Drugs In Brave New World

In today's society people use drugs to escape from reality and issues that may be present in their lives. They think that the use of drugs will help them achieve happiness which leads to addiction. This addiction allows for others to take advantage of the person while they’re under the influence. In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley uses soma to show a similar idea through the theme of pursuit of happiness through drugs. The purpose that soma serves in the novel is that it is illustrated as being the “perfect drug” with no negative effects. The characters in the novel start using it as an escape for unhappiness or dissatisfaction and the happiness that is reached with the drug eventually becomes a trap and it has an addiction effect which leads

The leaders in the novel put pharmacologists and biochemists to work to make the drug and it was perfected within six years. The drug is hypothesized to calm people and also get them high without any negative side effects. In the book, soma is described as “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects” (Huxley 37). Huxley makes it seem like everyone should take Soma and that there’s no reason for them to not consume it since it makes people feel alive and satisfied but doesn’t cause any harm. In a video interview, Huxley says, “I postulated it a substance called ‘soma,’ which was a very versatile drug. It would make people feel happy in small doses, it would make them see visions in medium doses, and it would send them to sleep in large doses.” This quote shows that when the drug is taken it at different doses it seems to have different effects but each of these effects are perceived as being good. At small doses it seems to help people feel carefree, and at medium doses it allows people to see the world from a different point of view while, at high doses people can completely run away from reality. The author seems to be talking between the lines to show that even though some of these effects could be seen as being dangerous it is foreseen by the public because they think of it as being unharmful and all they’re trying to do is achieve the pursuit of