The Price of Progress - Brave New World

Essay by fariamalikHigh School, 12th gradeA, November 2014

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The Price of Progress

Mankind has always accepted the inevitability and desirability of progress. It is the preeminent goal for all humans to try and recreate a world of utmost perfection, which is why technological as well as social advancements are constantly being made. Looking back to the nineteenth century, as compared to now, the world has changed immensely. In place of a world war, stands a worldwide peace organization called the United Nations. Rather than garbage being disposed of carelessly, there is recycling and composting practices in place. No more Jewish holocausts, instead a new focus on multiculturalism and the equality of all faiths and races. But, with all of this progress there is a price to be paid. In Aldous Huxleys Brave New World, the film Never Let Me Go directed by Mark Romanek, human advancement is seen to create a . Through further analysis of these two works, it is evident that the price of progress is very high and may not always create a better world.

To begin, it is obvious that with progress comes the sacrifice of moral values. In Huxley's Brave New World, the citizens of the World State have completely lost all of their moral values because of the way they are conditioned to act. This can be exemplified by Linda in chapter 7 of the novel, where she says, "Well, here, nobody's supposed to belong to more than one person. And if you have people in the ordinary way, others think your wicked and anti-social. They hate an despise you. Once a lot of women came and made a scene because their men came to see me." (Huxley 105). Similarly, the film Never Let Me Go demonstrates a loss of humanity and how being a clone replacement or "donor" is a completely...