Book Review: This Perfect Day by Ira Levin

Christ, Marx, Wood and Wei,
Led us too this perfect day.
Marx, Wood, Wei and Christ,
All but Wei were sacrificed.
Wood, Wei, Christ and Marx,
Gave us lovely schools and parks.
Wei, Christ, Marx and Wood,
Made us humble, made us good.

• Child’s rhyme for bouncing a ball

Introduction

I’m not a voracious reader, but my wife encouraged me to try This Perfect Day by Ira Levin, partly as a distraction from the Covid scamdemic. It was a book she had read countless times since being introduced to it as a young lass back in the 1970s.

I had just finished Laura Dodsworth’s State of Fear. Wifey knew that there were so many similarities to the dystopian world imagined by Levin in his book written well over half a century ago.

Ira Levin was born in New York City in 1929 and grew up in Manhattan and the Bronx. He graduated in 1950 and began writing scripts for radio and television. Levin’s first novel, A Kiss Before Dying (1953), was adapted twice as a movie. Other Levin novels that were adapted for the cinema included, Rosemary’s Baby (1968), The Stepford Wives (1975) and Boys from Brazil (1978).

This Perfect Day, Levin’s third novel, was published in 1970. It depicts a world managed by a supercomputer, housed under the Swiss Alps, which has been programmed to keep the world’s population in check. Our world is now free of war, poverty, crime, aggression and hunger. But it is also one where the freedom to choose does not exist. You cannot live your own life.

The chief protagonist of the novel is called Li RM35M4419, also known as Chip. He’s a non-conformist (think Puffin), who eventually hatches an elaborate plan to destroy the super computer.  No spoilers from me, but suffice to say this is classic science fiction writing which features a host of plot twists all of which are very satisfying for the reader.

What I found particularly fascinating about the book was how Levin, perhaps influenced by the great dystopian novelists such Huxley and Orwell, had skilfully managed to anticipate how modern scientific developments might be abused by those in power: a situation I was now experiencing firsthand as our despotic global masters set about enacting their Great Reset, or Unification, as Levin interestingly described it.

A Disturbing Glimpse of the Future or is it the Present?

Here’s just a taster of Levin’s vision of our future utopian world, which I hope you will see bears an uncanny resemblance to many aspects of the present day or at least the direction of travel we seem virtually powerless to prevent.

• (De) Population – Due to advances in genetic engineering, all ethnic groups are merged into a single race (The Family). In terms of appearance, people look more or less the same; coffee coloured with slightly slanting eyes. Everyone is humanely euthanised at 62, to conserve resources, although the general population believe that the elderly in fact die of natural causes. Big Pharma raises a glass of bubbly or several and Canada says hold my pint….
• Biosecurity – People are given monthly drugs (treatments), via a spray or injection. These contain vaccines, enzymes, contraceptives and tranquilizers. So apart from keeping people healthy they also make them complacent and cooperative (“make us humble, make us good”).  They also control your sex drive and act as a method of birth control. No different to the vast swathes of our current population who behave like placid sheep, accepting everything their Governments and MSM tell them….
• State Surveillance – Everyone must wear a permanent metal bracelet with their “nameber” on it. The bracelet interacts with the master computer (Uni), and interfaces with access points (scanners). Uni knows where you are at all times and therefore prevents or approves movement. Everyone has an assigned “mentor” who they meet weekly to discuss behavioural issues. Any transgressions can lead to a strengthening or in some case rescheduling of medication. Vaccine Passports anyone?
• Social Credits – You are only allowed to make two phone calls a year between continents, you also have to apply to Uni for things such as toys and leisure materials (pens, paper etc) and these requests are only permitted if you haven’t transgressed recently. (See also Travel).
• Climate Change – Earth has been converted into a single biome planet with the aid of weather control technology. It only rains at night on a pre-published schedule. Natural disasters such as earthquakes have all but been eradicated due to what is a vaguely described as a “seismo-valve”. We’ve conquered C02, so what else do we need to control?
• Travel – The main mode of transportation is the bicycle. No one is allowed to own a car. You can apply to use one, though most requests are denied often without reason. The same applies to air travel, with requests say to visit friends or family, being rarely granted (Computer says “no”). Welcome to your 15 minute city….
• Culture – Everyone is referred to as a “Member” of the Family. Males are “brothers”, females are “sisters”.  The term “hate” is deemed to be a horrible cuss word. You simply cannot hate anyone or anything.  People who exhibit such behaviour or who fail to conform with the required norms, for example behave in a selfish or even violent manner, are deemed to be “sick” and given urgent treatments to “cure” them. Echoes of the cancel culture and political correctness….
• Immigration – People are moved from continent to continent based on Uni’s production needs. Jobs are also assigned to each member by Uni. You have no choice about what work you do or where you work. “Think about a hundred million members deciding to become TV actors and not a single one deciding to work in the crematorium….”. The conundrum of freedom to choose our own paths nailed in one sentence. Globalism Rules OK….
• Food – Every meal consists of a “Totalcake” , which provides all the calories and nutrients required to keep people healthy. At meal times, tea or Coke are the only choice of beverages. There is no mention of meat, bread or even legal alcohol in the book. You can’t miss what you’ve never had, I suppose. Halfway through Chip’s life, Totalcakes finally become available in a “pleasing second flavour”. Uncle Bill and Auntie Greta perform a high five. Fuck yeh….
• Children – The “treatments” prevent boys from growing facial hair and girls from developing breasts. There is no shame about nudity, partially because people are genetically engineered to look identical save for genital differences. Sex is actively encouraged from 13 years upwards, but then only permitted on Saturday nights. A paedo’s wet dream, I guess…

Concluding Remarks

Levin wrote the book during the latter stages of the Cold War and seems to have created a political allegory in which he explores the pros and cons of life in a Communist State.

It struck me that the WEF maxim “ You will own nothing and be happy” was writ large in the opening chapters of the book. And on the surface at least, most “Members” are more than content to live in such a society. Encouraged by his grandfather, Chip is persuaded to question his very existence and also to postulate whether his state of contentment is only sustainable because of the regular drug treatments. It’s not long before our hero, puts this theory to the test.

If like me you are left wondering could some of the ideas in This Perfect Day have influenced the current thinking and behaviour of our WEF supporting leaders? Then I think the answer is “Quite Possibly”. The question then arises “Could such a tyrannical regime ever be overthrown?”

Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out.

Sources:

This Perfect Day – Wikipedia
Ira Levin – Wikipedia
This Perfect Day | Tropedia | Fandom
 

© Nautilus October 2023