Brave New World - Dystopias and Apocalypses - Extra Sci Fi

We kick off a new season of Extra Sci Fi exploring the theme of dystopias and apocalypses. We begin with Aldous Huxley's Brave New World*--a very early novel that make a compelling argument for *why the dystopia exists at all.
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[@extrahistory]

Dystopian literature really began when the two World Wars, the Great Depression, and more socio-political unrest in the world began to disrupt the utopian aspirations of science fiction at the time. So enters Brave New World.

[@ericchurch8536]

Hola there

[@jorgesalazar7661]

Extra Credits 2 hours ?

[@mariapazgonzalezlesme]

How about utopian scifi or peaceful civilations, I feel like nobody are talking about this concept.

[@bemersonbakebarmen]

Make a special on Soviet Sci fi... Its amazing, It changed my view of Sci fi... People need to know more about It

[@bobbymichealson798]

This series leaves me with a great deal more to read, but I also wondered if you also have any recent (relatively speaking) works that would be of note? Of course time has not passed far enough for classics to be born, but I’d love your opinion on the matter.

[@maddie9602]

I absolutely love BNW, and one of my favorite parts are what you emphasized here: it's the rare dystopian novel where the totalitarian government isn't evil just for the sake of being evil, or because of greed or whatnot. The government in BNW believes that it's doing right, that they have created a utopia, and the villains are allowed to state their case without the author creating an obviously wrong strawman. This world came to be because of basically good people working with the best of intentions to make it so. It makes us question any utopic vision that we're presented with: would this perfect world really be as perfect as we dream of? What would we have to give up to achieve it, and are those sacrifices worth it?

[@Nycolas9929]

I don’t think that the rulers was working for the best intentions , neither Aldous Huxley. In the BNW that I have, Huxley in the prefacio says that the dictators will have the task to make people love their freedom. It’s not very much good intention.

[@republicanphilosophy9356]

not to mention, they also let people live in the traditional way, so, are they really oppressive?

[@Francesco-cj3oi]

No, and no

[@humbughumbughumbug]

Uh, 1984 is literally the same. They ruled with an iron fist thinking it was the best for society.

[@adenm8963]

​@@humbughumbughumbugnot really. They specifically mentioned in 1984 that they don't care about the people, they only care about the ruling elite

[@Linus89]

"Happiness is never grand." That hit pretty hard...

[@danilooliveira6580]

that is why our favorite fiction is about the road to happiness, not happiness itself.

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

Nobody ever read a novel, browsed a comic book, or watched a TV show about a perfect & peaceful world of plenty and came away entertained. Even Star Trek needed Klingons. Except for a while after the 50's. After WW2, those folks just wanted to think everything was cool, like The Fonz, and live in Mayberry next to The Cleavers. The lesson? Utopia seems like a pretty good deal after battling the horrors of Dystopia.

[@jatziberoja04]

i'll change that line to "happiness is never granted" better and more real

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

@@jatziberoja04 Yeah, that resonates better

[@petermazug7704]

@@jatziberoja04 Your line completely misses the original line's point, and is about something entirely different.

[@IndustrialBonecraft]

I never imagined Mond's arguments as this slightly aggressive tone - I imagined a sort of geniality. He more or less knows and agrees, but has made a choice based on rational judgement. The Savage never really gives good arguments, he just expresses his emotions and lets them stand in for arguments.

[@Nycolas9929]

I don’t think, the savage gives yes some arguments. However, I think that the author don’t put many arguments for him to our thinking for ourselves.

[@overthr0w138]

@@Nycolas9929 so what arguments did you come up with? I personally have to admit that I'd prefer to live in the BNW, assuming, I was conditioned and not an outsider visiting

[@appropriate-channelname3049]

Yeah I’ve never imagine momd being rude.

[@legateelizabeth]

"You fight for the right to be miserable." - Mustafa Mond, Regional World Controller.

[@petbotanics]

war is peace love is hate

[@CMAzeriah]

I'd rather be miserable and free than comfortable and enslaved. When I'm free, I can find my own happiness and comfort by working hard at building my own stuff.

[@applejuices]

@@petbotanics That's a different book

[@yeetusdacanible]

The point of it is basically "can you tell the starving mother of 4 children that your suffering is worth my happiness?" Is your happiness and joy worth more than the suffering and pains of society? ​@@CMAzeriah

[@CMAzeriah]

@@yeetusdacanible The flaw of that guilt trip is that both I and that woman with 4 children can not suffer and be happy. The entire point of a middle class is just that. Recent history has proven that a society can produce enough for all not to suffer. We do not need a totalitarian system.

