The novel Brave New World describes in detail the lives, customs, and social standards of a society based in the future. This future society is an extension of Henry Ford's concept of the production line. The so-called "perfect society" depicted in Brave New World presents many different yet alarmingly similar cultural ideas when compared to today's society. Life in America today and cultural ideals in contrast to the time depicted in Brave New World can be compared and contrasted using three major elements the use of mind altering drugs, the social acceptability of sexual intercourse, and the loss of all family unity.
             In America today and the futures "New World", human beings use mind altering drugs for many of the same purposes primarily to try to escape the reality of the world. In America drugs are used everyday to stimulate the mind and to escape the real world. In Brave New World ,drugs are particularly some used as an everyday relaxant to control hostility and to make people feel better. In Brave New World ,the entire society revolves around the use of soma and its use is encouraged due to the belief that society would not function correctly without the drug.
             The differences in the Brave New World and America on the use of mind altering drugs is also very distinguished. In American culture today nearly everyone that is on drugs becomes addicted, addiction is a serious problem because the people that are on the drugs don't help society and hurt themselves as well. As a result, drug usage is discouraged. Today it is illegal to use or have any drug of this type in your possession. The consequences can also be as severe as jail time and costly fines, depending on the type and amount of drug involved. The type of drug and the amount depend on the severity of the punishment. In Brave New World, it is a completely opposite situation. In the novel, Bernard states to the Savage:
             ...