The only mistake (if it could be called as such), and is an understandable one, was that he didn’t take the Mass Media on account.

However, it seems to me that he was aware of this fact, when he said:

” …because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda or brainwashing, or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods… ”

Here, from Wikipedia: (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_new_world)

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Social critic Neil Postman contrasts the worlds of 1984 and Brave New World in the foreword of his 1986 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. He writes:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.” In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

@Leonardo: Thanks for that excellent and deep comment.

I am afraid that Huxley’s idea / concept is winning these days - with a bit Orwell thrown in. Strangers as Terrorists and external enemies has always served the ruling class well. Hence that old phrase “the barbarians” as an external fear factor. But modern media and consumerism is an even more effective insrument for ruling people, because must don’t understand the subtle effect of distraction and “full stomachs” have on them.

I am always amazed by the foresight of Huxley and Orwell - but it is a shame that both Gentleman were RIGHT in their predictions …