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SBN ?
novel, science fiction, dystopia, genetic engineering, future, mind control, identity, drugs, psychedelics, posthuman
A future society designed by genetic engineering, and controlled by neural conditioning with mind-altering drugs and manipulative media. This novel is a dystopian classic and has been republished countless times.
"Take one Brave New World ... and a generous portion of 1984 ... add a perverse twist of cyberpunk... blend well... and, viola -- we have the present time.
"Huxley was very aware of the dangers we now face... the ultimate totalitarian state... complete manipulation of mind and body. A must read." --Henry W.Targowski (in Mark/Space , 11 November 1995).
"I believe Cyberpunk has touched upon something... merely scratched the surface of the subject, not plumbed its depths... which I regard as a point of no return in human evolution, yes, in the evolution of life on Earth. It is the end of the trial-and-error method, steered by chance, in the area of genetics. The making of designer creations, whether vegetable or animal or a mixture of both, as well as made-to-measure persons, long foreseen by Huxley in Brave New World , has now become possible. Laws will keep high-handed gene manipulation within bounds, at least for a time, but the technique will not be halted. The possibility of specific alterations is too much of a challenge for the scientists. The seduction of the possible is too great and what is possible is not only interesting but on top of that it is financially rewarding." --Wolfgang Jeschke (in Three Points of No Return)
Classic.
"Unless we choose to decentralize and to use applied science, not as an end to which human beings are to be made the means, but as the means to producing a race of free individuals, we have only two alternatives to choose from: either a number of national, militarized totalitarianisms, having as their root the terror of the atomic bomb and as their consequence the destruction of civilization (or, if the warfare is limited, the perpetuation of militarism); or else one supra-national totalitarianism, called into existence by the social chaos resulting from rapid technological progress in general and the atom revolution in particular, and developing, under the need for efficiency and stability, into the welfare-tyranny of Utopia". You pays your money and you takes your choice. --Aldous Huxley (from the foreword to the 1946 edition).
O, Wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in 't!
--Shakespeare.
Recommended.
Anti-utopia: Literature
("The first half of the sophomore curriculum focuses on the use and abuse of power. These links are a small section of the information available on these topics."... this is essentially a links page... maintained by Bob Barsanti... contains links to George Orwell, Margaret Atwood, Aldous Huxley, Ken Kesey, etc.)
Center for Utopian/Dystopian Studies
(located at Ohio University, maintained by Andy Wood...
"Andy Wood has trawled the web searching for Utopian information, texts, etc....
this is a great site and contains lots of links, so check it." --Henry W.Targowski.
have linked to Mark/Space glossary entry for utopia, an honor... thanks!)
Soma Web
(page on Aldous Huxley... maintained by Matthew)
Utopias and Dystopias
(overview... with more info on Brave New World )