Brave New World and 1984

I've been reading both of these again on my little Palm Zire in my
spare moments (of which there are *many*... subway, etc. It's
amazing how much reading can be done this way).

The point being that reading these two *together* really makes a good
trip, since their weltanschuungs are so *very* different.

I think _Brave New World_ is more likely, since it's based on the
*pleasure* principle, whereas 1984 is based on the *pain* principle
(a good example of the "black and white" differences in these novels.)

I'm not quite done with 1984, but I'm at the section now where
there's a discussion of how there always has to be an enemy and a war
in order for the people to be kept under control and their attention
diverted from their true state.

This maybe links a little with some of the recent "political" posts
on this forum... (regrettably)... :)

J. Pehrson

> I've been reading both of these again on my little Palm Zire
> in my spare moments (of which there are *many*... subway, etc.
> It's amazing how much reading can be done this way).

Cool idea!

> The point being that reading these two *together* really
> makes a good trip, since their weltanschuungs are so *very*
> different.

I read them both in the same year, several years back. I
liked BNW a better, but both certainly thought-provoking.

> I think _Brave New World_ is more likely, since it's based
> on the *pleasure* principle, whereas 1984 is based on the
> *pain* principle (a good example of the "black and white"
> differences in these novels.)

When I first read BNW there were moments where I felt like
I was reading the news! It scared me more than a little.

I identified less with 1984, but I didn't live through
Vietnam. But now with the whole terrorism fear-mongering
thing, the war in Indochina, I mean the Middle East...

-Carl