Brave New World: The Nature of Happiness
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, is a fantasy story that tells of a place where everyone is happy. They are happy because they have been brainwashed, they are happy because they have no stress, and they are happy because they do not understand the true meaning of happiness. The government has control of everything that these people say and do and, thus, has control of their emotions. The Controller is a man who, obviously, is in control of the society. The Controller believes that being brainwashed is for the better. He says it’s the only way for society to remain constantly happy.
He’s wrong, of course. Being happy isn’t about avoiding stress, or having a lot of money. Happiness isn’t fueled by sex or “soma” drugs, it’s often achieved on the rebounds of being unhappy. There are always opposites in life: good/bad, black/white, rich/poor, and happy/sad. Without opposites, it’s impossible to tell the difference between the two. If everyone were constantly happy, how would they know? If they never felt sad, how could they possibly feel happy? Just how success is most enjoyable after enormous amounts of failure, happiness is most rewarding after compete sadness. Not only is happiness rewarding but it’s hard work as well. To be happy, you must try to be happy. It doesn’t make sense at first, but when you think about you, it’s obvious. If you were happy no matter what happened, or no matter what you did, as in Brave New World, then it would be a hollow happiness because it would be based on nothing.
Even if happiness is just a chemical connection inside a brain, it’s the fact that it’s recognized as a pleasant experience and is sought after that makes reaching it that much more fulfilling.
