Brave New World vs Nineteen Eighty-Four ~ iqsquared, 2018-02-12 (1:35:43)

submitted by JasonCarswell from (self.Dystopia)

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[–]JasonCarswell[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (22 children)

I literally have Brave New World on the top of the stack of books by my toilet as the next book I was going to read, or re-read in this case. I moved it there a week or two ago because of what they were saying - 1984 is far more referenced in common discussions and people in general are less familiar with BNW.

[–]Optimus85 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

I don't know why, but this paragraph always resonated with me: "Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly color. I'm so glad I'm a Beta." - Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 2

[–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

So much truth in that. It's like the common narrative of "the middle class" in a lot of ways, to generalize the metaphor

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What colour do the Beta's wear?

If I wear yellow, orange, and red paisley with polka-dots and stripes what does that make me (besides a clown)?

[–]Ash 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

You are right that Orwell's 1984 won the popularity contests amongst the younger generation. I've read them both and people seem to forget about Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Another dystopian book that is also relevant in my opinion.

There shouldn't be a competition and (it's typical) for the yes Or no, left Or right, pro Or contra, Liberal Or Republican Crowd, leaving no space for a middle ground and flexibility in the world we are living in today. All of them are relevant and important to read.

Edit: Added the word 'Crowd' . I also added 'it is' and Liberals vs. Republican because my post wasn't clear enough about the bi-polarity of American politics.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

I think fundamentally neither is less true, but 1984 seems simpler and starker.

Also for you or anyone else, this list is only just started and I welcome any suggestions: https://infogalactic.com/info/Truther_Top_20_Books_In_Dystopian_Science_Fiction

[–]Ash 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

I really think that 1984 became a buzz(word) amongst the younger generation that never bothered to read other classics that predicted the state we are living in now, and our feature. I am a science fiction fan and read many dystopian classics before my teen years. I can't choose for a number one when all of them became our reality more or less. Fahrenheit is close to home because Education-free access to knowledge-books saved my life and shaped my world. It transformed me from an ignorant immigrant girl, becoming a book nerd to the person I am today-warning others to the dangers of restricting our Freedom and Right for Information-'Burning Books'- Or being tracked online, restricting our freedom of speech, deleting non conforming content, giving a few People-corporations and Cults the power to shape our thoughts and the way we think.

Public Libraries should get more funding, the internet should be free of charge for every person to use.

I checked the link. Most of them are on my favorites list except for Snow Crash and The Diamond Age: or A Young Lady's Illustrated Prime, I've never heard about. This is a perfect example how our freedom to Knowledge benefits us. I might read those 2 books.

Another one that might be forgotten or not deemed to fit in might be Haldeman's -The Forever War'. The Veterans of our previous useless wars might be interested in this. Our aggressive stance towards others, the military industrial complex, the worthiness of a human soldier and the disconnect of Veterans that experienced war, coming home to a Civilian (lib, tumblr) world that doesn't and can't understand. There are so many others, beyond popular Starship Troopers, 1984 etc.

Thanks for creating your list. I will have a look and might add to it in the future.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

You may appreciate my /s/BittersweetSeeds screenplay/storyboard/graphic-novel project. One of these years I'm going to finish it, hopefully soon. You can read it then or tune in on occasion to see progress. Or you are even welcome to help in some way(s). Mostly I just need people prodding me and feedback. Eventually there may be more to do for others after I've brain dumped the full story basics into a vomit draft. If I had any discipline I'd be doing that instead of this.

It's a slow roll into dystopia. Unlike Hitler rolling into Paris, we've been slow rolling into World War 3 since 9/11, a new nation at war every couple years.

Interesting, you're the 6th or 7th female I've met on SaidIt, not that I'm counting nor that it matters nor ask. I've never known an Ash in person (or virtual). I know it can be a name for either sex. The only one I know of specifically is Ash from Army Of Darkness.

Neil Stephenson books vividly stick in your head for decades with their bold unique ideas. If my BsS story can be half as good I'll be a happy camper. I can't recommend him enough. His other work is terrific too.

Good call on The Forever War and Starship Troopers though I've not read it.

[–]Ash 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

I see you are a man/woman of many talents. I subscribed to all the subs regarding your /s/BittersweetSeeds project and had a quick look at them. I'll need some time to go through the rabbit hole you created. It's a great premise and you got my attention as a fellow science fiction fan and comic book reader.

You should read 'A Forever War' before they are making the movie and turn it into a Space Romance shitfest.- I've heard some gossip that Hollywood wants to make a movie and it broke my heart. Another writer that I like is Jeffrey Thomas, he's not hard sci-fi, though. His Punktown series made me a fan of him: "Jeffrey Thomas is a prolific writer of science fiction and horror, best known for his stories set in the nightmarish future city called Punktown": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Thomas_(writer). I have to figure out how hyperlinks work on this site.

