Hall of Infinite Doors
Huxley's dystopian vision of the future in his novel Brave New World predicted many of the biotechnological developments we are seeing today. While for the most part these developments have not reached the level they had in the novel, they still may very well represent the beginning of a movement towards the practices outlined in the novel.
A class system played a crucial role in defining the futuristic society. Individuals were modified before birth in order to develop into one of five types of humans, each designed to play a specific role within society. While this has not occurred yet in modern day society, biotechnology has already begun to reveal a plausible scenario for a genetic class system. Wealthy couples already pay thousands of dollars for eggs from women they consider to be genetically fit with high test scores, athletic abilities and physical health. In addition, couples who can afford it may screen many embryos and choose the most genetically fit to be implanted. This represents the beginning of the wealthy being able to afford genetically superior offspring, and further developments could allow the upper class to create genetically superior children to the lower class. This would eliminate social mobility and create a rigid genetic class system.
The groundwork for the growth of children outside of the womb through the use of "hatcheries" in the novel has already begun in modern day society as well. In virto fertilization allows embryos to be created outside of the womb. While we cannot fully develop these embryos outside of a human womb yet, we are still able to modify these embryos and put them through a screening process. The embryos may also be frozen and later utilized, and our ability to manipulate the early stages of human life is far beyond that of Huxley's time, making his predictions quite impressive.
In Huxley's vision of the future, the process of reproduction was fully controlled. Advancements in birth control and contraceptive methods have allowed couples to take full control of whether or not pregnancy occurs as well. They can, if they wish, choose not reproduce naturally all together and instead create children in a Petri dish and have them implanted into the womb. These birth control technologies are reminiscent of the devices Huxley described women in the society wearing to control their reproductive cycle.
The society in Brave New World was not only prescient in the field of reproductive technology, but also in the field of psychopharmacology. The populace in the dystopian society was kept in control by a miracle drug known as Soma. This drug gave narcotic like euphoria without any negative side effects. While no single modern day drug is comparable to Soma there are many drugs which contain aspects of Soma. Modern day psychiatrists and psychologists seem willing to diagnose any intense emotional state or personality characteristic contrary to social norms as a disorder. They then prescribe drugs such as Prozac or Adderall to treat these individuals. These drugs are used for similar purposes as Soma, to treat strong emotions or instances when an individual's personality does not conform to social norms. Current psychopharmacology is still controlled by the free market rather than a tool for government control, but similarities between current drugs and Soma are undeniable.
There was also an emphasis on youth and anti-aging in the novel and technology allowed individuals to stay looking young until they died. Modern day anti-aging technologies are not as advanced, but there is a massive demand and market for these technologies. Everything from plastic surgery to gene therapy is being direct to keep people younger for longer. With such a strong demand, it is most likely only a matter of time before a breakthrough in stem cell therapy or genetic engineering allows individuals to maintain their youth and reverse the aging process.
A class system played a crucial role in defining the futuristic society. Individuals were modified before birth in order to develop into one of five types of humans, each designed to play a specific role within society. While this has not occurred yet in modern day society, biotechnology has already begun to reveal a plausible scenario for a genetic class system. Wealthy couples already pay thousands of dollars for eggs from women they consider to be genetically fit with high test scores, athletic abilities and physical health. In addition, couples who can afford it may screen many embryos and choose the most genetically fit to be implanted. This represents the beginning of the wealthy being able to afford genetically superior offspring, and further developments could allow the upper class to create genetically superior children to the lower class. This would eliminate social mobility and create a rigid genetic class system.
The groundwork for the growth of children outside of the womb through the use of "hatcheries" in the novel has already begun in modern day society as well. In virto fertilization allows embryos to be created outside of the womb. While we cannot fully develop these embryos outside of a human womb yet, we are still able to modify these embryos and put them through a screening process. The embryos may also be frozen and later utilized, and our ability to manipulate the early stages of human life is far beyond that of Huxley's time, making his predictions quite impressive.
In Huxley's vision of the future, the process of reproduction was fully controlled. Advancements in birth control and contraceptive methods have allowed couples to take full control of whether or not pregnancy occurs as well. They can, if they wish, choose not reproduce naturally all together and instead create children in a Petri dish and have them implanted into the womb. These birth control technologies are reminiscent of the devices Huxley described women in the society wearing to control their reproductive cycle.
The society in Brave New World was not only prescient in the field of reproductive technology, but also in the field of psychopharmacology. The populace in the dystopian society was kept in control by a miracle drug known as Soma. This drug gave narcotic like euphoria without any negative side effects. While no single modern day drug is comparable to Soma there are many drugs which contain aspects of Soma. Modern day psychiatrists and psychologists seem willing to diagnose any intense emotional state or personality characteristic contrary to social norms as a disorder. They then prescribe drugs such as Prozac or Adderall to treat these individuals. These drugs are used for similar purposes as Soma, to treat strong emotions or instances when an individual's personality does not conform to social norms. Current psychopharmacology is still controlled by the free market rather than a tool for government control, but similarities between current drugs and Soma are undeniable.
There was also an emphasis on youth and anti-aging in the novel and technology allowed individuals to stay looking young until they died. Modern day anti-aging technologies are not as advanced, but there is a massive demand and market for these technologies. Everything from plastic surgery to gene therapy is being direct to keep people younger for longer. With such a strong demand, it is most likely only a matter of time before a breakthrough in stem cell therapy or genetic engineering allows individuals to maintain their youth and reverse the aging process.