Its #2 burger.. the structural linguist are.. Charles C. Fries, Edward Sapir, and Leonard bloomfield. There is no one with the last name burger :)
In this sentence they are using present pricible
Huxley is commenting that most people in society prefer to live in "happy ignorance" as opposed to having knowledge. The stars, or truth, are "depressing."
This is because that many find the truth upsetting and would prefer to live in the dark. Huxley is saying that for many, ignorance is bliss.
It is an aggressive word and is usually used when you want the audience to perceive it as a negative action without straight up telling them. In definition, it is harassment, and thus produces an unfavorable effect for those on the receiving end, but the connotation is that the effect is more severe.