Afraid of death Quote by Aldous Huxley
““Because our world is not the same as Othello's world. You can't make flivvers without steel—and you can't make tragedies without social instability. The world's stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can't get. They're well off; they're safe; they're never ill; they're not afraid of death; they're blissfully ignorant of passion and old age; they're plagued with no mothers or fathers; they've got no wives, or children, or lovers to feel strongly about; they're so conditioned that they practically can't help behaving as they ought to behave. And if anything should go wrong, there's soma." The Savage was silent for a little. "All the same," he insisted obstinately, "Othello's good, Othello's better than those feelies." "Of course it is," the Controller agreed. "But that's the price we have to pay for stability. You've got to choose between happiness and what people used to call high art. We've sacrificed the high art.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, 1932
Stability and comfort suppress deep emotions and artistic expression, leading to a bland, controlled society.
In simple terms: Comfort kills creativity and passion.
Value authentic art over easy happiness.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- education
- artistic creation
- personal fulfillment
- political policy
- mental health
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you sacrifice for true artistic freedom?
- Can a society be both stable and deeply expressive?
Stability may prevent chaos but also eliminates meaningful struggle and growth.