This One Time, In Band Camp...

"What we do here isn't P.E. You get P.E. credits, yes, but what we do in band is mentally and physically exhausting. This isn't an easy "A". Ladies and gentleman, this is the Mayfair Monsoon Marching Corps." -Mr. Thomas Philips

There is one thing that Mr. Philips always tells me when I talk about music, and that is the importance of motivation. It seems like such an easy concept. For the musicians in band, that means practice your music, learn your drill, follow directions, and run to where you're supposed to be. Mr. Philips made me think; in the "real" world, what is one motivated to do?

In Huxley's "Brave New World", the people of all castes worked for their payment in soma. After work, they would form a line to receive their ration of soma. Postman says that people spend most of their time trying to entertain themselves, or being influenced by entertainment media. The connection lies in work. Humans perform jobs that allow them to get paid. Most humans spend a large portion of their pay for entertainment in some form. Do we already live in a "Brave New World"?

People work to get pay, only to spend it on necessities and entertainment. The caste members of Huxley's book work to get paid, but in rations of soma, or pure entertainment. I believe that there are less and less amounts of motivation to achieve anything other than entertainment. It seems like the primary goal of any working person. Find a high paying job to buy numerous amounts of leisure items. Huxley's world might have become a reality. What do you think?