In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, many debatable topics are discussed such as brainwashing, hypnopaedia, and chemical persuasion. One particular topic that stands out to me is the argument for chemical persuasion. While many opinions may differ on this topic, mine tends to stay one opposing path.
Huxley compares the commonly used drug, soma, to many common vices that people use today such as marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and alcohol. Huxley begins describing soma as a drug that is used when feeling “depressed or below par.” Huxley says that soma, “was not a private vice, it was a political institution.” Therefore, it was at every citizen’s fingertips. He says that the drug would provide “ a sense of bliss,” induce “visions,” and even induce a “restless sleep.” Now to me that sounds a lot like the same effects of marijuana, which in “The Medical Committees” eyes was “not a serious menace to society,” but that it was “merely a nuisance.” Huxley goes into even deeper detail when …show more content…
Soma would not be insuring a perfect world for anyone that consumes it because Huxley clearly states that, “Soma was a dangerous drug—so dangerous that even the great sky-god, Indra, was sometimes made ill by drinking it. Ordinary mortals might even die of an overdose,” so we can infer that constantly having this vice that gives constant happiness at our fingertips would evolve into abusing it. It would be easy for someone to get caught up in the constant high from the drug and easily overdose. Huxley states that alcohol “in excessive doses, causes illness ad addiction,” but does that not sound a lot like the same effects of excessive use of soma that Huxley described
Huxley compares the commonly used drug, soma, to many common vices that people use today such as marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and alcohol. Huxley begins describing soma as a drug that is used when feeling “depressed or below par.” Huxley says that soma, “was not a private vice, it was a political institution.” Therefore, it was at every citizen’s fingertips. He says that the drug would provide “ a sense of bliss,” induce “visions,” and even induce a “restless sleep.” Now to me that sounds a lot like the same effects of marijuana, which in “The Medical Committees” eyes was “not a serious menace to society,” but that it was “merely a nuisance.” Huxley goes into even deeper detail when …show more content…
Soma would not be insuring a perfect world for anyone that consumes it because Huxley clearly states that, “Soma was a dangerous drug—so dangerous that even the great sky-god, Indra, was sometimes made ill by drinking it. Ordinary mortals might even die of an overdose,” so we can infer that constantly having this vice that gives constant happiness at our fingertips would evolve into abusing it. It would be easy for someone to get caught up in the constant high from the drug and easily overdose. Huxley states that alcohol “in excessive doses, causes illness ad addiction,” but does that not sound a lot like the same effects of excessive use of soma that Huxley described