Imagine a world where everyone loses their dignity, morals, values, and emotions. This is a dystopian society that was depicted by Aldous Huxley in his novel Brave New World.
 
In Brave New World, 4/7 of the citizens are conformed to living a strictly controlled life in the World State society. Their social status is determined before birth through genetic modification and conditioning, and they must follow the same laws and accept their identities which were assigned to them. Everyone is identical in this society. Therefore, the World State society has coined the statement “Everyone belongs to everyone else” in attempts to eradicate individualism. Although this moral breakdown may seem highly unethical to the readers, not a single individual in the novel steps up against society because everyone is conformed to obeying the central government and following one another. Blinded by this pattern of conformation, the characters do not realize that they are forced into uniformity for control.

Now, you may wonder how the danger of conformity applies in our society today. During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially significant for us to not fall for the same trap of conformity. With constant text alerts from the government and recurring news reports on the death counts, the Coronavirus situation tends to tip society into a panic. For example, hoarding has become a serious problem across the world as people have been stocking masks, hand sanitizers, toilet papers, and other necessities. Many blame the shortage upon Coronavirus, but I think we are the ones to be blamed. Hoarding is driven by an unnecessary fear and our psychological impulses to follow what everyone else is doing. It is not only irrational but also insensible to the needs of others.

While the example of conformity presented in the Brave New World maybe a little too extreme in comparison to hoarding, similarities are demonstrated. Conformity brings a lack of self-judgment and senseless fear in our society. Thus, we must be able to open our eyes in the luring shadows of conformity to help end COVID-19.

안다인 강남포스트 학생기자  webmaster@ignnews.kr

<저작권자 © 강남포스트, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지>