A Classic Read Without Much Pleasure

This is the second book of my all-native-but-me book club, and my peers loved the book so much they proposed to change the book club's name into ''orgy porgy", yea, who wouldn't love it? I bet the number of our dwindling male members will increasing if we put it out there!

Back to the book, while most of the book club members love the book so much, Jojo, the latest member loved it so much, she rated it 9 out of 10, I hesitated to put out my number, which is a big old 6. Sorry folks, it wasn't for me. I was about to give it 6, but given the circumstances: I read it in the middle of my GRE preparation, I literally need to squeeze time out for the book, flipping a couple of pages through lunch break, or during my commute. I even have to delete all the games in the iphone to make time for it. And then there is the exploration by the members, they vehemently share their thoughts on the precious childhood read (several of them regard it as the first and best exposure to literature.)

It is a unprecedented success on my part, an expression now I used often on surviving another hectic day filled with GRE vocab reciting. However,this is my first sci fi book, my first dystopian book and it has to count as something.

Two opposite worlds, one with all the efficiency, people are made out of tubes on a conveyor belt,mass production is popular, instant gratification, soma holiday, there is no parents discipline us, no god, no solitude,no one gets old, old one is faithful to anyone,even kids were playing sex game(which is shocking enough,but at least they are having sex with each other.) And then there is another world, people have feelings, they read Shakespeare, they grow old and they have babies in the most mammal way. Most of readers (The one I have a discussion with) were constantly battling between which world they love better.

I love how the book is ahead of time, the sci fi is published in 1932 and at that time, industrial revolution was just over, and people see Henry Ford as God(as oppose to Steve Jobs?) I can imagine how shocking readers at that time when they read the book filled with audacious plots on the main characters being promiscuous and parents being the dirty words.

But my inclination on the savage world was never for a mere moment faltered. In another word, Aldous Huxley never succeed in convincing me that the brave new world is appealing. I couldn't imagine living without solitude, or any rules, I highly doubt if I'd be happy at all. And how about reading? Even Aldous Huxley said so: Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly -- they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced. But how can you get pierced without the solitude. I think if you are living in the world where there is always distractions, which sadly I think we are easily living in the mode, but what fun it is in that type of life? If you are born to be in a tube with your life and destiny decided by the staff in the center, what you are supposed to like or despise, all settled for you, is it really the best condition of living? Would you rather be a sad smart guy or a happy fool?

Another reason the book doesn't speak to me is the language, which is my initial thought. Sci fi is fraught with made-up words, which I agree, and in the beginning I couldn't follow the plots and I believe it's because of the language. But the fact that I can enjoy Juno Diaz's books which constantly interrupt by Spanish told me, this isn't about language at all. Readers got potentials, they are trained to take challenges in reading, and you add the condiment in and we generally grow with it. Eventually I set with the conclusion that Aldous' book is not gripping enough for me because of the mish-mash of inconstant plots and the stilte 1930s language.

Finally, the ultimate deep thought provoked by the book, where is the brave new world, is it anywhere to be found in real life? Sophia, another member of the club raised the question: Is China or America more like the brave new world? And some said: China! I listened patiently for them to lash out the reasons. Some are filthy rich, and they are above the rules, and they don't even have religions to regulate them. As a religious Chinese who see both side of the countries, I have to say, it might happen in China, or America, or anywhere in the world, but it can't be simplified as one country or even one region. There are people who think they are so privileged and above the law in every country, but just because they think they can get away with anything, they don't actually get away with anything. At some point, it will backfire.

To briefly summarize, the brave new world might be on every 100 books you have to read before you kick the bucket. But unless I'm stuck in a room with nothing but the book to keep me sane, I would't go back and read the whole thing again any time soon.

Still, hooray to my first sci fi classic.