Your guess about my username is 100% positive. I like horror and the Army of the Darkness movies. Ash is gender neutral and I don't have to lie about who I am. It's up to others to assume that I must be a man and calling me 'bro'. Technically, I'm not lying. I dislike women that have the need to shout from the rooftops that they have a vagina. I have to admit that I'm close to the edge, already dropped the gender bomb twice on Sadit. Most people in my internet family don't have a clue about my sex or background. It's a good thing, particular on sites like Saidit, Voat or in gaming.

I'm glad to have met my Voat sidepiece- (I already got a Voat husband..). Your open letter to the mod of s/holocaust caught my attention. It made me laugh but also made me think that we have a 'deep one' over here. It's not criticism nor praise. Just somebody I should have a closer look at. Refreshing after u/sawbone's and u/troll's verbal diarrhea all over Saidit.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Wait until you catch the story. I'm just having trouble assembling the puzzle without a reference image and the ability to confidently discard the countless extra pieces.

Will check out Jeffrey Thomas soon. If you don't know Neil Stephenson you should.

LOL. Too clever by half.

What is a Voat sidepiece and Voat husband. I've never been interested in Reddit or any of it's clones. I came here for truth-seeking.

[–]Ash 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I'll check out Stephenson.

the husband and sidepiece is my own inside joke. Jut people I get along with. My university husband was a gay guy I used to hang with the most.

[–]Ash 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (11 children)

I have to add that Fahrenheit 451 is as relevant as Brave New World and 1984 now. Right now I'm downloading the contents of the videos I have saved on my YouTube account for the last 12 years +. European thought Nazis decided to infringe on our freedom to gain Knowledge. Many of my saved documentaries are already deleted or I can't access them anymore. I am a strong believer that Knowledge is Power. The more we Know the more powerful we are. Our Access to Information-Education, Books, the Internet, Networking is limited because they don't want us to gain knowledge that could lead us to a revolution that goes beyond a rebellion. We shouldn't have to decide between two options only when there are many options out there that are equally valid.

Late edit: changed 'contests' to 'contents' and added 'have to' to make sense of 'We shouldn't have to decide'

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

You might want to collaborate with /u/d3rr who has a PeerTube instance and sub sharing the name /s/DownTheMemoryHole.

I too am a digital hoarder, though much much much less so since becoming a SaidIt addict. I have drives and drives full and sitting there waiting for a wad of cash for a server or a new technology that is decentralized, non-censored, and free of copyright worries so that I may share all the stuff I found interesting enough to download - even if I haven't seem way more than most of it. The fear of book burning censorship made me do it!

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

They don't gotta burn the books, they just remove them

  • Rage Against the Machine

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (2 children)

Is that a quote?

A proper SJW won't burn the books cause muh carbon.
A proper SJW won't burn the books cause muh recycling.

Free lyrics for anyone who want's them.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Hahahaha . Yes it's RATM I know you remember them as a fellow old fart.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Tom and Right At This Moment are familiar to me. I just know know which song, because I'm not super familiar.

I like Tool because they have intelligent lyrics, but I don't really like their music for long.

I like the ideas of Florence Raging With Her Machine (in that way) but I'm not a huge fan of their music, nor Tom's music and its activism. I'd rather watch Tom bitch slap Bill Maher with his common sense ideas and awareness.

[–]Ash 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

I just subscribed. Thank you for the excellent recommendation.

I notice that Saidit is popping for the last few days. What's up? Is there a bank holiday for our American brethren?

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I hadn't noticed. I only see activity in chat randomly. How do you see / measure activity?

[–]Ash 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I just noticed many new threads. I sorted Voat after new and sometimes I'd see the same threads for days.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Oh, duh.

[–]Ash 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

It's important to keep downloading and saving things for future generations after the internet becomes sanitized. I try to download as much as possible and making it accessible for future offline use. We might have to take our hoarding a step further. Right now I'm not crazy enough or have the resources to print and distribute everything. But I collect old fashioned physical copies of books. If they decide against their interests and kill (parts of the internet) the physical copies of Knowledge will still exist.- Fahrenheit.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Like you're reading my mind.

In my dreams I picture FANG failing under it's own gluttony - as well as the emergence of a distributed web. Just as everyone has appliances, water heater, furnace, etc. they should also have a plug-and-play minifridge-sized to a collection of servers in their basements, attics, garages, etc. in as many homes as can invest (and eventually earn from it) to take back centralized power.