Brave New World
1. Leisure-time activites were of great importance in the World State. Are Americans filling leisure time intelligently or are we allowing ourselves to be shaped by the media and Big Business?
2. Compare Brave New World with other dystopian novels you have read (1984, Fahrenheit 451, Animal Farm). Note the differences in the ways the characters of each novel are kept in complete submission.
I hadn't even considered the point Huxley was trying to make about free time but no I don't think we are filling it wisely. Just myself personally, I waste tons of time wacthing MTV, Facebook, texting or shopping. Instead I could be broadeing my horizons by reading books, researching things on the internet ect. But I suppose that is why it is called leisure time though, you aren't trying to be productive you are just doing things for the simple enjoyment of it.
ReplyDeleteI almost think the leisure of watching MTV, going on Facebook, or texting is necessary. I mean, I get bored of books, I do its how I am. And there are those people who cannot stand reading books for too long. Plus, we need that leisure to keep ourselves sane. I'm not going to take a break from scholarship applications to go research a random topic on the Internet. Plus, I'd rather be on Facebook or texting people. It's a necessary evil.
ReplyDeleteThat is true but perhaps we could spend our time going on a walk or spending time with family or playing cards ect. I suppose Facebook doesn't really cost anything though so that wouldn't be "big business" but a lot of leisure activites do cost money nowadays like the movies, amusement parks.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dea, and personally believe our leaisure time is a significant part of the obesity epidemic. We're totally being shaped by the media. Just think of the people spend on Facebook, that entire time they're being attacked by relentless advertisements and media
ReplyDeleteDea, I have to agree with you, even though your first comment was riddled with errors.:) People these days are lazy, and when they get time off they waste it by doing nothing or watching something stupid on television, like Teen Mom. Oh I hate that show. Remember back in the 90's when teen pregnancy ended your life? Now it's like "Oh, I'm pregnant. LOL, MTV here I come!"
ReplyDeleteYes exactly and it seems like the media is more and more based on physical connections and physical parts of people rather than personality and real connections.
ReplyDeleteChase is totally right, it's almost as if those girls get pregnant for attention!
ReplyDeleteWell really what is the difference in the productivity between reading and watching TV. There are good informational and useful parts of each of these forms of entertainment. Conversely, there are pointless aspects of each too, Twilight for example.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with spending time with family. However, nowadays, its hard to go out and have a good quality family time without purchasing something. You even have to purchase the cards which may lead to the purchasing more cards because they're on "sale" or "clearance." Which ends up as a waste of money.
ReplyDeleteI think though, that reading engages your mind more. When you watch TV, you don't generally use your mind you just watch and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteGood points Tanner, Keane, and Chase. Sorry for the errors, I just let my ideas flow :) There was an article in Teen Vogue about how some girls ARE getting pregnant for attention- from boyfriends (to make them stay together) family, friends, and now the media. It is an alarming statistic but I think Teen Mom also shows how hard it is and how the baby daddy still leaves most of the time.
ReplyDeleteKeane makes a good point, Twilight is really bad. Watch, I'll illustrate Bella's part throughout the entire movie. ._. <-- that is seriously all she knows how to do. Ugh!!
ReplyDeleteTrue Emily, but you can get infinite uses out of a deck of cards (that is if you don't lose them) and you only make the purchase once.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think that those "reality" TV aren't in any way real and everything is scripted. I wouldn't be surprised at all.
ReplyDeleteHow often are you reading a book and you get through about three pages and go, "What did i just read?". This might be more common with TV but reading has the potential too. My point is if you try to think about a movie you are watching it has the same capability to be mentally engaging.
ReplyDeleteYEAH Tanner I know!!! Like the Hills Season finale. I was devestated.
ReplyDeleteBella just needs to go away.
ReplyDeleteReality TV shows are just, they're controlling I guess. Like Kelsey Davis was going to be on MTV for her wedding but then they ended up NOT doing it because the producer wanted them to get in a fight. I just think Reality TV needs to calm down a bit. I bet Teen Mom may be partially staged as well. Sorry to hate on that, but its true.
Tanner and I are having ESP.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it proven that watching TV turns your brain to mush? Or is that an old wives tale?
ReplyDeletethat is, to say, if it has the potential of actually having a plot that goes deeper than a glass of water.
ReplyDeleteCards are expensive these days man. Inflation. I remember when gas was only a dollar and you could get all kinds of groceries for just $100. "It's all the government's fault, they just need to go away and we need to get rid of it," said the person who knows nothing about how government works.
ReplyDeleteLOL Chase I love your posts.
ReplyDeleteIf TV is turning our brains to mush, we're about to go through major stupidity. People let their kids watch TV all the time, and movies are made for the education of kids. So I'm pretty sure that's an old wives tale.
ReplyDeleteAMEN TANNER!
ReplyDeleteIf this was Facebook, I would like that. Moving on. Who read 1984? It is weird how sex plays such a huge role in both stories. In 1984 chastity was emphazied and in Brave New World the lack of. Why do you guys think the authors focused so much on that?
ReplyDeleteKeane and I actually had a dicussion last night about government. We decided if everyone just did what they were supposed to. there would be no nedd for government.
ReplyDeleteTeen mom is obviously staged. Nobody would yell and scream on national television because she couldn't smoke her weed unless she was scripted to. And yes, that did happen. Some role models, huh? I know they're not supposed to be exemplars, but they could at least try to inform kids of the dangers of teen pregnancy, now it's all just for drama and ratings.
ReplyDeleteI agree Chase. I think kids have a dream to get on MTV so... They do things to get a bun in the oven. They may not even be pot addicts before but they may be like "Oh, I'm going to get on Teen Mom." Hence, stupidity and staging.
ReplyDeleteTanner that is exactly true. I think that is a quote by John Adams about how we wouldn't need government if people were angels.
ReplyDeleteWell, because in Brave New World, people don't get pregnant, otherwise it's essentially the same concept.
ReplyDeleteYeah but in 1984 they didn't want people to be intimate unless they were having a kid and it is the opposite in Brave New World.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but disagree Tanner. I see what you're saying, and I want to agree, but that sounds like socialism, which is a form of government. I really want to agree though, I wish I could. And people will never be able to act like angels, there's just that inner corruptness that keeps us imperfect.
ReplyDeleteDea, I think the reason that sex was so focused on in both of these novels is because they were written in times when the world's view on chastity was beginning to drastically shift. Each author just predicted how people would respond.
ReplyDeleteDea, I love that quote. Just sayin.
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem with socialism. . . It assumes people are angels.
ReplyDeleteAh Keane I did not even think of that. Great point. Obviously, we are responding more like Brave New World.
ReplyDeleteI see what Keane is saying. They're coming to an end of the era of practicing chastity until marriage, and maybe one author couldn't stand the thought, while the other thought change was a good thing. Hence the differing ideals.
ReplyDeleteI find a great similarity between Fahrenheit 451 and this book. No books. Books are illegal. Although books are allowed among the higher classes... But still. No books.
ReplyDeleteI like how we handle our leisure-time. So what if the media influences what we do, we still enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteBrave New World is pretty similar to Animal Farm when you think about it. In Animal Farm, the animals overthrow the humans and then the pigs take over. In Brave New World, the people are happy but a few others try to stop the goings-on because they rationalize that they can't possibly know true happiness because they've never experienced true loss. See? Same plot!
ReplyDeleteDea, you're on the right track.
ReplyDeleteTanner, you're wise.
ReplyDelete