In a dystopian society, one is not limited to the sum of displeasure and lies that might transpire. The lines between dystopian and anti-utopian societies are similar in contrast, but offer a wide array of absent pleasure for the citizens of the totalarianistic state.
Brave New World, a brainwashed utopia, written by Aldous Huxley, introduced the first suggestions of human cloning in literature. Thinking about the class ranks that the “embryos” are classified into, you are literally born into either the lower classes or upper classes; contrasting Logan’s Run. In the movie, the society presents themselves in different colors. It’s not that the women wear one color and the men wear another, but instead based upon their age. The different colors of their wardrobe put forward an insight into anyone that they might converse with. It seems a little bizarre, don’t you think? But very logical.
To sustain population control in Logan’s Run, the process veiled as “renewal”, masks the true reason for the so called “carousel”. When the citizens in Logan’s Run reach the age of 30, they are basically done, meaning they are sentenced to death. But in the minds of the rebellious ones that are next up for “renewal”, they take their chances and run. You know their considered a runner because the red dot on their hands will lose their color, and when their ready to be renewed there’s no longer life, so the red will start blinking. This enjoyed process by the other citizens watching isn’t so tasteful for anyone humane or sane. When compared to our society throughout the world, China has a high policy on child restrictions. The law states they are limited to the one child policy. So with the ever growing population of China, there’s certain ways to try and slow down the growing rate of humanity; similar to Logan’s Run.
In both Brave New World, and Logan’s Run, one thing is apparent. The futuristic society’s role in sexual relations. It’s a “no strings attached” kind of constructional, sexual pleasure. The way Logan used the technology to choose women he wanted for the night, was disgusting to the common person; but in all actuality, it was acceptable and encouraged in their civilization. When Logan 5 is selecting his pray he comes across Jessica 6 in which her rejection to his offer, makes him feel allured. This is because of their conditioning, intercourse is practiced and performed so much, that there’s no rejections, it’s as if their playing a Simon Says game. Same case in Brave New World, there’s no repercussions to their actions! I believe that’s the alarming red flag. Any woman in our society to be unprotected meaning, no way to prevent pregnancy, then your cruising to become a mother. But in both sex pleasured worlds, they know nothing bad is going to happen after their one night stand, so they continue on their ongoing activities.
The inevitable fate of both worlds has its bad sides and okay sides, for us outsiders we can only image how much harm is going on. But both Brave New World and Logan’s Run illustrate a society striving for ultimate efficiency, and ultimate pleasure. There is so called life outside of both considered “utopias”. Not suited for the non-rebellious intellectuals. The conscience minds who question the rule of authority and the ways of the society are gaining new ground in discovering the outside world.
There’s ways around everything. But for some, living in the dystopian setting of futuristic, test tube lives can alter you true, humanly instincts. One living in lies, won’t or can’t be acceptable to the ways of life on the outside, it may take time or just never happen. Good example: Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. I know we all knows the story, but the societies in both: Brave New World and Logan’s Run complement each other, suggesting new, alien ideas, thought of by obviously more than one man. The boundaries are endless in according to dystopian and utopian works of literature, leaving one to think…. What kind of society are we living in?
