But as society continues to advance and grow, man must “redefine” who he or she truly is, and it is proven that “the development of machines has an undeniable effect on the development of man”. The modern world has seen consistent technological and scientific breakthroughs, those of which have made an average human’s life simpler. Computers and cell phones have made mass communication available across the world, and society and its citizens have completely relied on the ability to quickly travel by land, sea, air, and even space. Books and written documents are being replaced electronically, history is precisely recorded and stored on computers and the Internet; and by means of receiving the daily news, the television has shown to be a more reliable source than the local and national newspapers. In the medical world, doctors and physicians continue to increase their knowledge and understanding of the human body and condition, resulting in advancements in medicine and cures. Society has come so far in simplifying and improving man’s lifestyle and condition, and people continue to aspire to achieve new limits.
Beyond the calculated presentation of this world as a utopia, Huxley is asking the reader whether this world is indeed so desirable. When man is “conditioned to love three things: Henry Ford, soma, and sex”? and is trained to only care about his or her physical pleasures; or have no inspiration to improve, achieve, and advance in the professional and social rankings, does he have purpose? Many questions are raised in the novel, such as “can technology actually overtake mankind? Can manmade machine make man? Can man be happy deprived of his own quest for identity?”. With technology taking away a lot of man and woman’s responsibilities, even the one’s most defining of man’s purpose- giving birth, raising a family, protecting and caring for others- can man be satisfied?
Brave New World is a scary image of the position the world could potentially come to if technology continues to take over jobs and responsibilities that are inherently are given to man. It takes away from people struggles, efforts and downfalls that are important to peoples’ growth and maturation, and without those the citizens of the world lose their unique qualities and their individuality. Huxley shows that although technology is powerful and helpful to achieving efficiency, there might be a point of no return, where man will no longer be dominant to machine.
