Why did Huxley say that civilization as we know it will come to an end?
How would it automatically come to an end?
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MovieChat Forums > Demolition Man (1993) Discussion > Why did Huxley say that civilization as ...
Dr. Cocteau had just gotten murdered. To the people he was their leader, savior, visionary, guiding force, etc. Without him Huxley thought their way of life would end.
shareAnd she was right. And I am glad that the Cocteau regime fell cause I can't live by rules like that.
shareHe's a dictator just as he didn't leave law and order with individual freedom. He could've had Edgar Friendly arrested and put in cryo-prison instead of trying to have him killed. This is what makes him the villain. Many of us agree on cigarettes illegal and that's because of allot of complaints about the tobacco smoke polluting our air to breathe in.
There were also people from under ground fighting for freedom. Maybe Edgar Friendly takes over with both Simon Phoenix and Raymond Cocteau dead. Edgar Friendly could grant the city freedom. Simon Phoenix wanted to bring back the violent old days.
I believe that Huxley knew that the way of life that she was used to was going to end with the death of Cocteau. Why? He had a profound influence on Society ( of course, she never totally bought into his "Perfect Society" which is why she loved the past ( she even impressed Spartan with her knowledge of the car is just one example and so was her choice of decorations in her apartment)). At the same time, she knew that life will be better off without him ( I still think he was more evil then Simon Phoenix ( at least Phoenix opposed the kind of society where everyone thought the same)).,
shareSimon Phoenix was just as evil but in a different way. If Simon Phoenix had his way you would be afraid to go out because you might get shot. He would make the streets war zones. I mean he would put people like Jeffry Dahmer into the streets. Phoenix was just as evil but in different ways. I am 100% sure that Edgar Friendly's group would not want Phoenix's world either. If Phoenix had his way you would be afraid to go out of your home fearing that you might get shot or raped. This is Jeffrey Dahmer. http://criminalminds.wikia.com/wiki/Jeffrey_Dahmer. He would let people like that into the streets. I wouldn't want Phoenix's world or Cocteau's world. Both would be hell.
shareI certainly would not want Simon Phoenix's kind of World either. But the kind of Worlld that Cocteau imagined is even more frightening. A World where there people cannot think up solutions to problems, a World where Advertisments are the "Best Music." Imagine a World with no Bach, Beatles, Elvis, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder? Imagine a World where you cannot kiss a woman? Imagine no sports ( I would not be happy with no Yankees, Islanders, Steelers or Nittany Lions). Perhaps most frightening is a World where your skills and abilities can be programmed by the Government (?that is what they did with both Spartan and Phoenix ( remember the knitting scene?). Essentially Spartan has it correct when he talked about "Meeting in the middle and figuring it out.". I suspect that the new leader will be Ed Friendly because whether he likes it or not, he is a leader and part of being a leader requires in his words "Taking a stand." By Friendly doing that and leading his people out of the sewers, he is taking the first steps towards leadership.
shareI wondered if there might have been a bit of sarcasm in her saying that.
Understanding is a three-edged sword.
No, Huxley is genuinely fearful. Underneath all her willfulness and defiance, she is the same as everyone else in this future--in desperate need of structure and leadership, however oppressive.
Is this to be an empathy test?