Brave New World Revisited

In 1932, Brave New World, a novel by the English author Aldous Huxley, was published. Contemporary events inspired this influential fantasy novel, which depicted a future society governed by totalitarianism. In 1958, a full twenty-seven years later, Huxley wrote Brave New World Revisited, a short nonfiction book which reexamines the novel’s ideas and predictions in light of events that had happened since the publication of Brave New World. Huxley argues that the world is accelerating toward the dystopia he foretold in Brave New World much faster than he had anticipated. The book diagnoses many problems at the foreground of speculation in mid-20th-century society, most of which endure today in ever more pressing forms.

The twelve chapters of Brave New World Revisited (which originated as articles Huxley wrote for Newsday) are each devoted to a different social problem or theme. Huxley starts with overpopulation, which he sees as humanity’s “central problem.” According to Huxley, the world population has been growing at an alarming rate to the point where births far outnumber deaths; this phenomenon puts an enormous strain on resources which will worsen as time goes on. Huxley also emphasizes the dangers of “over-organization,” or, the centralized control of society by an oligarchy consisting of “Big Business” and “Big Government.” He regards this centralization as a threat to democracy and individual freedom; as well, standardization and conformity in everyday life will become inevitable.

In the central portion of the book, Huxley examines mass media and its effect on society in the form of propaganda—a force whose reach has expanded enormously since World War II. In light of recent scientific experiments in subliminal messaging, hypnopedia and synthetic drugs, Huxley speculates that future governments will use brainwashing techniques to influence people to conform to approved ways of thinking. This trend is already underway in some democratic countries via advertising, which often appeals to human desires using irrational language and thought. Huxley argues that rulers of the future will try to manipulate people on a subconscious level and thus make them compliant with the removal of their personal freedom. The new society will be characterized by a “non-violent totalitarianism” (115), which is all the more insidious because it wears a benign face.

Huxley ends the book with a call to reeducate ourselves in the lessons of individual liberty and democracy and instill them in the next generation; without these processes, we will all too easily yield to the power of propaganda and dictatorship. Huxley describes his ideal model for society, which allows human beings to fulfil their individual and social potential as complete persons and to live happy and creative lives.