[@sethortiger]

BNW shows us a world kept under control through comfort. 1984 shows us a world kept under control through hate. Modern day has both of these in high amounts.

[@abigailpatridge2948]

But none of it is truly as totalitarian as those novels. Yet. The missing puzzle piece is only sufficient technology, sadly.

[@firesonic23]

Kinda proves we can't let one style take complete control.

[@capeewee]

War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. Identity, Community, and Stability. If there is one redeeming feature of a dystopia, its the slogans.

[@Newbmann]

@@capeewee what about the teliscreens that's my favorite right behind the ideologies neo bulshivisn otherwise known as Nazbul gang and the dumbest one of all DEATH WORSHIPERS you know people who like to ship dead people like Julia.

[@dashdaniels2685]

And Fahrenheit 451 shows is a world kept under control through ignorance.

[@lindsaywheatcroft8247]

“How would a modern society ever actually become a dystopia?” *glances at camera*

[@necro-retro915]

*in God we trust* *in goverment we must*

[@drakep.5857]

@@necro-retro915 we live in a society -the jonker

[@Rofl890]

The real question is: how would a modern society not eventually become a dystopia?

[@chriskopp1361]

It's called government inaction.

[@victuz]

@@Rofl890 Because life centuries and millenia ago was better than today, isn't it?

[@brockmckelvey7327]

I loved Brave New World so much more than 1984. I thought that bright and shiny BNW had so much more potential to actually happen than bleak and dark 1984.

[@lillockey04]

Yeah, but, SURPRISE ... it's both.

[@sabotabby3372]

*cough* patriot act *cough*

[@kalil2669]

Brave new world works better because people are "happy" and therefore don't feel the need to be against the system. Most totalitarian states have failed because people are against it Sorry for my bad english

[@VersusThem]

Aldous addresses this very same thing in Brave New World Revisited (1958) and argues for your case, if I recall correctly it isn't far from the beginning of the essay, so you should find it easiily

[@rogerogue7226]

I'd say 1984 is just as likely, it's just going to come after the BNW stage, where the generation that remembers before dystopia is convinced it's the right thing to do. Boiling a frog you know.

[@BionicleFreek99]

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"

[@VersusThem]

That was one of the favourite quotes of Aldous Huxley, and mine :D

[@Mr2squids]

Not actually true: the road to Hell is paved with frozen door-to-door salesmen. In winter, many of the younger devils like to go ice skating on it

[@julianakelrune7777]

And the ones you love litter the roadside

[@rykertomanek8186]

The road to heaven is paved with bad intentions

[@liker-qd4fz]

If this is true,then the US is building a highway system,full of parkings and Mc.Donalds.

[@andrewmelnikov292]

One of the best descriptions I've heard was, "1984 teaches us to be aware of the things we hate and how they can destroy us. Brave New World teaches us to be aware of the things we love and how they can destroy us - with our own consent." Of course, as our newest history shows, writing 1984 off as being "no longer relevant" is a huge misconception. People are prone to fear, and many people who are afraid are prone to trade all the freedoms they have for imaginary security. Tyranny is not as extinct as some would like to think. Educating yourself and learning to be a better human is the only known counteraction, but it's painfully slow. Brave New World, on the other hand, achieves total happiness... by downgrading humans and their desires to what a society can provide. Instead of managing supply it manages demand, making defective humans who are totally happy and unable to understand the horror of their existence because they are purposely made defective. Once again, education and improvement of human nature can help manage both supply and demand, but it's - yep, painfully slow.

[@sielentbrat4005]

As for me - "Brave New World" shows how close are the Dystopia and Utopia to one another. They both are about stability, the only difference is in a point of view. Actually, I see it very well in post-soviet countries, where people grieve for USSR. Forgetting the lack of freedom, low life and constant fear but remembering only Holy Stability.

[@jacobs2099]

For alot of people in the former USSR life was better before the collapse. Living standards were higher and society had very low rate of things like crime. Political freedom was low but they're not free r now than they were then. Thier lives are just worse.

[@sielentbrat4005]

Yeah... Standing in line for 3 hours to buy toilet paper. Very high life standards...

[@olgaobraztsova8367]

​@@sielentbrat4005 USSR was different in different periods of time. At first, the idea worked really good. Then, Stalin came and WW2 happened, which sccared the economy permanently. People waiting 3 hours to buy bread was just a conclusion.

