1984 vs. Brave New World

wow the votes are exactly equal, thats interesting.
i have read them both, and i agree with shockw4ve, we don't want to see these futures, they're not happy futures. they are cold totalitarian societies, and both are completely blinkered to anyone elses way of living. it's interesting to see how the two pictures of the future are so different, like, in 1984 sex is completely banned and looked down upon, but in Brave New World it's much the opposite, if you haven't slept with more than three people that week you're a failure...
i don't really want to see either of those futures the authors so brilliantly depict.
however it seems we're racing towards something like 1984 if anything...

 

Brave New World is one of my all time favorite books.. I just can't read it all at once or I get too depressed. I love how the characters are all so shallow, except the one main character (John I think his name is), who is completely tortured emotionally for it. To a much less extreme extent, I think alot of people can relate to that character, especially people in high school who are surrounded by sex and drugs but are more into learning or just not interested. I like 1984 too but I can't relate to it as much.

 

Well said. I've argued that with a few people before myself and it's why I think 1984 is sorta apples to oranges in a way. The dystopia in 1984 is obviously bad. Everthing about it is dark and creepy. The dystopia in BWN is not quite as black and white because the society is shiney and happy and really does work and function well for the most part.

I myself prefer 1984 over BWN. The general atmosphere of it was more raw and impacting, I think.

 

That's a toughie, and they really are quite different. I really can't pick one over the other.

 

There is already a book comparing the two, its called "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman. It was written in 1984. It deals with what is actually occurring and which is more likely to happen. Very good book. Roger Waters solo album "Amused to Death" in partly based on the ideas in the book. The book argues that "Brave New World" is actually happening is some ways. They make you read this in universities if you are studying mass media and society.