Better than those around him
Julian describes the 19th century as a time of goodwill towards those who were poor. However, affluent people strongly believed that the reason they were rich was that they were superior to those around them. Ironically, they thus believed that the thing that differentiated them from the others was something they got at birth and that wealth is not the result of someone’s hard work but favorable circumstances and fate.
Not the best thing
Just like the other noblemen and wealthy men, Julian believed that the industrial revolution that took place in the 19th century was the highest point humanity can reach. Ironically, Julian is let to see that the industrial revolution wasn’t only inferior but did often more damage than good to the common people and the ordinary workers. Instead of helping them escape poverty, the industrial revolution just widened the gap between the rich and the poor.
Wrong man for the job
In the 19th century, certain professions were reserved exclusively for those coming from wealthy families. If they didn’t come from the proper background, their intelligence and capabilities didn’t mattered and a person was not considered for the job. Julian notes ironically that those who had the possibility to take a certain profession were not always the best for the job but because they felt compelled to try and get involved in a profession that would bring them prestige and was considered honorable, they still followed through with it. More than often, the person who would be good in a certain field was ignored in favor of someone who had the proper background yet lacked the skills necessary to actually do their job.
Astonished
Despite wanting to see the world change, Julian remained astonished to see how the world changed. He felt surprised to see how the world changed for the good and expressed his awe to doctor Leetes. His reaction is ironical because he was the one who wanted to see the world change and yet could not believe his eyes when he saw it happen.
Controlled by the state
The idea promoted in the novel is that the state controls everything, from food to housing and art, everything is regulated by the state. Ironically, while the state controls everything and promotes the idea of community and unity, it also promotes individualism and personal accomplishments and rewards those who contribute to the society in ways other people didn’t. Thus, the society imagined by Bellamy is not completely equal as there are still differences between the people living in it.