[@livingbehind661]

​@@sielentbrat4005spending ur life for a car n not even half a house is better then ? being content and able to, in a single day, is not so bad...

[@bemersonbakebarmen]

Make a special episode for Soviet Sci Fi, its a staple on the genre.

[@youronlinegirlfriend5508]

Roadside Picnic for the win

[@tp6335]

Solaris also for the win!

[@bemersonbakebarmen]

Alexei Tolstoi for the Win! He was a relative of Leon Tolstoy and that blowed my mind. Crazy coincidence.

[@ArtemKostryukov]

Strugatskiye Brothers deserve a whole cycle of their own, especially the Hard to be a God novel

[@bemersonbakebarmen]

We want Soviets!!!!!!!

[@JoCoBrony]

Thank Ford this was uploaded the day before my AP Literature exam.

[@ponyempiresunite9702]

Celestia blessed you with luck and knowledge.

[@LegoCookieDoggie]

@@ponyempiresunite9702 ah, The religous order of bronies

[@Stilluetto]

DIPPER! My face is on fire! Come in here quick!

[@ponyempiresunite9702]

@@LegoCookieDoggie Ah, I see that you are a man of cultue as well. I'm sorry, it's a reflex.

[@guner158]

Same here!

[@jmalmsten]

"So this is the way liberty dies... with thunderous applause." One of the few good lines in Revenge of the Sith.

[@CockatooDude]

Wasn't that in the Phantom Menace?

[@williemherbert1456]

Nope, that's a quote from Padme Amidala at the Galactic Senate Meeting when Palpatine declared the dissolution of corrupt Republic and reorganized into totalitarian Galactic Empire where he pointed as the Emperor of the Galaxy

[@AnnabelleJARankin]

This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper. (The Hollow Men TS Eliot)

[@khyronthethunderhawg6577]

The best one is from Phantom: Jar-Jar "I spake." Qui-Gon "The ability to speak does not make you intelligent."

[@TheElThomaso]

@@khyronthethunderhawg6577 That's a pretty good one, ngl 😄

[@95keat]

The best thing about brave New world is that isn't actually a dystopia but a utopia. The system works, the people are happy, and theres even a place for those who don't want to be apart of it. The only people that see it as wrong are those outside of it.

[@yucol5661]

And even then they are aware there are issues. Mond basically says “yeah it’s bad, this is the best we tried, can you do better?” Even all the ways in which the system limits people’s freedoms or options are kinda things they don’t value in the first place? I value them, but they don’t, so are they really being deprived of them? They just don’t want it. The cruelest thing I could think of is making a set path for people and pre deciding their job, personality, and psychology. But we too kinda aspire to do that with children all the time? Even when we want them to think for themselves and be individual, we literally position and nudge them into that desirable personality. Our most rebellious characters just got exiled to a place where they can be themselves and only the savage suffers (in a very self inflicted, shame fueled, why can’t my life be like Othelo way). I might just not have enough experience to have enough appreciation for high art or dramatic passions or deeper things in life tough

[@overthr0w138]

@@yucol5661 no, I think your judgement is perfectly rational. People are just generally appalled by different world views and instincively defend their own views as the best ones.

[@PolishGod1234]

Nope. Its a dystopia dressed as utopia

[@PariahEarth]

I'm so glad you mentioned _We_ - Zamyatin is terribly underrated.

[@rumkeg919]

It is great in the beginning, but then it transforms into unfortunate love story. Sadly, the man couldn't make it a novella instead of novel.

[@PHRCpvh]

I hope to read it very soon. No irony that it was the first book to be censored by the Soviet government.

[@andrewtodaro2874]

I read that book. It’s basically a forerunner to 1984!

[@AverageAwesomeDude]

The scary thing for me when I first read this is that I thought the pro dystopia argument was better, more logical while also empathetic. When thinking about it philosophically I always think I’d choose the “savage” side but I still feel way too understanding of the other side to be comfortable. A sort of “yeah that makes sense” feeling that just rubs me the wrong way. And the concept of soma always hit me a bit hard because of some struggles I’ve had with substance abuse, I can see myself living like that and it always feels two ways: like it’s just not “right” , but it never feels completely wrong either, it’s not some abomination of a self image, it’s just a path of least resistance (a concept which has nothing wrong with it in itself but in this context can sound like an evil of lesser degree, but I meant it as simply another way). I still can never pick a side by the end, I like a good bit of sinning, and a good fight and a competition and emotional outburst at beauty, and love is pretty sweet but I can still always see myself living like that and being satisfied. Great Book plays melancholy on my heartstrings in beautiful melodies

[@wren_.]

