Brave New World, written by Aldous Huxley, is a thought-provoking novel that explores a dystopian future society. Published in 1932, it presents a world where technology and science have taken over human values and emotions. The story revolves around characters who are conditioned to be content with their roles in society, but some individuals start questioning the system. Brave New World has left a lasting impact on readers with its profound quotes that reflect on the dangers of an overly controlled society.
In this article, we have compiled a list of brave new world quotes that will make you ponder the implications of a world devoid of individuality and freedom. These quotes encapsulate the essence of the novel and shed light on the characters’ struggles and realizations. Whether you are a fan of dystopian literature or simply seeking inspiration, these brave new world quotes will surely leave an impression.
So, let’s dive into the fascinating world of Brave New World and explore some of its most memorable quotes.
Read these brave new world quotes
“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly – they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.”
“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery.”
“You can’t make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved, the rest is up to the person to realize your worth.”
“The greatest triumphs of propaganda have been accomplished, not by doing something, but by refraining from doing. Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth.”
“But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”
“You’ve got to choose between happiness and what people used to call high art. We’ve sacrificed the high art.”
“The world’s stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t get. They’re well off; they’re safe; they’re never ill; they’re not afraid of death; they’re blissfully ignorant of passion and old age; they’re plagued with no mothers or fathers; they’ve got no wives, or children, or lovers to feel strongly about; they’re so conditioned that they practically can’t help behaving as they ought to behave. And if anything should go wrong, there’s soma.”
“One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.”
“A gramme is better than a damn.”
“Everyone belongs to everyone else.”
“We don’t want to change. Every change is a menace to stability. That’s another reason why we’re so chary of applying new inventions. Every discovery in pure science is potentially subversive; even science must sometimes be treated as a possible enemy.”
“But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”
“The aim of the World State is not to allow anybody to be physically ill. It’s to make them sure they’re happy all the time.”
“We prefer to do things comfortably.”
“You’ve got to choose between happiness and what people used to call high art. We’ve sacrificed the high art.”
“Believe me, Mr. Marx, you’re better off being a happy Gamma than a miserable Alpha or Beta.”
“Civilization has absolutely no need of nobility or heroism. These things are symptoms of political inefficiency. In a properly organized society like ours, nobody has any opportunities for being noble or heroic.”
“And if ever, by some unlucky chance, anything unpleasant should somehow happen, why, there’s always soma to give you a holiday from the facts. And there’s always soma to calm your anger, to reconcile you to your enemies, to make you patient and long-suffering. In the past, you could only accomplish these things by making a great effort and after years of hard moral training. Now, you swallow two or three half-gramme tablets, and there you are. Anybody can be virtuous now. You can carry at least half your morality about in a bottle. Christianity without tears – that’s what soma is.”
“Ending is better than mending.”
“I’m claiming the right to be unhappy.”
“The world’s stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t get.”
“We condition the masses to hate the country,” concluded the Director. “But simultaneously we condition them to love all country sports. At the same time, we see to it that all country sports shall entail the use of elaborate apparatus. So that they consume manufactured articles as well as transport. Hence those electric shocks.”
These brave new world quotes offer a glimpse into the profound ideas and themes explored by Aldous Huxley. They serve as a reminder of the dangers of sacrificing individuality and freedom in the pursuit of stability and happiness. The thought-provoking nature of Brave New World continues to captivate readers, highlighting the importance of questioning societal norms and cherishing the qualities that make us truly human.
