Introduction
Individuality and happiness are concepts that are most common to philosophical ideas. It was both defined and analyzed by famous philosophers such as Mills and Socrates. Its relationship to each other may be implied to most of the people since freedom is one of the basic sources of individual happiness. People should always respect the individuality of the others. Individuality may refer to as the principles and ideals in which a person believes, accepts or applied. The concept of freedom and equality are common when understanding happiness and individuality. In this essay, the relationship of individuality and happiness is evaluated and analyzed using philosophical ideas and personal views. In assessing their connection, it will also be analyzed using Huxley’s Brave New World. Lastly, this essay opts to analyze how Socrates will react to Huxley’s concept of “Utopia” using his ideals and principles.
Happiness and Individuality
Humans always feel happiness for their freedom. It is an aspect which they always fight for since people believe that it is not worthy to live without freedom. In could be recognized in history in which there are many wars due to individual fight for freedom and justice. According to John Stuart Mills, “the ultimate source of moral obligation is the Greatest Happiness Principle” (Sharp-Wasserman, 3). It is a utilitarian concept in which people’s satisfaction is related to its moral obligation and individual freedom. Mills also defined happiness as “pleasure or avoidance of pain” (Sharp-Wasserman, 3).
The concept of individuality has two parts or two basic aspects. First is the form of uniqueness or well-defined identity. Individuality holds the person’s basic characteristic which could differentiate him or her from the others. The individual’s own expression of itself is a practice of freedom which could result to pleasure and happiness. In general, happiness could be attained by expressing your own self freely or practicing the concept of individuality. The second aspect of individuality is its development into a unique characteristic which could relate the individual to its own cultural group or background. Social coercion or social identity is essential in fulfilling a person’s happiness since socialization is one of most basic needs of human (Sharp-Wasserman, 4).
Individuality could also be defined as the concepts and ideals which could not be unique to a person but it could define his or her characteristics. It could be a result of cultural influence, social developments or just the individual’s learning experience. A person’s individuality should always be respected and considered by everyone in assessing his or her character. In this sense, there could be peace among people which eventually will result to common good. For Socrates, the common good is the one that could bring happiness (Sharp-Wasserman, 6). In general, individuality should be practiced and respected to bring the common good among the people which will result to happiness.
Lastly, individuality is a concept that could bring pain to everyone if not achieved. Freedom for any ideas or by having a general unique identity should always be achieved in the pursuit of happiness. In order to avoid pain, or referred by Mills as happiness, individuality should also be achieved. In short, individuality could be a tool and a reason for happiness. On the other hand, happiness could be achieved when individuality is achieved or applied.
Huxley’s Brave New World
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a depiction of the miseries and misfortunes of the future full of scientific developments or progress. Most of the readers could view the novel as a warning for the people for what could happen in the future if the society used or applied the wrong application for the scientific discoveries. However, it could also be viewed as a depiction of the modern society in which society fails to understand the notion of individuality and happiness. In reading the novel, one could simply realize that the society’s definition of happiness could be altered, and that the individuality is not a major factor for the capitalistic society.
The basic connotation from Huxley’s novel is “Everyone belongs to everyone else” (Huxley, 15). It is an idea in which individuality is not important in achieving true happiness. In this passage, I realized that our society is leaning towards the future depicted by the story. With the advancement of the technology and the ease of information exchange, the concept of individuality diminishes. As if every person is a part of one big social being and a person’s uniqueness is not important in fulfilling the basic needs of the society which is economic progress.
The character of Bernard Marx denotes how a person could mourn from the removal of their individuality. Bernard describes himself as a “cell in the social body” which refers to him as only a part of society in which its uniqueness is not important (Huxley, 75). In reading the novel, I realized that individuality is essential in fulfilling true happiness. True happiness is achieved and not induced in a person. However, it is not the case for achieving the goals of every society. A society only progress when they progress in terms of economic and technological value. The progress of every individual is not of much importance in regards to fulfilling economic progress. In short, the society leans towards the progress of itself and not its members which is a recognizable trait in a modern society.
How Socrates will react to Huxley’s “Utopia”
Huxley’s “utopia” is a depiction in which a society fulfills happiness without the concept of love and freedom. In its utopian society, people sacrificed their love to bring false happiness in terms of narcotics and technological fictions. Socrates will not allow this society to happen. Socrates will definitely not agree with Huxley’s notion of “utopia” since for him, love is an essential aspect of society in fulfilling true happiness. For Socrates, love should be free which means every person should have the freedom whom to love.
In general, Socrates “”utopia” is the exact opposite of Huxley’s “utopia” in his novel Brave New World. According to Socrates, a society is built among the individuals contribution to the society. It means the uniqueness of every individual is important in fulfilling the needs of the society. It could be recognized in his passage; “Society arises because different people are the better skilled to supply different wants” (The Republic by Plato, np). On the other hand, Huxley’s “utopia” is built on a single social identity in which its basic needs are given to the people such as false happiness and common identity. In Huxley’s “utopia”, individuality is not important in the society.
Works Cited:
Huxley, A. Brave New World. Harper Perennial Modern Classics: Reprint Edition. 2006. Print
The Republic by Plato. The Philosophy of Socrates: Vision of Utopia. Outline of Great Books. 2003. Web. http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/Outline_of_Great_Books_Volume_I/thephilos_bcb.html.
Sharp-Wasserman, J. Happiness and Individuality in Mill. Pharmakon Journal of Philosophy. 2007. Print.
