89

In Robert Heinlein's novel "Farnham's Freehold", the protagonists accidentally end up in a very technologically advanced feudal society that depends on a drug called "Happiness" to control things and keep social classes rigidly separated. The hypothesis of this question: the drug is a pleasant tasting drink you take daily. It has no known negative side effects. It rapidly induces a feeling of deep contentment, peace, clarity of mind and general satisfaction with your life. You will not become physically dependent on it. You don't have to pay anything to get it. A small, unchanging dose must be taken every day to maintain this effect, but you don't control its distribution. It is distributed by the ruling class of your society, but no one is coerced to take it, as they are psychologically dependent on it. After many centuries of Happiness distribution, no one has shown desensitization or needed a higher dose. The protagonists in the book rejected their doses, escaped briefly and were recaptured. Would you take Happiness? Why or why not?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Uranium_Green@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 year ago

I kind of agree with other person who said it's basically just antidepressants... though I've shyed away from the one that made me deeply content (yet somewhat dysfunctional) in exchange for one that leaves me more functional in exchange for a bit more (healthy) strife.

I'd be quite curious of a world where everyone is on universally functioning antidepressants.

Is this society a functioning dystopia or a dysfunctional utopia?

Also OP have you ever played the video game 'We Happy Few', a key feature of the world is that everyone takes a mild psychedelic called Joy to stop them from remembering the past.

Another story that I seem to recall using a similar plot point is Brave New World and their drug Soma (IIRC)

[-] verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

Never played the game. In "Farnham's Freehold", their new world is definitely a functional dystopia based on slavery. Slaves can rise really high in the hierarchy, but that is about it.

this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
89 points (97.8% liked)

Asklemmy

43783 readers
900 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy ๐Ÿ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS