Khatapoush, Shereen, and Denise Hallfors. ""SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE": DID MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IN CALIFORNIA CHANGE ATTITUDES ABOUT AND USE OF MARIJUANA?" Ebsco Host. EBSCO, Fall 2004. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.
.This relates to the drug aspect of "Brave New World," exploring our society's attitude toward the legalization of marijuana, which is a parallel to the "Brave New World"'s society's "soma," a major factor in the maintenance of their "utopia". The article tackles whether making marijuana legal for medical purposes would cause demoralization in our society's youth.
1.) Hinyub, Chris. "Controversy Heats up over Marijuana Legalization Initiative | CAIVN." CAIVN | California Independent Voter Network. 4 July 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. .This article discusses the legalization of marijuana in California, and the reason to support taxing the drug. In particular, the article adresses the aspect of imprisonment; offenders arrested as youth typically just become repeat offenders. Thus, prisons are being filled without reason. In relation to Brave New World, the legalization of marijuana could do to our society something like soma has done to theirs. Of course, the effects would not be so extreme; marijuana use would certainly not be mandatory as soma is in their world. However, would the legalization demoralize us as soma seems to have demoralized their society?
2.) Soma in Brave New World Essay." Essays and Papers Online - Direct Essays. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. .This essay addresses the use of soma in Brave New World's society and whether it's utilization was for the best. The essay also considers whether the use of soma would enhance our society, if even the substance really is helpful. Is the world of Brave New World benefiting from soma or is soma in its excessive happiness and prevention of any tidbit of sadness actually preventing true happiness? After all, does happy really exist without sad?
3.) "Television Shows and Society's Values: How Viewing Habits Influence Changing Norms." Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network. 7 Mar. 2009. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. .This article points out some of the negative consequences as well as some positive consequences of television on our society. Television desensitizes us to violence and sex and can make money and winning seem higher values, but can also raise our levels of tolerance. Television can be seen as a parallel to soma in Brave New World in that we are addicted to it, and go it in times of need for cheering up or even to exaggerate our happiness. Also, both soma and television can be viewed as demoralizing.
4.) Diamond, Milton. "Pacific Center for Sex and Society - Effects of Pornography." University of Hawaii System. 4 Oct. 2009. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. .This article explains how studies are conducted to find the effect of pornography, and how some studies have led their experimentors to strongly believe that pornorgaphy is a direct cause of increased rape crime. Brave New World's society is subjected to ubiquitous sex, in which morality regarding sex, that it is particularly immoral, is completely and utterly absent. The connection implied is the questioning of whether pornography and all sex in media is leading our society down the path that is making morality regarding sex obsolete, as Brave New World has traveled there.
5.) "Eugenics: Moral and Ethical Principles of Controlled Reproduction." Associated Content - Associatedcontent.com. 30 Jan. 2007. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. .This article explains what eugenics is, how its intentions are genuinely good-to better society, to become closer to a utopia-yet also why it is immoral and unethical. Eugenics requires the lesser of society to be annihalated, thus leaving the better of society to continue evolving. Brave New World's system clearly supports eugenics. Not that the society has definitely directly indulged in killing off part of its society; rather it simply refuses the birth of anyone who cannot put forth into society. The question is raised whether it is ethical to control a society in this manner.
