Reservation Versus World State

My observation spans over the whole book. I am trying to decide who lives the better life, those in the World State or those on the Reservation. On the first page of this book, we are brought into a laboratory in which babies are conceived through test tubes. Children are not raised by a mother and a father; infact, this is considered pornography in the World State. These children grow up with 100 other children all being raised by just a few nurses. As they grow up, they are conditioned to form friendships, and that’s it. On Reservations where a mother and father raise a family, the children are brought up and taught to love and form emotional attachments with their family. Children on the Reservation learn to love while children in the World State are taught that loving someone else is bad. Everyone dreams of a comfortable and luxurious life which those in the World State are accustomed to while those on the reservation struggle to make it day by day. However, those in the World State are still human. Humans need love and support as stated on the pyramid of success by John Wooden. Even though the people were conditioned not to love, Bernard shows that there is still a want to form attachments with others through his strong attraction to Lenina. Bernard is different though, for most people take soma when they start thinking like this. It’s tough to decide who has the better life. At a quick glance, one would say that those in the World State have the better life, but one has to think deeper to answer this. Those on the reservation have a loving family, and the support that comes with one. What’s more important, luxury or love? These are the flaws that exist in this futuristic world. Which would make someone happier? Could soma be the answer to escaping the need for love and support? Are people in the World State truly happier with their ability to avoid certain feelings like love?