Are We Living in ‘1984’ or ‘Brave New World’?

Neil Postman referred to both authors in the foreword to his book “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” where he wrote:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared that we would become a captive culture…In ‘1984’…people are controlled by inflicting pain. In ‘Brave New World,’ they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

Neither envisioned the internet, where almost limitless information is available, but also no wisdom; neither envisioned social media platforms, where we are manipulated into what to think about and how to think about it; neither envisioned algorithms that would become both Orwell’s suppressor as well as Huxley’s oligarchy.

So we can end the debate about which will come true—Orwell’s “1984” or Huxley’s “Brave New World.”

The answer is, “Yes.”

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.