This sort of trite criticism of the hoi polloi is easy and lazy.

People are better informed than ever, read more than ever, and are more satisfied with their lives than ever. You dismiss this monumental progress by calling it a drug.

I need references for all three of those claims.

> more satisfied with their lives than ever

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/05/chart-americas-r...

Precisely what I came here to say.

what does this mean?

what is Soma?

Reference to 'Brave New World.' From Wikipedia:

...Soma is a hallucinogen that takes users on enjoyable, hangover-free "holidays". It was developed by the World State to provide these inner-directed personal experiences within a socially managed context of State-run 'religious' organizations; social clubs.

A fictional drug used to keep the masses in check. It is from the classic "Brave New World". His comment is quite cute in that regards :)

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_New_World

Soma was the recreational drug in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World", a sci-fi dystopia book that presented a different view of the future than Orwell's 1984.

In it, the government uses entertainment and technology to keep people within their assigned classes as opposed to military force and surveillance.

My best guess: something referring to Brave New World/1984/Clockwork Orange?

Or perhaps this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma