Brave New World
Referencing Aldous Huxley's book, Brave New World, the protagonist is struggling against years of social expectations and ideals of what one must be. Divided from birth and with the future cast in stone, to step out of one's place, one's duty, one's caste, is anathema.
Sadly, this is still in practice. Not in any specific country, but in everyday walks of life. It may not be to such a drastic extent, but it happens still. In schools, the office, places of worship and yes, even in homes.
"Everyone belongs to everyone else". Another maxim inbred into the protagonist and the people. In a time when people crave individuality, the very notion of this idea is deemed to be absurd. Or is it? Could it just be a perception of individuality, considering how we do want to be accepted by others, our dressings follow a certain group and the like? For example, to be Goth, one must have gotten the idea from somewhere, someone else. Thus, he/she will start imitating the mode of dressing, the manner of speech, the ideas so on and so forth. Therefore, is there really individuality?
Will we ever be able to step out of our shells? Will we ever reach the state of the yogis, practicing for years till they reach the state of Nirvana?
Last night, seeing the crowds, seeing the people, brought this book to mind. What are we trying to achieve?
I'm not trying to display myself as a pompous ass, placing myself on the pedestal or in an ivory tower. Just trying to connect to myself again, that which is around.
As the Lunar New Year dawns, maybe my preconceived notions and perceptions of things will change. Another year older does not mean another year older. The so-called follies of youth may just actually linger a while longer.
To when I grow up.
Sadly, this is still in practice. Not in any specific country, but in everyday walks of life. It may not be to such a drastic extent, but it happens still. In schools, the office, places of worship and yes, even in homes.
"Everyone belongs to everyone else". Another maxim inbred into the protagonist and the people. In a time when people crave individuality, the very notion of this idea is deemed to be absurd. Or is it? Could it just be a perception of individuality, considering how we do want to be accepted by others, our dressings follow a certain group and the like? For example, to be Goth, one must have gotten the idea from somewhere, someone else. Thus, he/she will start imitating the mode of dressing, the manner of speech, the ideas so on and so forth. Therefore, is there really individuality?
Will we ever be able to step out of our shells? Will we ever reach the state of the yogis, practicing for years till they reach the state of Nirvana?
Last night, seeing the crowds, seeing the people, brought this book to mind. What are we trying to achieve?
I'm not trying to display myself as a pompous ass, placing myself on the pedestal or in an ivory tower. Just trying to connect to myself again, that which is around.
As the Lunar New Year dawns, maybe my preconceived notions and perceptions of things will change. Another year older does not mean another year older. The so-called follies of youth may just actually linger a while longer.
To when I grow up.
To face a Brave New World,
as the clock ticks and destiny unfurls.
Looming ahead, behind gilded doors,
A treasure-trove of possibilities to be explored.
Looming ahead, behind gilded doors,
A treasure-trove of possibilities to be explored.
posted by jon at
10:41 AM
1 Comments:
Almost all matters exist in tandem and balance, lest the absolutes. Individuality exist in opposition to society, without either, its counterpart loses its definition. Defined in opposition as they may be, both exist in balance. Society is very much a tool of governance, employed to impose order, foster predictability ad mist the flux of change, its presence restricts the Individual. That being said, individuality is not lost, one may exercise individuality within the ranges of freedom set by the societal order. The reality of today's societal order marks a clear difference between the self and others, we and them. However, this illusion of separation forgets that humans are more common than they are different, that they share this philosophy is one such evidence. Absolute individuality is almost non-existent, as much as absolute order is absent; the myriad of individualities set the basis of societal order, and the order in return restricts the individualities of all her members. In tandem intertwined, contraptions of the Earth-Bound.
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