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Brave New World is a great dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley in which eugenics plays a central role. I think that reading it will greatly alter your view of such

by dimitar 17y ago

Brave New World is a great dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley in which eugenics plays a central role. I think that reading it will greatly alter your view of such governmental interventions.

tokenadult 17y ago
I think that reading it will greatly alter your view of such governmental interventions. I wasn't sure if the "you" here is "you, the person who posted the link," (singular, referring to me) or "you, the readers of this comment of mine" (plural, referring to anyone who reads your helpful comment). I agree that Brave New World, which I read in childhood and reread in childhood and in adulthood, is a very thought-provoking novel. On my part, I posted the link under the "gratifies one's intellectual curiosity" clause of the HN guidelines http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html after it came up in a Google News alert that I've had set for months (which only rarely yields blog entries worth reading). I endorse this submitted blog entry as worth reading for better-than-average research and for important subject matter, without claiming I agree with all of the author's conclusions. Maybe I'll agree with more or fewer of the author's conclusions after I read the discussion here. I'm willing to be convinced by evidence. I see an interesting discussion is developing through your comment and others. Thanks.
- dimitar 17y ago
  The "you" I used was plural. I apologize for any discomfort I may have caused. The comment was kinda rushed. I hoped that I would provoke some sort of discussion.. provoke because I don't knowledgeable enough to start it myself.
yters 17y ago
Huxley shows China's genetic experiment being successful, contra linked article.
- dimitar 17y ago
  I suppose you have read the book. The genetic experiment in BNW is successful insofar as maintaining social harmony and general efficiency but at the cost of individualism and freedom generally. Now, BNW is sci-fi. In the real world and the 21 century we don't have soma or such a promiscuous culture or the abolition of the family to pacify the individual. If we emulate the policies from the 26 century setting of the book we will not end up with a single anomaly - Bernard, but with many or even everyone having the same feeling of inferiority and the thirst for freedom and expression outside the influence of the state.
- wynand 17y ago
  Brave New World doesn't suggest that this kind of engineering was successful in terms of making people better, only that it led to a controllable world in which happiness took precedence over truth. A country that achieves what is described in the book will almost certainly fail to compete with countries that reward creative endeavours and free thought.

by dimitar 17y ago

Brave New World is a great dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley in which eugenics plays a central role. I think that reading it will greatly alter your view of such governmental interventions.

tokenadult 17y ago

I think that reading it will greatly alter your view of such governmental interventions. I wasn't sure if the "you" here is "you, the person who posted the link," (singular, referring to me) or "you, the readers of this comment of mine" (plural, referring to anyone who reads your helpful comment). I agree that Brave New World, which I read in childhood and reread in childhood and in adulthood, is a very thought-provoking novel. On my part, I posted the link under the "gratifies one's intellectual curiosity" clause of the HN guidelines http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html after it came up in a Google News alert that I've had set for months (which only rarely yields blog entries worth reading). I endorse this submitted blog entry as worth reading for better-than-average research and for important subject matter, without claiming I agree with all of the author's conclusions. Maybe I'll agree with more or fewer of the author's conclusions after I read the discussion here. I'm willing to be convinced by evidence. I see an interesting discussion is developing through your comment and others. Thanks.

dimitar 17y ago
The "you" I used was plural. I apologize for any discomfort I may have caused. The comment was kinda rushed. I hoped that I would provoke some sort of discussion.. provoke because I don't knowledgeable enough to start it myself.

yters 17y ago

Huxley shows China's genetic experiment being successful, contra linked article.

dimitar 17y ago
I suppose you have read the book. The genetic experiment in BNW is successful insofar as maintaining social harmony and general efficiency but at the cost of individualism and freedom generally. Now, BNW is sci-fi. In the real world and the 21 century we don't have soma or such a promiscuous culture or the abolition of the family to pacify the individual. If we emulate the policies from the 26 century setting of the book we will not end up with a single anomaly - Bernard, but with many or even everyone having the same feeling of inferiority and the thirst for freedom and expression outside the influence of the state.
wynand 17y ago
Brave New World doesn't suggest that this kind of engineering was successful in terms of making people better, only that it led to a controllable world in which happiness took precedence over truth. A country that achieves what is described in the book will almost certainly fail to compete with countries that reward creative endeavours and free thought.