Brave New World: concepts introduced

1. EUGENICS -

Early efforts to breed better human beings have not been uniformly successful. Darwin's half-cousin, the English scientist Francis Galton, is widely regarded as the founder of eugenics. "Eugenics", a term Galton coined, comes from the Greek roots for "good" and "generation" or "origin". Eugenicists seek methods to improve the hereditary characteristics - both physical and mental - of the human species. However, eugenicists have not agreed upon which heritable traits should selected - nor by whom. Nor have they agreed on whether to use encouragement or coercion.

2. UTILITARIANISM -

Utilitarianism is an effort to provide an answer to the practical question “What ought a man to do?” Its answer is that he ought to act so as to produce the best consequences possible.

3. dYSTOPIA -

dys-/dus- (Latin/Greek roots: 'bad' or 'abnormal') + -topos (Greek root: 'place') = 'bad place'

eu- (Greek root: 'good') / ou- (Greek root: 'not') + -topos (Greek root: 'place') = 'good/no place'

as a noun - an imaginary wretched place, the opposite of utopia (a place or state of ideal perfection, the opposite of dystopia);

in other words,

A) an imaginary society that
B) comments on our own society and
C) a majority of us would fear to live in.


Imaginary, as dystopian stories reflect, not depict contemporary society.

An example: Enemy of the State might resemble Nineteen Eighty-four in certain respects, but it still depicts our own society, albeit in a speculative manner. A dystopia that is not imaginary to one degree or another actually lacks the raison d'être for a dystopia, namely to explore possiblities and probabilities.


Society, as dystopian stories discuss major tendencies in contemporary society.

An example: In Lord of the Rings, Sauron's rule is truly dystopian, but it does not really comment on our own society. Another example: Lord of the Flies has many dystopian qualities, but this island community cannot really be considered as a representative society.

Fear, as dystopias reveal and illustrate potential and more or less plausible dangers.

An example: There are obviously many dangers in the Star Wars galaxy, but few would spontaneously fear to live there. However subjective this issue may be, the aim with a dystopian depiction is to frighten and provoke. As a rule, the more realistic and alarming a dystopia is, the more frightening and provoking is it.

Majority, as dystopias are positioned in relation to conventional contemporary values.

An example: Some deranged individuals would probably enjoy the savage world of the Mad Max triology, but most of us would not. This issue can become somewhat complex when dealing with explicitly ideological dystopias or pseudo-utopian dystopias.