Connections between Brave New World and Recent Technological Advancements

Many dystopian novels are centered around totalitarian governments that strive to control their citizens’ lives and thoughts. Authors often incorporate futuristic or emerging technologies into their stories that the governments use to establish total control.

One of the most notable examples of this occurs in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World which was written in 1931. In it, the government uses many techniques to gain control over its citizens. One such technique is called the “Bokanovsky Process”. This process involves artificial insemination and then cloning of human embryos. Huxley describes this process to be similar to that of a manufacturing factory. Test tubes containing human embryos are carried by a conveyor belt where they are conditioned and labeled. The government of Brave New World uses this process to essentially manufacture citizens and workers.

Huxley likely did not come up with the idea for this process entirely on his own. It is very similar to in vitro fertilization (IVF), which scientists began experimenting with on rabbits and guinea pigs in 1878. However, it was not until 1978, over 40 years after Huxley published Brave New World, that IVF was first successfully used to create a human. This process, despite being similar to a key part of Huxley’s dystopia, has become relatively common in today’s world. By implementing this technology in the right way and creating proper regulations for its use, it has become a key option for people struggling with infertility.

Emerging technologies are often met with controversy and fear. Huxley envisioned a world in which the government used artificial insemination as part of its mission to gain total control, but when a similar process made its way to our real world, its purpose was just to help people struggling with infertility. There are so many examples of other relatively recent technological developments that have been met with fear. For example, many people are skeptical of GMOs, for reasons such as ethical concerns or distrust. However, when implemented correctly, GMO crops can help address environmental dangers and food insecurity. New technologies can be scary, but they can also bring a lot of good into our world.

Sources:

1. Huxley, Aldous. Coradella Collegiate Bookshelf Editions. p. 199.
2. Kamel, Remah Moustafa. “Assisted Reproductive Technology after the Birth of Louise Brown.” Journal of Reproduction & Infertility, vol. 14, no. 3, 2013, pp. 96–109.
3. The History of IVF. Accessed 23 Oct. 2020.