There are several forms of consumption in Brave New World’s World State: media consumption, economic consumption, and drug consumption. All showcase different ways in which the Controllers encourage stability and complacency among the population.

In today’s world of reality TV, blockbuster films, sensationalist news headlines, and never-ending social media updates, Huxley’s warning about the perils of constant, superficial consumption of media rings even truer. The characters of the World State are inundated with shallow entertainments, from feelies to scent organs to sporting games. Though a few characters such as Helmholtz question the purpose and meaning of these forms of entertainment, most characters don’t consider them beyond face value.

The purpose of all these distractions is to keep people contented so they don’t question the world around them. Society is designed to reject the consumption of old things—like John’s beloved Shakespeare, which is banned. This is another way to promote continuous consumption, because if people value old, outdated things (like old books and higher-quality, longer-lasting items) they won’t have any reason to buy new things. Furthermore, things from past eras when society functioned differently often contain deeper meaning and would inspire people to think critically, whereas new forms of entertainment encourage people to focus on the present only.

World State citizens consume in other important ways, such as traveling and purchasing new clothes—necessitated because their clothing is made out of cheap material designed not to last. This perpetual stimulus, like entertainment consumption, serves to keep people amused so they don’t have reason to think more deeply about how their lives are controlled by the totalitarian regime.

The consumption of the state-distributed drug, called “soma,” is also critical to maintaining complacency. If people get upset or simply feel like they need a break, they can take a “soma holiday.” This entails taking so much of the drug that a person enters a hallucinogenic state in which they lose awareness of reality and the passage of time. Though soma is administered by the government—so that it doesn’t spur economic consumption—it’s another method by which the government can intervene in the lives of its citizens and dictate their behavior and emotions. The novel’s focus on consumption sheds light on the role it plays in keeping people placated and focused on immediate gratification rather than long-term benefits.