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Comment by rusk | Hacker News Reader

Is it though? My reading of Brave New World was that it was at least consensual. I’m after reading Seveneves and I see some parrallels between these societies. In context it really doesnt seem so much sinister as a way for humanity to survive. 1984 was despotic.

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Today you are one of the lucky 10000: https://biblioklept.org/2013/06/08/huxley-vs-orwell-the-webc...

> Today you are one of the lucky 10000

For those who might not get the reference: https://www.xkcd.com/1053/

Yes indeed, but I am not actually “wrong”. Cute cartoon though!

I don't think there was much of a difference. Effectively BNW=1984+drugs, but because there are no such drugs, 1984 is the only implementable option, pseudo-BNW is unsustainable, doesn't solve their problems and so is just a detour, because they couldn't go 1984 directly due to technical problems.

> because there are no such drugs

ISTM the advertising, entertainment and social-media industries are aiming to fulfil much of the role of BNW's drugs, and the pharmaceutical companies can probably cover most of the gaps.

I don’t belive 1984 is sustainable either. Its too rigid to withstand external events. BNW on the other hand, has tacot consent of all involved and is self reinforcing.

Both are similar in premise: the proletariat is distracted and kept down by something. Think of the sort of content that is produced in 1984; in Brave New World it is simply drugs instead. It makes you wonder about the spread of video games, instantly accessible entertainment, increased drug use, etc.

It was consensual because the populace was bred and genetically altered to conform to their roles in society. I think that is an important distinction.

Drugged into consent :)

Haha - gimme soma dat

"Engineered consent" perhaps

Yes engineered but under what pretext. The assumption is always that its totalitarian but this is never stated. Could just as easily be steady state.

BNW is set 400 A.F, so we're into ~110 years now. I believe 1/4th of the book is hard reality. Give it 300 more years.

It doesn't need totalitarian gov. at all.

Well, manufactured consent at least.

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