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b_b  ·  4648 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Huxley to Orwell on why Brave New World is more realizable than 1984
I think its not really supposed to matter. Huxley came from a family of eminent biologists; his grandfather was the Huxley, Thomas Henry that is, Darwin's great friend and colleague. Therefore, I'm sure he would be familiar with biologic diversity, that no matter how tight the controls everyone is going to be a little different, total control can be approached but in the end is impossible.

In the book everyone says "alcohol in the decanter" behind Bernard's back. I think this is Huxley's way of pointing out that eccentricities and original thoughts are immediately dismissed as mental illness by the majority of non-thinking people, but that its actually the differences among us that makes us great.

The scary part of BNW isn't the World Government; after all, everyone in the story has a comfortable life. No, the scary part is the lack of free will. Everyone has their place ordained before birth, and it cannot be changed. Differences between you and I are what tell us that we are able to decide our path in life. If we were all the same, then how could we in any way claim that we have ever made a choice? That is what is scary, and that is why I don't think Bernard's different way of looking at life really needs an in depth explanation.