Consumerism and advertisement played a large role in the novel, The Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. Advertising has become a large part of society in the world today, and in turn so has consumerism. In the novel, consumerism and advertising were two ideas, used as a distraction to society, and helped maintain a stable and "happy" community. People depend highly on consumerism and advertising in the world today, as they did in the Brave New World, yet they aren't controlled by it as much as in the Brave New World.
             "When the going get tough, the tough go shopping. And sometimes even get happy (Twitchell 1)." Many people in society today depend highly on money as a driving force. They would much rather spend a Sunday in the mall, than a Sunday in church. Consumerism has got the best of people today in that many place purchasing goods above religion, family, and education. "Consumerism is wasteful, it is devoid of otherworldly concerns, it lives for today and celebrates the body. It encourages recklessness, living beyond one's means, gambling (Twitchell 4)."
             In Brave New World, the present is regarded higher than any spiritual state of mind. When John asks, "Is there any hope? (Huxley 89)" in referring to his dying mother, the nurse is confused and asks, "Do you mean of her not dying. No, of course there isn't. When somebody sent here, there's no... (Huxley 89)" she is stopped by John's expression of distress and nonchalantly asks, "Why, whatever is the matter (Huxley 89)." This shows the disregard for the respect of death in the brave new world and how it is overtaken by materialistic things for the good of society. Instead of holding services and a proper burial for people who die, death is looked at as an industry, in which phosphorus is returned to the soil, in an attempt to give meaning and purpose to ones death. When at the ...