AF: Hey New Juniors

Hey kids,

It's a small thing, but may I just point out that "novel" is a word we use to describe works of fiction, and Neil Postman's book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, is NONfiction, [ie., NOT A WORK OF INVENTION, but a work of research and analysis.]  When we are talking about Postman, we call the book "a text," or "an argument, " or "Postman's work," and all like that.  

Huxley's book is a novel.  

And another thing: Huxley is not in any way saying that the world he has created is what he thinks WILL happen, or what SHOULD happen. 

One of the masters of the craft, Ursula K. LeGuin, calls science fiction a "thought experiment."  We ask ourselves, what would happen if we gave up our familial ties, and our romantic relationships composed of deep and enduring bonds -- what if we gave up LOVE -- for entertainment and a life of emotional flatness?  What if we could create a life with no pain, no heartbreak, no anxiety?  No ambition or social striving?  Or to quote a song from Pink Floyd's album The Wall, what if we could live our lives "comfortably numb?"  

Any rock and roll fans out there who know (or want to know) Pink Floyd...look into Roger Waters' work based on Amusing Ourselves to Death  It's a simple Google search, and a pretty interesting interpretation of Postman's work.
⭐Ms. Fletcher