Page 374 - BRAVE NEW WORLD By Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)
P. 374

Brave New World By Aldous Huxley


            just. Haven't they used his pleasant  vices as an


            instrument to degrade him?"


                           "Degrade him from what position? As a


            happy, hard-working, goods-consuming citizen he's


            perfect. Of course, if you  choose some other


            standard than ours, then perhaps you might say he



            was degraded. But you've got to stick to one set of


            postulates. You can't play Electro-magnetic Golf


            according to the rules of Centrifugal Bumble-puppy."


                           "But value dwells not in particular will," said


            the Savage. "It holds his estimate and dignity as


            well wherein 'tis precious  of itself as in the prizer."


                           "Come, come," protested Mustapha Mond,


            "that's going rather far, isn't it?"


                           "If you allowed yourselves to think of God,


            you wouldn't allow yourselves to be degraded by


            pleasant vices. You'd have a reason for bearing



            things patiently, for doing things with courage. I've


            seen it with the Indians."


                           "l'm sure you have," said Mustapha Mond.


            "But then we aren't Indians. There isn't any need for






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