30 Paramount Brave New World Quotes

Last updated on Feb 1st, 2024

30 Paramount Brave New World Quotes

Brave New World is a dystopian novel by English author Aldous Huxley.

Set in a futuristic World State, the novel follows the lives of a few characters in a society that rests around genetic engineering, psychological manipulation, and classical conditioning.

Written in 1931 and published in 1932, the book has two adaptations for film, in 1980 and 1998, and one for TV series, in 2020.

Despite being frequently banned by libraries and schools, Brave New World influenced many later dystopian novels and the science-fiction genre in general.

Below, you can find the best Brave New World quotes with page numbers.

Table of Contents
  1. Chapter 1 and 2
  2. Chapter 3
  3. Chapter 4 and 8
  4. Chapter 10 and 12
  5. Chapter 16
  6. Chapter 17 and 18

Chapter 1 and 2

All conditioning aims at that: making people like their unescapable social destiny. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
1

All conditioning aims at that: making people like their unescapable social destiny.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 1, Page 17

A love of nature keeps no factories busy. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
2

A love of nature keeps no factories busy.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 2, Page 24

Chapter 3

But every one belongs to every one else. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
3

Every one belongs to every one else.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 3, Page 46

No civilization without social stability. No social stability without individual stability. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
4

No civilization without social stability. No social stability without individual stability.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 3, Page 48

Wheels must turn steadily, but cannot turn untended, There must be men to tend them, men as steady as the wheels upon their axles, sane men, obedient men, stable in contentment. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
5

Wheels must turn steadily, but cannot turn untended. There must be men to tend them, men as steady as the wheels upon their axles, sane men, obedient men, stable in contentment.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 3, Page 49

Ending is better than mending. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
6

Ending is better than mending.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 3, Page 58

You can't consume much if you sit still and read books. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
7

You can’t consume much if you sit still and read books.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 3, Page 59

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
8

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 3, Page 63

Chapter 4 and 8

Those who meant well behaved in the same way as those who meant badly. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
9

Those who meant well behaved in the same way as those who meant badly.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 4, Page 75

Words can be like X-rays, if you use them properly-they'll go through anything. You read and you're pierced. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
10

Words can be like X-rays, if you use them properly-they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 4, Page 83

When people are suspicious with you, you start being suspicious with them. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
11

When people are suspicious with you, you start being suspicious with them.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 4, Page 84

A man can smile and smile and be a villain. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
12

A man can smile and smile and be a villain.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 8, Page 156

If one's different, one's bound to be lonely. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
13

If one’s different, one’s bound to be lonely.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 8, Page 163

Chapter 10 and 12

The greater a man's talents, the greater his power to lead astray. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
14

The greater a man’s talents, the greater his power to lead astray.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 10, Page 176

What fun it would be if one didn't have to think about happiness! - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
15

What fun it would be if one didn’t have to think about happiness!(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 12, Page 212

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One of the principal functions of a friend is to suffer (in a milder and symbolic form) the punishments that we should like, but are unable, to inflict upon our enemies. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
16

One of the principal functions of a friend is to suffer (in a milder and symbolic form) the punishments that we should like, but are unable, to inflict upon our enemies.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 12, Page 214

Chapter 16

Our world is not the same as Othello's world. You can't make flivvers without steel - and you can't make tragedies without social instability. The world's stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can't get. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
17

Our world is not the same as Othello’s world. You can’t make flivvers without steel – and you can’t make tragedies without social instability. The world’s stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t get.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 16, Page 263

Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
18

Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 16, Page 265

We don't want to change. Every change is a menace to stability. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
19

We don’t want to change. Every change is a menace to stability.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 16, Page 269

It isn't only art that's incompatible with happiness; it's also science. Science is dangerous; we have to keep it most carefully chained and muzzled. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
20

It isn’t only art that’s incompatible with happiness; it’s also science. Science is dangerous; we have to keep it most carefully chained and muzzled.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 16, Page 270

Universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily turning; truth and beauty can't. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
21

Universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily turning; truth and beauty can’t.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 16, Page 273

Happiness has got to be paid for. You're paying for it, Mr. Watson - paying because you happen to be too much interested in beauty. I was too much interested in truth; I paid too. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
22

Happiness has got to be paid for. You’re paying for it, Mr. Watson – paying because you happen to be too much interested in beauty. I was too much interested in truth; I paid too.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 16, Page 274

Chapter 17 and 18

We are not our own any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves, we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We are not our own masters. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)

23

We are not our own any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves, we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We are not our own masters.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 17, Page 278

God isn't compatible with machinery and scientific medicine and universal happiness. You must make your choice. Our civilization has chosen machinery and medicine and happiness. That's why I have to keep these books locked up in the safe. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
24

God isn’t compatible with machinery and scientific medicine and universal happiness. You must make your choice. Our civilization has chosen machinery and medicine and happiness. That’s why I have to keep these books locked up in the safe.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 17, Page 281

One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
25

One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 17, Page 288

It is natural to believe in God when you're alone - quite alone, in the night, thinking about death... - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
26

It is natural to believe in God when you’re alone – quite alone, in the night, thinking about death…(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 17, Page 282

In a properly organized society like ours, nobody has any opportunities for being noble or heroic. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
27

In a properly organized society like ours, nobody has any opportunities for being noble or heroic.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 17, Page 285

But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
28

But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 17, Page 288

I'm claiming the right to be unhappy. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
29

I’m claiming the right to be unhappy.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 17, Page 288

I ate civilization. It poisoned me; I was defiled. And then, I ate my own wickedness. - Aldous Huxley (Brave New World Quotes)
30

I ate civilization. It poisoned me; I was defiled. And then, I ate my own wickedness.(Modern Library, ed. 1956), Chapter 18, Page 289