George Orwell Vs. Aldous Huxley

It is impossible for me not think of Huxley's Brave New Word when Reading Orwell's Nineteen eighty-four, as both of these authors wrote two of the worlds scariest futuristic "dystopias" ever imagined. A weird fact about these two authors is that Aldous Huxley was Orwell's French teacher at Eton in 1917, therefore they knew each other. In 1949 Orwell received a letter from Huxley, who had already written and published his novel 17 years ago, and what looked like a letter of praise, soon became a brief comparison of the two novels and an explanation of why Huxley believed his work was a more realistic prediction. (Letters of note, 2012)

I had the opportunity of reading Brave New World when I was in my last year of high school and I absolutely loved it, so when I found out that we were going to be reading Nineteen eighty-four I was very excited about finding out what this dystopia was all about. Once I finished reading Nineteen eighty-four, and even though I thought it was more frustrating than Brave New World's, I thought that Huxley's dystopia was scarier, as it was somehow more likely to happen. Here is why: 

First of all, Orwell feared those who would ban books as the Ministry of truth did in his novel, but what Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, "for there would be no one who want to read one". (Postman, 2006) 

                       

Secondly, Orwell feared those who would deprive us from information, however Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to "passivity and egotism". (Postman, 2006) 

                           

Thirdly, Orwell feared the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared that the truth would become irrelevant. On the one hand, Orwell thought we would become a captive culture. On the other hand, "Huxley feared that we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with the equivalent of the "feelies",  the "orgy porgy" and the centrifugal bumblepuppy". (Postman, 2006)

Other reasons why I believe that Huxley's dystopia is scarier than Orwell's is because in Nineteen eighty-four  people are controlled by inflicting pain but in Brave New World they are controlled by pleasure. Finally and maybe most importantly, George Orwell "feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us". (Postman, 2006)

                          

If you ever read Brave New World, tell me: Which of these dystopias do you think is scarier? How so? 

References:

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/03/1984-v-brave-new-world.html

Postman, N. (2006). Amusing ourselves to death: Public discourse in the age of show business. Penguin.