It’s sort of like how being on social media for several hours feels compared to doing a hobby for several hours. social media is easy. It’s easy to keep on scrolling and not feel anything. But passion requires some amount of suffering and some amount of work otherwise it’s not a passion. So really, what do you want to do with your life? do you want to feel that empty kind of happiness you get from scrolling TikTok, or do you want to put in some effort and feel passion?

[@jjk2one]

your food air and water it's healthy can't say more

[@Darknight4434]

My life is totally defined as: "before Brave New World and after Brave New World". Glad that you talk about one of my favorite books, even if your view on those characters sound very weird

[@VersusThem]

Then you should really read Brave New World Revisited (1958) if you haven't already, it's an essay, but it can still change your life in the same way BNW did!

[@kam......]

Did we read the same book, or is this like a version for avoiding spoilers? Because John is young and it wasn't some judgement by Mustapha, but rather a conversation. And specifically the reservation was for Natives, not generally for people who decided they wanted to live there, which is a big part of a particular character's arc. General themes and Ideas are solidly explained but details of the book seem a little misrepresented.

[@nidohime6233]

In America is not rare to censure this kind of books.

[@MasterDrewboy]

I truly think its to avoid spoilers

[@LeeCaithness]

Yes it makes more sense when you know that John (the savage) and his Mother Linda were brought back to BNW because Linda had originally come from there. She had painted a rose coloured picture for John of life in the BNW. But when he arrived John found it hard to cope in a world he had not been conditioned to accept.

[@dramajoe]

I wrote a paper in college on how much one could infer about an individual's personality based on who they considered the most heroic character in Brave New World. I need to dig that out of my closet.

[@gmh3]

that sounds like an interesting read

[@nusquamnemo4780]

If you ever do I'm interested

[@triantafelidesfox8344]

I’d really like to read that! Please do!

[@peasant8246]

Well? We're waiting.

[@liker-qd4fz]

@@peasant8246 Still waiting.

[@sirsquidly3537]

Here's hoping to see an episode on Fahrenheit 451, I've always loved that one the most for how it portrays society itself as being it's own issue, rather than it being left to higher government. Also, the art for the Savage doesn't seem to match up very well with the descriptions given in the book, and the conversation with the World Controller being framed as a official trial doesn't really add up, as they were just in his office. It just felt a little odd is all.

[@Games-mw1wd]

Super excited for this new series!

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

Are you using "series" in the British sense?

[@joseramonserranopita5709]

Have you noticed who the lead is?

[@francinemcloughlin6096]

3:13 GODDANGIT WALPOLE England just isint enough for you anymore, Now all of humanity has to serve as well.

[@Blizzic]

Whoever it is on this team who keeps sneaking amazing Hot Fuzz references into these videos, I love you.

[@blackhawksq1939]

Brave New World is one of my favorite books. It's actually THE book that got me reading for fun. I had to read it in high school and loved it. It opened up a Brave New World of fiction.

[@fuynnywhaka101]

Dying swans twisted wings, beauty not needed here Lost my love, lost my life, in this garden of fear I have seen many things, in a lifetime alone Mother love is no more, bring this savage back home

[@friendcomputer5276]

Wilderness, house of pain Makes no sense of it all Close this mind, dull this brain Messiah before his fall What you see, it's not real Those who know will not tell All is lost, sold your souls to this brave new world

[@goncaloproa840]

Ah, I see you're a man of taste as well.

[@someguy8233]

Twisted fools bathed in crimson red. A scarlet flame that burns til the end. Dream no more for you shall die. By the bidding of the twist eye.

[@someguy8233]

Twisted fools bathed in crimson red. A scarlet flame that burns til the end. Dream no more for you shall die. By the bidding of the twist eye.

[@Remove-x3w]

@@someguy8233 ? Call me curious but where is that from?

[@GuitarRocker2008]

The great trick of modern society is that many fear that we are heading for a dystopia and try to prevent it but in truth, we are already in one.

[@ContentEnjoyer-gm3ky]

Pfft. Damn straight with that one.

[@harrisonlee9585]

Ah so we're covering the stuff that was fiction then but real in 2019. - nervous laughter -

[@bencox3641]

Don't worry we will be in mad max in no time.

[@nathanschmitz2302]

China sure is trying to become 1984, ever heard of sesame credit? A way to game-ify life to weed out those that have different opinions.

