In Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” the setting is set many years into
the future. This future describes a world where science and technology have been
allowed to progress unchecked. There are no moral or spiritual obligations and
the good of society is placed above individuality and freedom. Lenina Crown is a
perfect example of this society and all that it represents. Lenina Crown is a
model example of how unchecked technology can destroy humanity. If you allow
every desire to be satisfied with no work or effort it teaches people that they
are entitled to privileges and should not have to work for them. With only
physical wants considered the moral, emotional, and spiritual aspects of society
are eliminated, leaving only pleasure as a deciding factor. The lack of care for
resources is shown with the hypnopaedic phrase of “Ending is better than
mending.” This along with, “Every one belongs to every one else” capture
the spirit of the New World perfectly. There is nothing needed except pleasure
and instant gratification to factor into a decision. If you allow science and
technology to be your god and savior it is proof of a decaying society. If
progress becomes more important than spirituality you begin to lose your soul,
the very part of you that makes you human. Lenina’s complete lack of knowledge
of God, religion, and faith show that even though there is little suffering in
the New World, there is no real joy or happiness. True happiness can only come
from faith and without it there can only be a mediocre existence. Lenina can not
understand John’s religion, the Indian’s beliefs or anything that resembles
faith. This is because the New World discourages anything but the present and
physical pleasure. This keeps the citizens happy only because they have never
experience true emotion. For all her beauty and brains, Lenina lacks one of the
corner stones of a normal society, morals. She is not a bad person but does not
have any set of guidelines to live by. The Solidaity Services with
“Orgy-Porgy” and the belief that, “Promiscuity is a citizen’s duty”
are meant to promote group pleasure and social stability, sacrificing the
individuals morals and personal beliefs. Without these beliefs people are not
individuals but programmed robots who do what they are told is best for them. To
leave science and technology to progress without regulation is to open the door
to the decline of humanity. Everything is done according to what is best for the
entire society as dictated by the World Controllers. With no emotions, pain,
joy, morals, or spirituality to say what is right or wrong technology continues
on into areas where self-control and restraint are needed but none is used. With
nothing to guide science, only chaos and death can come in the end.