Addiction In Brave New World

The future of the world is a place of thriving commerce and stability. Safety and happiness are at an all-time high, and no one suffers from depression or any other mental disorders. There are no more wars, as peace and harmony spread to almost every corner of the world. There is no sickness, and people are predestined to be happy and content in their social class. But if anything wrong accidentally occurs, there is a simple solution to the problem, which is soma. The use of soma totally shapes and controls the utopian society described in Huxley's novel Brave New World as well as symbolize Huxley's society as a whole. This pleasure drug is the answer to all of

In the novel Brave New World, written by Aldous Huxley, the use of “soma”, a drug similar to an opiate, is used to help control peace and the world. Since soma has been used to configurate the world, there has been no war, mental disabilities, depression or sickness throughout the people. The people are given soma every day to function throughout society without having to deal with stress, anxiety, depression or any other negative feelings, the soma blocks out “feelings” in order to properly thrive without any implications. Soma is not just only used to hide feelings and keep the people feeling youthful, but also to keep the community become more societal and unified. Soma is depended on through the society to deal with any problems, whether

In Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, there is a drug used and mentioned throughout the story called Soma. The characters have been conditioned by birth that Soma is always the answer when you feel alone or sad. This drug is used so people can go on "holidays" from their reality and is used as payment for the lower caste groups. People want Soma because they go on these highs and live in their "Heaven" to escape reality. After all, they do call Soma "All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects"(Huxley 54). Soma becomes a tool to control the people in society.

The drug, soma, in particular is emblematic in its pervasive influence into the World State, of the power of

In the novel Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, the author envisions the future of modern society and the dangerous direction that society is heading in. The society in Brave New World is extremely dependent on a drug the goes by the name of soma, as in modern day society where drug abuse and prescription drugs are prominent. Evidence of this is shown when Bernard and Leninakan return from the savage reservation. From the experience itself, Lenina becomes devastated from her experience and decides to take soma to cope with it. This illustrates how many of us use drugs and alcohol to mask our issues instead of trying to solve them in the modern day.

The use of Soma is a very important factor as it is a way of escaping the reality of a supposed utopia that in reality is everything but a utopia. “Why you don’t take soma when you have these dreadful ideas

In fact, relates to the impact of drugs on our society and the ever-rising spread of opium epidemic. As long as there has been pain and suffering Huxley takes a step further and views different aspects of medicine. Soma, a drug that causes hallucinations that bring on a state of pure happiness and relaxation. In his book, “Brave New World,” Aldous Huxley addresses about how Soma is considered to be a necessary part of life in the World State, “Bernard also laughed; after two grams of soma, the joke seemed, for some reason, good” (Huxley 105). Lenina convinces Bernard to take soma on their way to the Savage Reservation.

Soma is a drug used daily by the citizens of the World State, distributed by the government. The soma causes the taker to feel peaceful and carefree, rather than a negative emotion such as doubt or jealousy. The drug is used so often that everyone living in the World State has become reliant on it. Huxley agrees when he writes, “Deprivation of soma-- appaling thought!” (382). Huxley’s point is that it would be an extremely odd occurrence for someone to be deprived of soma. The citizens force themselves to take soma, even if it doesn’t seem to affect their thoughts or emotions. They tend to use soma as an escape from whatever troubles are affecting them. According to Mustapha Mond, Resident World Controller of Western Europe, “And if anything should go wrong, there’s soma” (Huxley 401). In other words, Mond believes that any problem or obstacle that arises in the World State can be resolved through soma.

Throughout the book, multiple characters indulge in soma, a drug that gives the user a pleasant sensation of relaxation, known as a "soma holiday". Soma holidays allow the user to escape the unpleasantness of reality. The consumption of soma is considered normal and a necessary part of daily life. Ironically, our society considers drug use to be both abnormal and immoral. Like promiscuity, soma usage is considered normal because it is regulated by the World Controllers. Soma’s properties turns into one of the World Controller’s most powerful means of management. After partaking in soma, the people no longer feel the need to ask questions or defy the structures of society. The soma rations are an insurance against any social unrest. It removes initiative and ultimately restricts

Six years later it was being produced commercially... The perfect drug; Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant... All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects...Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology. "(Huxley, 59-60) Along with providing a perfectly legal and harmless alternative to its far more destructive ancestor, soma also acts as a way to keep the general population in state of blissful ignorance: Everyone is happy and no one questions it because they have no reason to. In other words, soma is the futures version of religion: it gives people a sense of fulfillment without any of the substance.

The effects of soma are very “drug-like”. Soma is often used by the government to control or condition the members of Brave New World.The use of soma or drugs in Brave New World is different than today and the past’s usage of drugs. During the 1930s, substance abuse and addiction began to rise. In World War II, amphetamines were widely distributed to soldiers to fight fatigue and improve their mood and endurance. Marijuana and a large wave of opiate addiction began to rise greatly. Today, marijuana is the most common illicit drug used.An estimated $193 billion are spent on illicit drugs today. Like today, people during the 1930s used these drugs as “feel good” drugs. Substance abuse and addiction is still a rising problem in today's

The novel Brave New World uses soma as a symbol for power and control over citizen’s emotions. Aldous Huxley, the author of the novel uses symbolism to show soma helps user receive a quick fix for their problems and the consequences that comes with the drug. Everyone has their own obstacles to face, some may be harder than others. We cannot experience all the good things in life without some of the bad. Taking drugs and alcohol to escape from problems is not the solution. They might make you feel blissful for a while but sooner or later you will have to face those issue that you were once running away

Ahmed Farag says “The question of enslavement and freedom is a significant theme in Brave New World. ”(58). Since things that bring happiness are limited in this society, citizens are forced to consume this drug. The citizens become slaves to soma and its effects. It distorts their view of reality which makes them unable to see their society for what it really is.

When a person consumes drugs they lose control over themselves and rely on the drugs to make them feel better. In Brave New World soma was their problem solver. Mustapha Mond tells John the Savage “there is always soma to calm your anger, to reconcile you to your enemies, to make you patient and longsuffering”. (pg 265) As we know when John stopped taking soma he was very irritable and couldn’t control his anger. His behavior lets us see how much John relied on soma and did not know how to take control of his emotions, which led everyone to think he was crazy. Everyone in this book was conditioned to always use soma, so they would not have feelings and live a life of fake happiness, not being able to see their reality. In our world, today people who consume drugs are exposed to the same effects soma had in Brave New World. For example “PCP also known as Angel Dust is a drug that makes the person feel no pain, feel like they have superpowers and takes over the consumer making them commit horrible

Many people struggle with one of the most powerful, controlling monsters running rampant in the world today. This monster is known for destroying lives, families, and careers and even dragging the people caught in its grasps to their death. The United States had a president declare a war against it, police officers crack down on laws and arrests to fight it, and yet it still seems like a losing battle. This monster does not care about race, religion, sex, socioeconomic status, or even age. The cold hands of addiction can find their grip on anyone if the chance is given. Once this happens, the effects of addiction are seen far beyond the addicts themselves, and the family, friends, and society as a whole carries the burden.