[@harrisonlee9585]

@@bencox3641 We're already at that decadent but crumbling Neo Tokyo stage from Akira

[@bencox3641]

@@harrisonlee9585 What?

[@TymersRealm]

@@harrisonlee9585 We are? I don't recall hearing about any mutated teen uber-psyichs looking to blow anything up? recently...

[@ScorpioIsland]

Ok, I've posted a million times now about how amazing you guys are, but it bears repeating. Simple the best, most nuanced, most open hearted assessments of every subject you chose to tackle

[@906-x3w]

You can stop grovelling now.

[@KlaxontheImpailr]

6:32 as someone recovering from depression, I would counter that happiness IS grand if YOU’RE the one who’s happy.

[@parvuspeach]

You guys are one of the most under rated channels on YT, excellent work as usual !

[@muthias4582]

“I would have lived in peace, but my enemies brought me war.” Want a modern dystopia for today? Read the Red Rising series. One of the best series currently occurring.

[@Bushflare]

The most compelling modern dystopia is a window. Peer through it and watch the world collapse.

[@wingracer1614]

I absolutely loved the first book. In fact, I think it's time to reread. The later ones feel a bit heavy handed to me but were still quite enjoyable.

[@pyrosianheir]

Were you a little surprised when the fourth one of those came out? And with the direction it seems to be taking Darrow (ie towards the villainous)? Because I certainly was.

[@muthias4582]

pyrosianheir We’ll have to wait-and-see in Dark Age.

[@patwiggins6969]

That quote could well be used by the native Americans

[@SirSaladhead]

I did not expect to see "We" by Zamyatin on this show, one of the few sci-fis I care about. Neat.

[@gidkath]

On the subject of "the third path," the Aldous Huxley, Brave New World's author, looked back some years after he'd written the book, and included a forward to the edition that I read back in high school that I thought provided some interesting insights into the work. In his later life, he recognized that he'd only provided his readers with two options - "insanity and lunacy," I believe were his words - and if he'd had it all to write again, he'd have provided a third option, a middle ground where some sort of compromise might be possible, and suicide wouldn't seem like the only reasonable alternative.

[@bearsayshet710]

Oooh do I sense that we may see some androids soon, androids that might be dreaming about sheep, electric sheep!?

[@DustWolphy]

It seems androids are mainly dreaming KZbin comments

[@patwiggins6969]

On the way to electric sheep. Was blade runner actually about climate change after all?

[@igrolfthenord3668]

Damn,that Lenin looks amazing

[@hunterfalkenberg2837]

We just finished the giver and this really helped me understand some of the stuff

[@RobotTanuki]

If there's one thing I'll criticise about the video, is that the Indian Reservation is also presented incredibly negatively (rather than the quaint farmer-town you presented). Disease, poverty, superstition, suffering in general. In fact, John (the native guy mentioned in the video) got stuck between insanity (The World State) and lunacy (The Indian Reservation). Otherwise thanks for covering my favourite Dystopian novel of all time!

[@ContentEnjoyer-gm3ky]

I mean it’s not like they were practicing cannibalism…

[@nantukoprime]

I always liked HG Wells 'The Time Machine' as a dystopia, as I thought of it trying to represent a post-colonial empire having to deal with the reality of having relied on/exploited their colonies to get where they are now while still trying to ignore that dependency and how it centrally defines their current relationships. The power has to flow back, and HG Wells was not shy about showing that imagery.

[@Jamie-MrJam]

Looks like I'll have to read Brave New World now.

[@RobotTanuki]

Do it! I highly recommend it.

[@prism8278]

It's good, in my opinion better that 1984.

[@VersusThem]

Please, for the love of Big Brother and Mustafa, can you cover Brave New World Revisited? It's an essay, and a criminally underrated one. It also has Huxley discussing 1984 seriously which is a good plus and a good point of analysis between both books, something that you'll probably like after posting videos about both books

[@johgu92]

I honestly never felt BNW to be dystopia, it's more of a flawed utopia.

[@LordDirus007]

It's a critique of "Utopia". Nirvana is not of this world. We are inherently flawed and that is beautiful.

[@spartanx9293]

Yeah kind of along the same lines of The giver

[@dane1382]

@@spartanx9293 the giver is like "Mom, I want Brave New World." "We have Brave New World at home." Brave New World at home:

[@spartanx9293]

@@dane1382 I've read both your comparing apples to oranges both are depictions of a dystopian future but they are not the same And they do not have the same ending

[@cheloxmv]

"Flawed Utopia" that's like a straight newspeak term.

