In return, the government and its leaders praised that which they had attained: genetically designed, socially conditioned, and even sterilized subjects that have given up freedom and individualism in favor of stability, efficiency, and a happy collective well-being. It is the story about Bernard Marx, who feels that he does not belong in this world, and about his meeting with the man brought up outside of this society – John. It is when their experiences butt against the values of the world that they have learned, and the argument about the cost of happiness and individuality rears its head. The novel defines technology, power, and themes of human nature.