Books Quote by Aldous Huxley
““A New Theory of Biology,” was the title of the paper which Mustapha Mond had just finished reading. He sat for some time, meditatively frowning, then picked up his pen and wrote across the title-page: “The author’s mathematical treatment of the conception of purpose is novel and highly ingenious, but heretical and, so far as the present social order is concerned, dangerous and potentially subversive. Not to be published.” He underlined the words. “The author will be kept under supervision. His transference to the Marine Biological Station of St. Helena may become necessary.” A pity, he thought, as he signed his name. It was a masterly piece of work. But once you began admitting explanations in terms of purpose—well, you didn’t know what the result might be. It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the more unsettled minds among the higher castes—make them lose their faith in happiness as the Sovereign Good and take to believing, instead, that the goal was somewhere beyond, somewhere outside the present human sphere; that the purpose of life was not the maintenance of well-being, but some intensification and refining of consciousness, some enlargement of knowledge. Which was, the Controller reflected, quite possibly true. But not, in the present circumstance, admissible.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, 1932
The Controller suppresses a scientific work that links purpose to consciousness, fearing it could destabilize the social order and alter citizens’ values.
In simple terms: A dangerous idea is censored to keep society stable.
Question ideas that challenge the status quo.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic publishing
- government policy
- education reform
- media regulation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do leaders have when confronting radical ideas?
- How can societies balance stability with intellectual freedom?
Such suppression may stifle progress and limit human potential.