Does Everyone "Live Life in a Bottle?"

While reading Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, I came across a quote that particularly captured my attention:  "'Each one of us [...] goes through life inside a bottle."  This phrase, spoken by Resident World Controller, Mustapha Mond, takes into consideration the fact that, in his world, children are first developed within bottles.  Mond utters this phrase not so much in a literal sense, but in regard to the fact that, in this society, the manner in which an individual has been conditioned to live and think largely determines how broad their opportunities in life may be.  In this context, upper-class individuals live in larger bottles, with a broader range of opportunities and greater knowledge of their surrounding world.  Meanwhile, those seen as lower live in smaller bottle and have fewer opportunities, though they are not accustomed to the lifestyles of their superiors and therefore don't necessarily envy those of a higher class.

Just as I've seen many of you express, I find there to be a multitude of parallels between our society and that exhibited in Brave New World.  But upon seeing this quote, I couldn't help but wonder:  Does everyone in our society live in a metaphorical bottle as well?  Surely, those of different socioeconomic classes live different lifestyles in our world.  While conditioning from birth may not be to blame for such, it's rather apparent that the conditions in which one was brought up impact the thoughts, desires, and expectations they have for themselves later on in life.  Though I can't speak for everyone, I assume an individual who grew up as a member of the upper-class would find more contentment if they were to retain such a status into adulthood.  Meanwhile, I've found those of more modest wealth are more easily satisfied living a more meager lifestyle.  They don't seem to desire the sort of luxury those of the upper-class may possess, though I'm sure this has somewhat to do with the fact they're not accustomed to living more extravagantly either.  At the same time, one's socioeconomic status may limit their opportunities in life as a whole.  I suppose its from this perspective that I agree that many individuals in our society indeed live in bottles.

Then again, this idea is not universal in our world.  I'm certain many envy others who might have what they themselves don't.  That being said, do you agree that, in a sense, most people in our society live in a sort of bottle?  If not, what other parallels do you see between our society and that of Brave New World?

- Sarah Kernal