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From: JW
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Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 12:05 PM
Subject: Aldous Huxley "Brave New World" vs. George ORwell "1984"