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Robert Heinlein's idea of the perfect crowd control drug- would you take Happiness daily?

In Robert Heinlein’s novel “Farnham’s Freehold”, the protagonists accidentally end up in a very technologically advanced feudal society that depends on a drug called “Happiness” to control things and keep social classes rigidly separated. The hypothesis of this question: the drug is a pleasant tasting drink you take daily. It has no known negative side effects. It rapidly induces a feeling of deep contentment, peace, clarity of mind and general satisfaction with your life. You will not become physically dependent on it. You don’t have to pay anything to get it. A small, unchanging dose must be taken every day to maintain this effect, but you don’t control its distribution. It is distributed by the ruling class of your society, but no one is coerced to take it, as they are psychologically dependent on it. After many centuries of Happiness distribution, no one has shown desensitization or needed a higher dose. The protagonists in the book rejected their doses, escaped briefly and were recaptured. Would you take Happiness? Why or why not?

greyscale ,
@greyscale@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

So… antidepressants++?

I’m already on the worse version of this. Gimmie gimmie. I’d like to lie to myself that I am ok for a while.

Nemo ,

As someone who already enjoys a deep sense of contentment, no, I would not.

rikudou ,

Nah, I feel like it wouldn’t really be me. Depression is like half of my charm.

verity_kindle OP ,

Heh

andrewrgross ,

Probably.

First, I think we should consider the question from two angles. First is if I’d take it if I was a character in the story, and second is whether I’d take it as the person I am now.

If I grew up in the story, yes, I think I would almost certainly take it, because I’d start taking it in my youth, and if I grew up in those circumstances those would be my social norms. Just like how most of us grow up accepting things like sweatshop labor, factory farmed meat, and produce picked by exploited migrants. Really, without some system to challenge these things, not doing them is almost inconceivable.

Now, if I were suddenly in that world? It would depend on what my options are. I’d like to advocate for political equality. I’m assuming that the drug demotivates me from advocating for such things. If so, I think I’d resist taking it for some time to get a sense for how things are, then I’d try it for context, and make an informed decision.

Uranium_Green ,

I kind of agree with other person who said it’s basically just antidepressants… though I’ve shyed away from the one that made me deeply content (yet somewhat dysfunctional) in exchange for one that leaves me more functional in exchange for a bit more (healthy) strife.

I’d be quite curious of a world where everyone is on universally functioning antidepressants.

Is this society a functioning dystopia or a dysfunctional utopia?

Also OP have you ever played the video game ‘We Happy Few’, a key feature of the world is that everyone takes a mild psychedelic called Joy to stop them from remembering the past.

Another story that I seem to recall using a similar plot point is Brave New World and their drug Soma (IIRC)

verity_kindle OP ,

Never played the game. In “Farnham’s Freehold”, their new world is definitely a functional dystopia based on slavery. Slaves can rise really high in the hierarchy, but that is about it.

investorsexchange ,
@investorsexchange@lemmy.ca avatar

I’d like to say that no, I’d prefer to experience the highs and lows. But in reality, cannabis is legal in my country and I use it when I want to forget my troubles for a while. I assume others use alcohol for similar reasons. So my most realistic answer to the question is: is probably take out most of the time, and quit when I wanted an extra dose of ambition or creative drive.

Herbstzeitlose ,

Obviously.

newIdentity ,

Absolutely. MDMA is my favorite drug.

Not nessecarily daily.

I don’t think you can experience the highs without the lows since at some point the high becomes the new normal, but since that’s not the case in this hyperthetical scenario I’d probably take it.

Also: while such a drug doesn’t necessarily produce physical dependency, it will absolutely make you emotionally dependent.

MDMA also counts as physically not addictive, but it absolutely is emotionally addictive. And it has lots of side effects especially with chronic use.

bl4ckblooc ,

‘You haven’t taken your Joy today’

I would say no I wouldn’t take the pill, but that’s also based on my experience with ‘We Happy Few’, which seems to take the idea from this book and run with it. I would recommend watching some videos on the game maybe. It isn’t the greatest game of all time, but the story made me keep playing.

PM_ME_VINTAGE_30S ,
@PM_ME_VINTAGE_30S@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

I mean I was happy on antidepressants before college and I still opposed capitalism/the ruling class. I’m sure there are others like me who oppose the ruling class for practical, rational, and ethical reasons, i.e. I’m not going to stop being an anarchist because my personal life gets better.

So I’d chug that shit all day every day, and I’d use some of that energy to protect people who don’t want to chug it for whatever reason.

EbenezerScrew ,

Yeah, I think I would take it. Although, it seems like some of life’s joy would be lost because you would never get to experience that good that comes after feeling bad.

Also, thanks for the book recommendation. I loved the Moon is a Harsh Mistress, so I’ll definitely give this one a chance.

zout ,

Mind you, this book is considered one of Heinlein's worst. In my opinion Heilein was great SF writer, but under the surface there's always something off, which can be explained by his political views. This book has a high percentage of libertarian propaganda.

verity_kindle OP ,

Not the point, but thanks for participating.

zout ,

You're welcome.

healer_56 ,

its quite an interesting question, surprisingly, i have to say tbh.

Because in the context it sounds bad. But thinking about it I do feel like i also would take it and even go so far as saying i think the society would be better.

Not so sure if it really would be a means of a ruling class to keep the rest under control just with this. Just because i am content i can still see injustice and might want to change that.

Bizarroland , (edited )
@Bizarroland@kbin.social avatar

I think I would fight against it for a very long time.

There's a part of me that would know that happiness that comes from an external chemical when there's nothing wrong with me trying to be happy all natural would be a false happiness and that would bristle me.

At the same time though, if shit got bad I probably would occasionally use it just to escape how bad things got.

If I became psychologically dependent on it and had to start taking it forever then thems the breaks.

Razputinsgirth ,

I'd argue I already do this with weed and more side effects

Krejall ,

Absolutely not. Discomfort isn’t a thing to be avoided, and contentment too easily becomes complacency. Everything I’ve ever done that materially improved my life was motivated by not being content with the status quo. Each positive change was (physically or emotionally) difficult, unpleasant, or even painful to make, but it always made life better afterward. Pain is a fantastic teacher. I would rather struggle than sleep, and I don’t want rich assholes doing my thinking for me.

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