Brave New World Project
This is my paper from my Brave New World project. Enjoy.
Parallels
Steve Jobson
Allow me to introduce you to two people, who are very similar, and yet very different. One is from a world that we all know, the one we live or, for some of us, just exist in. The other one is from a world unlike ours, yet very similar. The only major difference between them are the social conventions of what is and isn’t acceptable. These stories, although from worlds that differ radically, are perhaps more similar than they should be.
My name is Delta 509. I know it’s not much of a name, as far as names go, but it’s mine! At least it’s guaranteed to be unique. I have never met or heard of another 509. I have a good life. I do what I know I should, and I’m never really lonely. It’s a good life I lead, working from seven in the morning to four in the afternoon preparing beef surrogate for the Betas. The Betas are a different class of Laborer. The five classes are Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons. Alphas are the ones who do all the really hard work with politics and administrative activity. Betas, Gammas and Deltas do less complex tasks, until we meet the Epsilons, who have one function, such as pushing a button, or flipping a switch.
I’ve been prepared for this all my life, as has everyone else on the factory floor. We keep the wheels of society turning, and the gears keep ticking along. My coworkers, Deltas 508, 510, and 514-543, are good sorts, and we’ve known each other since decanting. We all look alike, but that’s to be expected. The Bokanovsky Process splits up the egg, so multiple sperm can engage in multiple fertilizations. More people, more laborers, more numbers for our workforce. Stable elements, building society. It’s as it should be. It’s balanced work. I pack fourteen cans into a box, put a lid on it, and move on to the next box. I do this every day. When my shift is over, I go back to my house. One gramme of Soma is enough to take the stress off, and I can let whatever occurred during my day be a bygone.
Occasionally, when I’m in the mood for a bit of activity, one of the girls comes over, and we go out and engage in some sporting, after which she comes back to my place, and we engage in some different activities. Everyone belongs to everyone else, so there’s no real issue. I’ve had opportunities like this with most of the girls in the factory. It’s good. We’ve all been raised and prepared for this. It’s not an interest so much as a duty to interact with as many people as possible in this manner.
I have other interests, too. Apart from the usual sports and games, we have large group get togethers known as community sings. All my coworkers get together, and we have a huge party. It typically involves singing, dancing, and Soma. Everyone seems happy with their work, so I don’t interfere with it in any way. Besides, I’ve got my work. I will until the day I die.
...
My name is Aaron Smith. The double “A” meant that alphabetical snacks in preschool worked to my favor. I work a fairly easy job, retail at the local box store. Not too complicated, and on the days when it is, I can hit the bar. I don’t really do too much with myself, I just relax, and, occasionally, sell something to somebody when they stop in. It’s good. My coworkers are tolerable folks. They don’t make too much of a fuss, but there are the usual petty hostilities between a few. That’s to be expected when you have a group of people in the same place day after day. When I’m not selling, which is about an hour and a half of my work day, I’ve got this nifty little video game player.
I was an only child, and grew up in a good home. Somehow, when I got out of college, I just never got around to pursuing the career for which I studied, and ended up here. I had a girlfriend, for a while, but then she left me for some guy from somewhere else. I haven’t really had any time since then for pursuing such things. Sometimes, the loneliness catches up to me, but I tell myself that it could be worse, and then convince myself of it. It’s true, y’know. It could be worse. I see a lot of hungry people, out on the street. Sometimes it makes me wonder, but I try to suppress such thoughts. They don’t benefit me any. It’s better if I just keep on going my way. If I could help other folks, I would, but for now, I’ve got enough troubles that I don’t need to share.
On occasion, I get these killer pains in my head. The doctor claims they’re stress related, but I don’t feel stressed. He gave me a prescription for some drug that I can occasionally pronounce if I relax my tongue. I don’t really trust it, but, you never know. It’s a fairly secure world. Occasionally, things get a bit Machiavellian at work, but that’s necessary for us to keep our jobs. If we don’t manipulate the system, it’ll just grind us down. We’ll do what we are supposed to, but not much else. Besides, half a tablet, dissolved, seems to alleviate it. The effects last for about two hours, which gives me plenty of time to read a book, or catch up on the news, or do something else quiet and peaceful that doesn’t involve driving or operating heavy machinery. I own a few books, a teapot, and an old record player with a couple dozen records. I have a few other things, but those are the ones I really value.
The way I see it, my life is liable to keep on this way until I have enough money to go somewhere else. Maybe back home, maybe someplace I’ve never been before. I’ll miss my friends from here, and we’ll keep in touch for a while through the internet, but we’ll drift eventually. That’s about how it always happens. I try not to get philosophical about it, but it doesn’t work. Philosophy is the domain of the intellectual with too much time on his hands. The way I figure it, I lead a good life. If anyone can say everything is all right, so can I.
Parallels
Steve Jobson
Allow me to introduce you to two people, who are very similar, and yet very different. One is from a world that we all know, the one we live or, for some of us, just exist in. The other one is from a world unlike ours, yet very similar. The only major difference between them are the social conventions of what is and isn’t acceptable. These stories, although from worlds that differ radically, are perhaps more similar than they should be.