[@kianman5004]

I literally just finished this yesterday and now you guys post this, awesome!

[@Ravenkiko]

are you in junior high school? because I had to read this in 8th grade, jw

[@jackantharia]

Ah, the book that I've read had both "We" and "Brave new world" in it. Introduction chapter was also about how are they connected. Good stuff. And Huxley is great human being overall.

[@jeremy1860]

This might well be my personal favourite Extra Sci-Fi episode 😊

[@AureliusLaurentius1099]

BNW=Modern USA and Western Europe in a nutshell 1984=Modern China, Russia and North Korea in a nutshell

[@smonkedweed7414]

Nah, the US is somewhere between BNW and 1984

[@MetalMailman35]

Europe is more like 1984 imo

[@thesenate6482]

1984 is nothing close to China or Russia. Sure maybe North Korea

[@jondow7401]

@@thesenate6482 ehhh a little bit china. a LITTLE bit.

[@liker-qd4fz]

@@MetalMailman35 Do you even live in Europe?

[@dingemandevalk6339]

I thank you guys a lot for this, I am doing a final school presentaion about Sci-fi and the future. In this 1984 and A brave new world are the sci-fi sources i use. i feel so happy rn that you are doing a series about it!

[@GrassesOn97]

I am actually reading brave new world right now and find Hurley’s view and on the qualities of the dystopia philosophically interesting!

[@JamaicaSugar]

"And if anything should go wrong, there's Soma." That line was so funny.

[@Jamick98Geass]

One of my absolute favorite science fiction novels. "A gram is better than damn."

[@RobotTanuki]

"Ending is better than mending."

[@krakerbox1108]

I am reading these books in English class right now, and the timing for this video to show up has never been more perfect.

[@jamier65551]

Big brother is *Always* Watching.

[@firesonic23]

me waving at cameras "HI (Insert Organizations Here) GUY!"

[@leemeyer9395]

2+2=5

[@firesonic23]

@@leemeyer9395 the correct answer is Fish

[@Gol_D_Rog3r]

My english teacher left this in my desk with note telling me to stay skeptical. Nowadays I quote Huxley almost daily to my college students.

[@Ravenkiko]

We Happy Few (the video game set in dystopian Britain) really pulls from Brave New World, especially with the Joy medicine

[@nanunanu365]

I made that connection too. It's cool how some games grab inspiration from books that kids nowadays would only come across if a school project demanded they read it. Imagine how much better you might have understood the concepts behind "To Kill a Mocking Bird" if it was in the frame of a video game.

[@aldmeripatriot7703]

Too bad Australia banned it.

[@janroodbol5055]

in the game you get alienated if you don't use the drugs right, that's exactly what happens in Brave New Worl

[@Ravenkiko]

@@janroodbol5055 yea i've played it but it's also like the books in that if you don't abstain you can't reason or feel or constructively criticize

[@Ravenkiko]

@@janroodbol5055 although the game is way more violent than brave new world's setting

[@ivanreiss]

Marx doesn’t go to the Reservation with Helmholtz, but with Lenina.

[@arisraz]

As a fan of dystopian literature, I really like this series.. And I kinda wished you opened it with "we" by zamyatin, which you did! Keep it up!

[@BoZoiD57]

Dude I just finished writing a 10 page research paper on Brave New World for my Senior English final.

[@marcopohl4875]

Pleasure without pain isn't lesser. It simply does not exist.

[@potato-dv3jf]

I've read bnw this year for my high school English class, it's honestly one of my favorite books to read and i bought my own book to read it again over the summer. So EC didn't spoil much of the story and i recommend you guys to read it yourself if you like these times of books. Orgy porgy

[@akselevensen2763]

Orgy porgy indeed.

[@shelleywinters6763]

Thanks for quickly going over the social conditions that inform the books through the different styles and ideas.

[@ThatFanBoyGuy]

You forgot the orgies in Brave New World ;-P

[@LeeCaithness]

Just finished reading brave new world today. What a book. Loved it. If you’ve not read it yet get to your library and check it out.

[@TheChillLefty]

Ok so that question of "emotion" v "stability" ending with the possibility of a third way makes me think you need to eventually address the possibility of a free utopia that doesn't make the naive assumptions of earlier sci-fi. For an exploration of that possibility I suggest The Culture series of novels.

[@Nyck8639]

The third way probably would be a union of emotion and stability, not something beyond that two things. There is some people that say that aldous huxley made a perfect world in his book “Island” that show the ideal society for him, but I didn’t read the book.

