Problem
In Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World, emotional distress is eliminated among those who live in the World State. People are given a pacifying drug called "soma", and society has banned several sources of emotional upset, such as close relationships with others, books and movies that tackle challenging topics, and the study of history. People in this society live pleasurable lives, with an absence of pain, fear, and anxiety.
If we treat Huxley's vision of society in Brave New World as a potential challenge to hedonism, how might a hedonist like Mill defend hedonism against this potential challenge? Do you think that Mill's response would adequately defend hedonism, or are there things other than pleasure which are intrinsically valuable?