My name is Delta 509. I know it’s not much of a name, as far as names go, but it’s mine! At least it’s guaranteed to be unique. I have never met or heard of another 509. I have a good life. I do what I know I should, and I’m never really lonely. It’s a good life I lead, working from seven in the morning to four in the afternoon preparing beef surrogate for the Betas. The Betas are a different class of Laborer. The five classes are Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons. Alphas are the ones who do all the really hard work with politics and administrative activity. Betas, Gammas and Deltas do less complex tasks, until we meet the Epsilons, who have one function, such as pushing a button, or flipping a switch.
I’ve been prepared for this all my life, as has everyone else on the factory floor. We keep the wheels of society turning, and the gears keep ticking along. My coworkers, Deltas 508, 510, and 514-543, are good sorts, and we’ve known each other since decanting. We all look alike, but that’s to be expected. The Bokanovsky Process splits up the egg, so multiple sperm can engage in multiple fertilizations. More people, more laborers, more numbers for our workforce. Stable elements, building society. It’s as it should be. It’s balanced work. I pack fourteen cans into a box, put a lid on it, and move on to the next box. I do this every day. When my shift is over, I go back to my house. One gramme of Soma is enough to take the stress off, and I can let whatever occurred during my day be a bygone.
Occasionally, when I’m in the mood for a bit of activity, one of the girls comes over, and we go out and engage in some sporting, after which she comes back to my place, and we engage in some different activities. Everyone belongs to everyone else, so there’s no real issue. I’ve had opportunities like this with most of the girls in the factory. It’s good. We’ve all been raised and prepared for this. It’s not an interest so much as a duty to interact with as many people as possible in this manner.
I have other interests, too. Apart from the usual sports and games, we have large group get togethers known as community sings. All my coworkers get together, and we have a huge party. It typically involves singing, dancing, and Soma. Everyone seems happy with their work, so I don’t interfere with it in any way. Besides, I’ve got my work. I will until the day I die.
...
My name is Aaron Smith. The double “A” meant that alphabetical snacks in preschool worked to my favor. I work a fairly easy job, retail at the local box store. Not too complicated, and on the days when it is, I can hit the bar. I don’t really do too much with myself, I just relax, and, occasionally, sell something to somebody when they stop in. It’s good. My coworkers are tolerable folks. They don’t make too much of a fuss, but there are the usual petty hostilities between a few. That’s to be expected when you have a group of people in the same place day after day. When I’m not selling, which is about an hour and a half of my work day, I’ve got this nifty little video game player.
I was an only child, and grew up in a good home. Somehow, when I got out of college, I just never got around to pursuing the career for which I studied, and ended up here. I had a girlfriend, for a while, but then she left me for some guy from somewhere else. I haven’t really had any time since then for pursuing such things. Sometimes, the loneliness catches up to me, but I tell myself that it could be worse, and then convince myself of it. It’s true, y’know. It could be worse. I see a lot of hungry people, out on the street. Sometimes it makes me wonder, but I try to suppress such thoughts. They don’t benefit me any. It’s better if I just keep on going my way. If I could help other folks, I would, but for now, I’ve got enough troubles that I don’t need to share.
On occasion, I get these killer pains in my head. The doctor claims they’re stress related, but I don’t feel stressed. He gave me a prescription for some drug that I can occasionally pronounce if I relax my tongue. I don’t really trust it, but, you never know. It’s a fairly secure world. Occasionally, things get a bit Machiavellian at work, but that’s necessary for us to keep our jobs. If we don’t manipulate the system, it’ll just grind us down. We’ll do what we are supposed to, but not much else. Besides, half a tablet, dissolved, seems to alleviate it. The effects last for about two hours, which gives me plenty of time to read a book, or catch up on the news, or do something else quiet and peaceful that doesn’t involve driving or operating heavy machinery. I own a few books, a teapot, and an old record player with a couple dozen records. I have a few other things, but those are the ones I really value.
The way I see it, my life is liable to keep on this way until I have enough money to go somewhere else. Maybe back home, maybe someplace I’ve never been before. I’ll miss my friends from here, and we’ll keep in touch for a while through the internet, but we’ll drift eventually. That’s about how it always happens. I try not to get philosophical about it, but it doesn’t work. Philosophy is the domain of the intellectual with too much time on his hands. The way I figure it, I lead a good life. If anyone can say everything is all right, so can I.
Digital Art Here
Reflection on this Project
1. What was the greatest challenge and why?
I felt that the greatest challenge was standing in this room for an hour during exhibition. It was very uncomfortable, and I occasionally had some trouble accessing my project when large knots of people would come into the room. As such, I often found myself with issues explaining myself and my project. This is really more of an inconvenience caused by location, but nevertheless, it was the most challenging part of the project.
2. How do you feel you have grown as an individual or a student in this project?
I feel I have grown as a student in this project in that I was able to make connections to the world from what we were studying in a way I haven’t been able to before. My project was a prime example of this, as I drew similarities between our world and BNW based on my knowledge of both, and found and explored parallels.
