Brave New America? - Political Forum

emptypepsi · 11-17-2006, 08:37 PM

The whole hysteria about this Playstation mess has really made me examine humanity in the last few days. With each "big new thing" the craze over it becomes ever more rabid. In an age when most Americans prefer to not be bothered with the events or goings on in the world, yet would not pass up an oppurtunity to engulf themselves in text messages, my-spacing, gaming, etc. it strikes me of a book I've read quite a few times -- Brave New World.

In BNW, we see a society that is under control from a government. Unlike Orwellian control, which seizes the peoples information and controls them via surveillance, BNW control is really about giving people what will allow them to engulf in pleasures like drugs (America's overmedication problem), visual pleasures (Reality TV, Movies), technological gadgets (text messaging, gaming), and various other ways of keeping their attention away from reality. In this world, there is no need for Orwellian book burning -- nobody even cares to read a book.

I think America is slowly but seriously moving towards that type of state. Anybody see what I'm saying or agree? Technology can be a good thing, but are we ultimately making the best of it?

I see a bit of a conundrum here. Today you can not seriously learn to function in society via person-to-person communication skills by utilizing your efforts via consistently typing, thumbing at controls, etc. But at the same time, sadly, ten years from now it will difficult to not have it in your life. Why do many Americans feel the need to be in everybodys line of sight via technology all of the time without actually BEING in their line of sight (through actual interpersonal communication)? Do I just sound crazy or does it make any sense to anyone else?