Friday, January 6, 2012

Aldous Huxley can suck it.

Song for this post: "Complicated" ~ Rihanna

Okay. It's not like I'm trying to blog about my dating life (or lack thereof) so much lately. I've just been thinking about what the eff I did in the last year and, by extension, my life.

I took stock this week of the top long-term "relationships" I've had.  I use that term broadly.  I came up with an interesting connecting thread:

ALL of them LOVED the book "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley.  I've never read it, but I feel like I should know what the big damn deal is since, apparently, there's some cosmic correlation between douchebags and Mr. Huxley.  So I downloaded it to my Kindle App and started it on the bus this morning.

A few chapters in and I already get it:



Brave New World is all about breaking out of the confines of the systematic taming of our species. It points out the dangers of a dystopian society. It's about being yourself and proving that original thought and freedom are precious and necessary to continue as a species.  It's about breaking down institutions and beliefs that are believed for the sake of not rocking the boat.

That all sounds like good stuff right?

Here's the problem:

The common thread throughout the very poor judgement I have in men is that the vast majority of them (excepting a few gems) are overly educated, narcissistic a-holes who have thought their way out of every social construct they possibly can.  In essence, they've BECOME "Brave New World". Monogamy? Pointless institution.  Honesty? Antiquated moral confine. Integrity. PSHHHH!  Don't let's be silly.

There's some strange truth that can't be denied here. Men who love "Brave New World," in my experience, lack a moral compass because they've become overly obsessed with throwing off the oppressive shackles of societal morality. They're terrified of being automatons to a profound degree but haven't learned how to be themselves in an honest and direct way.

So. New rule:

If you loved "Brave New World" (or "1984") I can't date you.

Also, criminal defense attorneys. No more dating criminal defense attorneys. (See aforementioned statement about men who read Aldous Huxley).

Here: Enjoy the entire 1980 BBC movie "Brave New World."


- DISCLAIMER -

There are a few men who I've dated who I have the utmost respect for and who don't fall into this category.
You know who you are.

1 comment:

  1. Most works of dystopian fiction share the same theme, whether it's "1984," or "Brave New World," or "Atlas Shrugged." The problem is that none of their theories on social dynamics and/or government are even feasible. None of them account for revolutions, change in government, revamps of constitutions, economic upheaval, foreign policy, etc. And yet some people swear by the principles these books propose, as if that makes them unique, or edgy, or rebellious. They're trying to channel Steve McQueen through literature, and yeah, I can see why that would transform them into egotistic douchebags.

    But what people read, listen to, and watch really do reflect their interests and their values. Perhaps the reason I love military science fiction so much is that I can personally relate to it, whether it's idealistic (such as Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers), or realistic (Joe Haldeman's The Forever War). Each of them transplant their protagonist into the role of the soldier far from home, serving for whatever reason motivates them. Heinlein viewed military service rather positively (post-Korean War era), while Haldeman viewed it as bureaucratic, and occasionally indifferent to the concerns of the common serviceperson (post-Vietnam era). Both sides I can identify with, and both books I thoroughly enjoy. But, they do not guide my life's key principles or beliefs (although I do seem to parallel a character with a long-distance relationship, except it's not over the span of light-years)

    I'm inclined to believe that their attitudes and their psychological behavior directly correlate to their professions (lawyers). They're in the business of defending people in court, which means assuming that their client is innocent, regardless of what they did, and/or how they did it. Or maybe people just love James Spader too much and try to capture his mojo.

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