О дивный новый мир

           Happierthanyourfriendhere,forexample."Hepointed.

           "Inspiteofthatawfulwork?"

           "Awful?Theydon’tfinditso.Onthecontrary,theylikeit.It’slight,it’schildishlysimple.Nostrainonthemindorthemuscles.Sevenandahalfhoursofmild,unexhaustinglabour,andthenthesomarationandgamesandunrestrictedcopulationandthefeelies.Whatmorecantheyaskfor?True,"headded,"theymightaskforshorterhours.Andofcoursewecouldgivethemshorterhours.Technically,itwouldbeperfectlysimpletoreducealllower-casteworkinghourstothreeorfouraday.Butwouldtheybeanythehappierforthat?No,theywouldn’t.Theexperimentwastried,morethanacenturyandahalfago.ThewholeofIrelandwasputontothefour-hourday.Whatwastheresult?Unrestandalargeincreaseintheconsumptionofsoma;thatwasall.Thosethreeandahalfhoursofextraleisureweresofarfrombeingasourceofhappiness,thatpeoplefeltconstrainedtotakeaholidayfromthem.TheInventionsOfficeisstuffedwithplansforlabour-savingprocesses.Thousandsofthem."MustaphaMondmadealavishgesture."Andwhydon’tweputthemintoexecution?Forthesakeofthelabourers;itwouldbesheercrueltytoafflictthemwithexcessiveleisure.It’sthesamewithagriculture.Wecouldsynthesizeeverymorseloffood,ifwewantedto.Butwedon’t.Weprefertokeepathirdofthepopulationontheland.Fortheirownsakes–becauseittakeslongertogetfoodoutofthelandthanoutofafactory.