3. After wrapping up your first year of high school, what do you want to remember when you return as a sophomore? Explain why this will be important.
I want to remember to stay focused, as even if it seems boring at the moment, there will be something interesting. In this project, it was the exploration of the concepts, and some of the familiar themes that started popping up. Once this happened, I starting rereading books and I really identified some of the themes from Brave New World in those books.
4. Explain what you are most proud of about your project and why.
I am proud of my writing and my Poster. I felt that my characters really sprung to life, and once I got going somewhere, there wren’t really any pauses. They took on forms of their own in my head. I am proud of my poster as Digital Media is something of a challenge for me, and I frequently have issues getting my thoughts on the screen like I want.
I felt that the greatest challenge was standing in this room for an hour during exhibition. It was very uncomfortable, and I occasionally had some trouble accessing my project when large knots of people would come into the room. As such, I often found myself with issues explaining myself and my project. This is really more of an inconvenience caused by location, but nevertheless, it was the most challenging part of the project.
2. How do you feel you have grown as an individual or a student in this project?
I feel I have grown as a student in this project in that I was able to make connections to the world from what we were studying in a way I haven’t been able to before. My project was a prime example of this, as I drew similarities between our world and BNW based on my knowledge of both, and found and explored parallels.
3. After wrapping up your first year of high school, what do you want to remember when you return as a sophomore? Explain why this will be important.
I want to remember to stay focused, as even if it seems boring at the moment, there will be something interesting. In this project, it was the exploration of the concepts, and some of the familiar themes that started popping up. Once this happened, I starting rereading books and I really identified some of the themes from Brave New World in those books.
4. Explain what you are most proud of about your project and why.
I am proud of my writing and my Poster. I felt that my characters really sprung to life, and once I got going somewhere, there wren’t really any pauses. They took on forms of their own in my head. I am proud of my poster as Digital Media is something of a challenge for me, and I frequently have issues getting my thoughts on the screen like I want.
Model United Nations
The Model United Nations Project, our most recent project, was a simulation of the United nations in which we executed one debate, or caucus. The goal of the project was consensus building, which is the act of getting all parties to agree to something. Hypothetically, this would lead to everyone agreeing to a single solution, or, in the terms of the UN, Resolution. This Resolution would mark the end of the project. If the resolution failed, we would create a new one and use that resolution instead.
My Reflection
What advice would I give to a student beginning this project?
If I were to advise a student just beginning this project, I would recommend trying to clear their head of whatever political views they might have. I would also suggest focusing their efforts on getting as much information on the subject as possible. This will aid in finding an accurate source for your country’s viewpoint, as you will know what a biased, or inaccurate/untrustworthy source looks like.
Which HOHAM was I most proud of my usage of during this project?
I would say the HOHAM of which I am most proud during the conference would be Evidence. I was able to back up all my points, and was able to clarify what I was saying to my satisfaction. It led to my speech being better in terms of execution. It was also an important aspect of my speechwriting.
What would I do differently, if I could start this project over?
If I could start the project over, I would have gotten a more suitable rock to support my placard. It’s a minor, but logical, change as it was prone to falling over in the end. I also would’ve been a bit more active in the evidence gathering area, and examined recent events a bit more closely.
What was the most interesting speech, resolution, amendment, or comment by one of the delegates?
I would say that the most interesting speech was Honduras's final speech. It had several historical points that I was considering questioning the source on, but it was well-written and informative. It was also on the wordy side, running what seemed to be fourteen well-written paragraphs before being cut off at the 5 minute mark.
If I were to advise a student just beginning this project, I would recommend trying to clear their head of whatever political views they might have. I would also suggest focusing their efforts on getting as much information on the subject as possible. This will aid in finding an accurate source for your country’s viewpoint, as you will know what a biased, or inaccurate/untrustworthy source looks like.
Which HOHAM was I most proud of my usage of during this project?
I would say the HOHAM of which I am most proud during the conference would be Evidence. I was able to back up all my points, and was able to clarify what I was saying to my satisfaction. It led to my speech being better in terms of execution. It was also an important aspect of my speechwriting.
What would I do differently, if I could start this project over?
If I could start the project over, I would have gotten a more suitable rock to support my placard. It’s a minor, but logical, change as it was prone to falling over in the end. I also would’ve been a bit more active in the evidence gathering area, and examined recent events a bit more closely.
What was the most interesting speech, resolution, amendment, or comment by one of the delegates?
I would say that the most interesting speech was Honduras's final speech. It had several historical points that I was considering questioning the source on, but it was well-written and informative. It was also on the wordy side, running what seemed to be fourteen well-written paragraphs before being cut off at the 5 minute mark.
My Resolution is here.
My country's perspective on the issue we discussed is here.
Contact me at [email protected]
Animas High School 3200 North Main Street, Durango, CO 81301 (970) 247-2474
Animas High School 3200 North Main Street, Durango, CO 81301 (970) 247-2474