[@alexxx4434]

Unfortunately by the very nature emotion opposes stability. As a third way I can only see some kind of carefully curated balance.

[@chancerbox1935]

An hour of freedom is more valuable than an eternity of happiness

[@zyanego3170]

Why?

[@mrquackadoodlemoo]

So that's where SOMA got it's name. Also, that Walpole reference

[@fioredeutchmark]

Nope, same word different origin. SOMA (the game) is from the Greek for ‘body’ hence why SOMA is called what it is. The Soma in BNW is most likely referencing the Vedic Hindu medicinal preparation and it’s namesake the deity Soma. The preparation was thought to contain a combination of opium, cannabis and psychoactive ingredients to induce euphoria, just like the book. It is also known as a means to gain immortality and enlightenment, which is hilariously ironic. The deity Soma is the Hindu Representation of the Moon. The symbolism here is quite important as the moon is a bright light illuminating the dark, just like a lighthouse does for the sea (don’t want to spoil anything but that’s SUPER important) and John (BNW’s main character) does for humanity.

[@danielsjohnson]

6:57 Its because of you guys I played the Bioshock games. Thanks for referencing it so often.

[@D2attemp]

Will you guys cover “I have no mouth and I must scream”

[@Overhazard]

That'd be a pleasant surprise for this. (More pleasant than Harlan Ellison, in any case.)

[@linkeffect82]

This was awesome! I love dystopias, and this was a great video showcasing what sounds like a solid work that I would love to read sometime! I look forward to seeing more videos!

[@ashnandy7363]

3:23 Oh so its like joy from We happy few where they suppress terrible memories and bad emotions and everybody takes them. If they dont they are either forced to or are killed

[@history-jovian]

I also saw it like that

[@isaacschmitt4803]

Huh, so I was wrong. I thought 1984 was first, always forget about Brave New World. I really love the philosophy of these videos! Easy to understand, fun to watch, and incredibly engaging, forcing me to think.

[@AYToaster]

What about "Harrison Bergeron"?

[@jonathansibrian695]

Yea thats a very good one

[@BothHands1]

One of the best books ever written. Aside from short manga, it's the book I've read more often than any other. I really liked your take on it, especially on the questions it poses, which I've been asking for years. But i feel like you've made the point much more concisely than i could have. Looking forward to more on this series, especially for more about Huxley.

[@ErraticMagics]

Brave New World is practically our current world. Instead of a worldstate we have tech giants and a global corporate conglomerate, instead of soma we have anti-depressants, instead of savage reserves we have the Amish and small communes, instead of lack of high art we have social media/consumer culture, instead castes and assigning professions you are manipulated through education and advertising. Meaningful living isn't impossible in the modern world, and the real life parallels I made aren't strictly negative either. However, I feel that you have to mostly go against the current zeitgeist to achieve something resembling happiness.

[@ZeMalta]

The speech between the John (name I remember as being the savage) and the Fordship Guy was one of the best dialogues I’ve read in a book. But what follows is too tragic and real.

[@thebest-do8sk]

1800s people: we are going to have flying cars Now a day people: we have level50 weapons

[@ftroman]

So glad to see We get a mention. It's so often overlooked.

[@Viperzka]

That end part is one of the reasons I don't necessarily think that Brave New World is a dystopia (though I agree that it was intended to be). It is the fundamental question "can you be fake happy?". We all want to be happy, but the savage's argument is that they aren't really happy, they just think they are happy. But is that even a possibility, can we just think we are happy and not really be happy? Almost every form of "fake happiness" today can be shown to break down and lead to overall unhappiness (i.e. drugs). But BNW specifically shows a world in which that doesn't happen, society doesn't fall apart because everyone is a hedonist. That is the real reason why it's so enduring. It is one of the few dystopian novels not afraid to look the dystopia in the face and say "maybe they aren't actually wrong".

[@CountDVB]

The Savage himself isn't really happy, especially with what he does in the end.

[@obligatoryusername7239]

How can people see BNW's society and think it isn't all bad just because the people are drugged and conditioned from birth to be "happy"? Would you think that a world where people are bred and treated like dogs by a higher species would be alright as long as people were always "happy" due to drugs and their engineered pet genes?

[@danielchen9733]

thank youu, this literally came out the day before our book club was due

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

This world is becoming a dystopia via the s3 plan Selection for societal sanity Hideo kojima you mad genius you tried to warn us What fools we were Long live the sons of liberty

[@theskullboy8700]

It honestly makes me fear college

[@felixlentz7884]

After the short break, I wanted to point out how much I appreciate the art in the Extra Si-Fi Series! It is gorgeous! I wish there would be a way to get some of the art for Wallpapers!

