The perfect dictatorship would have the appearance of a democracy, but in reality would be a prison without walls, from which the prisoners would not even dream of escaping. It would essentially be a system of slavery in which, through consumption and entertainment...
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (1932).
Aldous Huxley wrote his book in the interwar period. He had a great (and correct, in my opinion) vision of the future of humanity. He foresaw that people's lives would be manipulated by giving them what they want and desire, rather than controlling them through fear. In other words, he saw pleasure and desire as the tools of control, while Orwell, several years later (1949), saw fear and repression as the means of controlling people's lives.
History has shown that they were both right. Fear and repression were (and still are) used to control people's lives in totalitarian regimes, while pleasure and desire are used as tools of control in democratic governments.
Aldous Huxley, in Brave New World presents a picture of a future society, the World State, where science and social control will create stability and well-being. People are created in laboratories, predetermined for their caste, and conditioned from birth to accept their roles. Bernard longs for acceptance despite his nonconformity, while John struggles with the superficiality of the World State after being taken there.
Their contrasting experiences highlight the conflict between the engineered happiness of the World State and the passionate, unpredictable nature of traditional life. John introduces concepts of love, art, and religion that challenge the values of the World State. However, his attempts to integrate these ideas clash with society's conditioning. The result is a tragedy.
In the end, this great book becomes a warning about the dangers of sacrificing individuality and critical thinking for the sake of stability and pleasure. It encourages the reader of that time, - but especially the readers of our times, - to reflect on the true meaning of happiness and the importance of human relationships in a world driven by technology and control.