1. Brave New World : Pre-Reading Background Knowledge
The World State
The vast majority of the population is unified under “the World State”
An eternally peaceful, stable, global society
Goods and resources are plentiful because the world’s population is permanently limited to no more than two billion people
Everyone is happy
There is no war or crime

2. The World State uses a caste system to organize its citizens: a ranking system that divides citizens into classes with some at the top, some in the middle, and some at the bottom
Social Caste System in the World State
“Normal” reproduction methods have been done away with- babies are not created through having sex
Babies are decanted (sperm and egg are poured together) and raised in Hatcheries and Conditioning Centers

3. Caste Divisions
Alphas: the highest class
Allowed to develop naturally in their “decanting bottles” in the Hatchery
Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons: the lower classes in descending order
These lower castes have chemicals added to their decanting bottles to cause arrested development in intelligence or physical growth
The caste system provides NO opportunity for social mobility- if you are born a Delta, you’ll die a Delta

4. Each Alpha and Beta is a unique human being
Reproduction Methods
Each Alpha and Beta is the product of ONE fertilized egg developing into ONE fetus b/c they are at the top of the caste system
Each Alpha and Beta is a unique human being
Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons are NOT unique
They are created using the Bokanovsky process, which allows ONE egg to separate and create up to 96 children!

5. Everyone is encouraged to use the drug soma
Life in the World State
All citizens are conditioned as children to uphold the values of the World State
Constant consumption is key to maintaining stability in the W.S.- things are produced and must be consumed = stable jobs and recreation
Everyone is encouraged to use the drug soma
a hallucinogenic that takes users on enjoyable, hangover-free ‘vacations’
Provides a replication of religious experience, which makes religion unnecessary
Soma was created precisely for the above purposes

6. Sexual experimentation and games are encouraged at an early age
“Everyone belongs to everyone else.”
Recreational heterosexual and homosexual sex is a large, very important part of society
In this egalitarian society, everyone is treated equally and sex is seen as a social activity rather than a means of reproduction
Sexual experimentation and games are encouraged at an early age
The concept of ‘family’ is a thing of the past
Sexual competition and emotional, romantic relationships no longer exist

7. Marriage, natural childbirth, parenthood, and pregnancy are never talked about- these things are considered taboo and profane
Recreation and other info. about the W.S.
Spending time alone is considered a HUGE waste of time
Admitting to wanting to be an individual is shocking, horrifying, and embarrassing
People are conditioned to NEVER want to be alone- they should always be consuming something, playing golf, sleeping with someone, etc.

8. Death occurs around age 60 after having maintained good health and youthfulness for their entire lives
Death is not feared- everyone is conditioned to think they are happy = no fear exists about anything
The conditioning everyone goes through as children eliminates the need for professional competitiveness
People are literally bred to do specific jobs and cannot/do not have any desire to do another job

9. Citizens participate in mock religious gatherings to grow closer to members of their own classes- great quantities of soma play a major role in these gatherings
There are areas of the world that do not abide by the easy-living, consumption driven norms of the W.S.
The W.S. ‘allows’ groups of well controlled, securely contained ‘savages’ to live on far away plots of land

10. Wow, that was a lot of notes! Nice Job! Happy Weekend 