[@nerowulfee9210]

In ancient times, men built wonders, laid claim to the stars and sought to better themselves for the good of all. But we are much wiser now.

[@trollamos]

Sorry we can't do those things because of some meaningless accounting numbers.

[@Havazik]

"We've taken care of everything The words you hear, the songs you sing The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes It's one for all, all for one We work together, common sons Never need to wonder how or why... Yes, we know It’s nothing new It’s just a waste of time We have no need for ancient ways Our world is doing fine Another toy That helped destroy The elder race of man Forget about your silly whim It doesn’t fit the plan" 2112 Part II. Temples of Syrinx - Rush

[@KidIsildur]

I T W A S W A L P O L E

[@guardsmanlars6797]

Was it?

[@Alemphonix]

Welcome to Walpolistan. Where we serve our Walpoleship by working in the banks and money factories.

[@domus1455]

I've missed this series so much!

[@dustinhaas8538]

Yooo! This hit me like a ton of bricks, and I've heard this story reviewed by thug notes before.

[@AYVYN]

Time flies when you’re having fun. Unfortunately, a life of mundane pleasures will end too quickly for you to realize you’ve wasted it.

[@macmurfy2jka]

“Freedom for security “-(Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson) It’s always been about trading freedom for security.

[@imperatorodaenathus9329]

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." was Ben Franklin

[@macmurfy2jka]

Imperator Odaenathus I’ve seen a very similar and slightly more eloquent (read less wordy) attributed to Jefferson. I believe it’s on his monument. 🤷‍♂️

[@imperatorodaenathus9329]

@@macmurfy2jka I wasn't able to find it on Google, only the paraphrased version that says "Those who give up liberty for security deserve neither". Actually, though, the real quote sounds so ineloquent because it was actually originally talking about a tax dispute during the 7 years war.

[@nkordich]

@@macmurfy2jka If you're looking for a quote from the Jefferson Memorial: www.nps.gov/thje/learn/photosmultimedia/quotations.htm

[@pancudowny]

Seeing the workers ith the three-digit numbers on their shirts, and recalling a summarization of A Brave New World, I'm reminded of song by The Who called "905". Within the song, the hero of the song is a member of a very similar society, and finds himself having feelings of belonging to a world that he's discovered that is quite different to his own, but is told otherwise when he contests in favor of it openly.

[@joshuaclare4860]

Yes! Yay for dystopian fiction! (That’s an oxymoronic statement I know). I’ve been reading Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 and they’ve been an incredibly insightful reads for me. It certainly has made me more aware of my world (and has kind of made me a lot more anxious about the government. Not Tin foil hat levels of paranoia but definitely concern)

[@jlw35cudvm]

I do not understand the reason, but there is something about these dystopia novels that I am drawn to. We, Brave New World, and 1984 are amongst my personal favorites

[@ahumblemerchant241]

"WE" sounds like frostpunk.

[@Pile_of_carbon]

Hell yes! Seriously looking forward to this series.

[@9seed.]

"The benefactor". Huh. Sounds familiar.

[@NathanTAK]

What does it remind you of? Is it, perchance, a podcast?

[@9seed.]

No. A video game, with an Orwellian vibe.

[@Stryker4747]

"It has come to my attention that some have lately called me a collaborator, as if such a term were shameful. I ask you, what greater endeavor exists than that of collaboration? In our current unparalleled enterprise, refusal to collaborate is simply a refusal to grow--an insistence on suicide, if you will. "

[@executiveelf8793]

I've read 1984 but have been wanting more of dystopias. This sounds like one I should pick up.

[@ponderosabones7803]

Play at 1.25 speed for the classic Extra Credits experience.

[@ViscountAlexOfTheHorsePeople]

Love you guys for this one! Brave New World is the most important book I ever read.

[@ImperatorZor]

Now as far as Utopian sci-fi goes we're down to The Orville.

[@TogusaRusso]

Society, destroyed because one person don't get laid, can't be utopian.

[@goyonman9655]

"They get what they want and they never want what they can't get"

[@CountDVB]

Ya'll should've talked about The Iron Heel by Jack London.

[@yannikberkenkamp1978]

I have no words for how happy I am, you at least mentioned Zamyatin...Srsly, whoever enjoyed "Brave New World" should definetly go and read "We"