In today's Socratic Seminar, the discussion question was, "Are there Alphas and Epsilons in American culture?"
Many people were basing their answers off of the characteristics that separate these classes.
But . . .
What about opinion? Everybody has their own opinion about what beauty is. Wouldn't that change the separation of classes? Like some people said today, the people in our society are probably separated into classes according to each individual's opinion.
In Brave New World, the people are thought to be handsome, smart, and strong because they are Alphas. I don't like titles, but if there are Alphas and Epsilons, a person would probably be an Alpha because he or she has all the previous traits. But then there would still be the matter of opinion; I may think someone is handsome and my friend may think otherwise.
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You definitely have a point with the trait of beauty in Alphas, but what about intelligence or levels of higher thinking and comprehension. These are things that our world at least believes can be measured on a scale. There are countless numbers of tests proving that.
ReplyDeleteWith a set of tests dividing people by intellect, I'm sure America could be divided into classes of Alphas and Epsilons, but I don't think it would be able to be as regimented. America would need classes in between classes. We wouldn't be able to fit perfectly into a class.
Let me put out a couple of arguments again against the very idea of Alphas and Epsilons.
ReplyDelete- Some beautiful woman who is Alpha material may be a prostitute on the street corner, while a man with a disabled demeanor may be a mathematic savant.
- Technology does not exist yet that conditions or sets people into their social class; at the base we are all set to be blank slates.
- To Carina: The Alphas are not smart. Neither are the Epsilons. Discourse between Alphas usually involves sex, how the job is going, or the special effects in that new feely. Intelligence is not a distinction in this case.
- As a common argument throughout the seminar, American society is mobile. Not so with the World State's rigid caste system.
- Finally (though there may be several more), envy would get the better of the system, and would lead to a huge conflict between the haves and the have-nots.
So, what am I saying? Alphas and Epsilons do not exist, at least for now. Without Huxley's prophesied pre-birth mind control, this can not be possible.