Let's Talk About Drugs!

"'...there is always soma, delicious soma, a half gramme for a half holiday...'" pg 55

I did not jump back this far in the book for no reason. I would like to talk about one of the major concepts of the book, the idea of people using the soma as an escape. Huxley uses soma as an analogy to drugs today. People in the story use soma whenever they feel sad, upset, hurt, angry, or any other emotion they do not wish to feel. In the same way, people today use drugs an alcohol as an escape from the real world. They believe as long as they are in their own world, created by the drug, nothing else matters. Worries go away and people can be free to do whatever they choose. However, in both worlds, they have consequences. In our world, people get addicted, damage themselves, and hurt others. Huxley's world has much more subtle effects. People loose their ability to feel. They cannot love or care or go beyond what they are merely asked or required to do. They can only live for themselves. Which I find ironic considering the book constantly says everyone lives for everyone else.