--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is only one historical development…" description: "\"“There is only one historical development that has real significance. Today, when we finally realise that the keys to happiness are in the hands of our..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/yuval-noah-harari-100_brave-new-world_there-is-only-one-historical-development_2907106.jpg" --- # There is only one historical development that has real… ![“There is only one historical development that has real significance. Today, when we finally realise that the keys to happiness are in the hands of our biochemical system, we can stop wasting our time on politics and social reforms, putsches and ideologies, and focus instead on the only thing that…” quote by Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/yuval-noah-harari-100_brave-new-world_there-is-only-one-historical-development_2907106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/yuval-noah-harari-100_brave-new-world_there-is-only-one-historical-development_2907106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/yuval-noah-harari-100_brave-new-world_there-is-only-one-historical-development_2907106.jpg) > ““There is only one historical development that has real significance. Today, when we finally realise that the keys to happiness are in the hands of our biochemical system, we can stop wasting our time on politics and social reforms, putsches and ideologies, and focus instead on the only thing that can make us truly happy: manipulating our biochemistry. If we invest billions in understanding our brain chemistry and developing appropriate treatments, we can make people far happier than ever before, without any need of revolutions. Prozac, for example, does not change regimes, but by raising serotonin levels it lifts people out of their depression. Nothing captures the biological argument better than the famous New Age slogan: ‘Happiness begins within.’ Money, social status, plastic surgery, beautiful houses, powerful positions – none of these will bring you happiness. Lasting happiness comes only from serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.1 In Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel Brave New World, published in 1932 at the height of the Great Depression, happiness is the supreme value and psychiatric drugs replace the police and the ballot as the foundation of politics. Every day, each person takes a dose of ‘soma’, a synthetic drug which makes people happy without harming their productivity and efficiency. The World State that governs the entire globe is never threatened by wars, revolutions, strikes or demonstrations, because all people are supremely content with their current conditions, whatever they may be. Huxley’s vision of the future is far more troubling than George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. Huxley’s world seems monstrous to most readers, but it is hard to explain why. Everybody is happy all the time – what could be wrong with that?”” [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that true happiness is rooted in neurochemistry, not external achievements, and that investing in brain science could replace political upheaval as the path to societal well‑being. **In simple terms:** Happiness comes from brain chemistry, not money or power. Key Takeaway Focus on mental health research. Themes happiness neuroscience politics ethics technology Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public policy - healthcare investment - personal development - education curricula - pharmaceutical research Key Concepts biochemistry serotonin dopamine oxytocin pharmacology social engineering Questions to Reflect On - Can chemicals replace purpose? - What role do relationships play in happiness? A Different Perspective It overlooks the importance of meaning, purpose, and social connection beyond chemical balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aldous-huxley/) [Brave new world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave-new-world/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Dystopian Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dystopian-novel-220540/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Great depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-depression/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Hard To Explain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-to-explain/) [Huxley Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huxley-vision-2271169/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Plastic surgery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plastic-surgery/) [Revolutions Prozac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutions-prozac-4165494/) [Slogan Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slogan-happiness-4165493/) [Social status](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-status/) [Truly happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-happy/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been interested in those Orwellian dystopian novels, like 'Fahrenheit 451,' 'Brave New World,' and obviously Orwell's '1984.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-those-orwellian-dystopian-novels-like/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [I majored in English in college, so I read the classic dystopian novels like '1984' and 'Brave New World.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/i-majored-in-english-in-college-so-i-read-the-classic-dystopian/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [“But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. 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There is no chance that gravity will cease to function tomorrow, even if people stop believing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/a-natural-order-is-a-stable-order-there-is-no-chance-that-gravity/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) [Explore all 1,200 Yuval Noah Harari quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## More Brave new world quotes > [“We develop ulcers, high blood pressure, headaches, and other physical problems in part because our stress systems aren’t designed to handle the “dangers” of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/we-develop-ulcers-high-blood-pressure-headaches-and-other-physical/) [Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/) > [“In other words, I feel that the nightmare of Nineteen Eighty-Four is destined to modulate into the nightmare of a world having more resemblance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/in-other-words-i-feel-that-the-nightmare-of-nineteen-eighty-four-is/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“remote work has opened the door to a new era of freedom and luxury. 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O brave new world, That has such people in't!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-wonder-how-many-goodly-creatures-are-there-here-how-beauteous/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 125 Brave new world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave-new-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There is only one historical development that has real significance. Today, when we finally realise that the keys to happiness are in the hands of our biochemical system, we can stop wasting our time on politics and social reforms, putsches and ideologies, and focus instead on the only thing that can make us truly happy: manipulating our biochemistry. If we invest billions in understanding our brain chemistry and developing appropriate treatments, we can make people far happier than ever before, without any need of revolutions. Prozac, for example, does not change regimes, but by raising serotonin levels it lifts people out of their depression. Nothing captures the biological argument better than the famous New Age slogan: ‘Happiness begins within.’ Money, social status, plastic surgery, beautiful houses, powerful positions – none of these will bring you happiness. Lasting happiness comes only from serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.1 In Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel Brave New World, published in 1932 at the height of the Great Depression, happiness is the supreme value and psychiatric drugs replace the police and the ballot as the foundation of politics. Every day, each person takes a dose of ‘soma’, a synthetic drug which makes people happy without harming their productivity and efficiency. The World State that governs the entire globe is never threatened by wars, revolutions, strikes or demonstrations, because all people are supremely content with their current conditions, whatever they may be. Huxley’s vision of the future is far more troubling than George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. Huxley’s world seems monstrous to most readers, but it is hard to explain why. 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