In the book 1984, it is Winston's job to edit and rewrite all the facts, past, future, and present. So that they all fit the current declarations of the Party. There are many thousands of others doing the same thing. They are sent instructions of exactly what to edit and how, and that's what they do. They work in The Ministry of Truth, which is a giant pyramid shaped building in London.
There are many clues in the book as to exactly what's going on now.
Big Brother of 2012
I am reading Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, well worth a reread, since so much of it is actually happening now. There are also some interesting differences between the book and now. My teenage son found the book boring because it wasn’t really like fiction! No wonder the book is no longer on the list for schools. And no wonder Amazon recently deleted it remotely from people’s Kindles, in true Big Brother style.
Comfortable prisons…
I would say that conditions are more comfortable now than in 1984. We have more comfortable homes, and much nicer food, and far more materialism. Though I cant speak for everyone in the country, or the world. The greater comfort might make us less willing to protest.
I would say that conditions are more comfortable now than in 1984. We have more comfortable homes, and much nicer food, and far more materialism. Though I cant speak for everyone in the country, or the world. The greater comfort might make us less willing to protest.
Telescreens…
We have more Telescreens now! People pay a lot of money to get them in every room in their house, and carry them around in their pockets and bags. In 1994, they did not pervade the countryside or the areas occupied by the proles.
We have more Telescreens now! People pay a lot of money to get them in every room in their house, and carry them around in their pockets and bags. In 1994, they did not pervade the countryside or the areas occupied by the proles.
Newspeak…
Newspeak is set up to reduce people’s thought. First by reducing the language to the frame of reference in which they want you to think. Then after a while, peoples thoughts become limited by the language, since language is the only known method of communication. It reminds me of Latin, which is a very logical, computer style language, designed rather than evolved. The good news is that though Latin did have and still has a controlling effect, there are plenty of deviations about. In 1984, when Winston writes in his secret diary, the language spills out without punctuation and grammar, which is reminiscent of the breaking down of rules in text language today. This breaking of barriers is reflected in the mind, and is a good thing.
Newspeak is set up to reduce people’s thought. First by reducing the language to the frame of reference in which they want you to think. Then after a while, peoples thoughts become limited by the language, since language is the only known method of communication. It reminds me of Latin, which is a very logical, computer style language, designed rather than evolved. The good news is that though Latin did have and still has a controlling effect, there are plenty of deviations about. In 1984, when Winston writes in his secret diary, the language spills out without punctuation and grammar, which is reminiscent of the breaking down of rules in text language today. This breaking of barriers is reflected in the mind, and is a good thing.
The lottery…
Orwell writes about the lottery as the major pastime of the poor, the proles. That’s odd because the Lottery was brought in by John Major, way after George Orwell died. This was John Major’s major achievement, which always puzzled me at the time. But now I see why it’s so important. It’s a tax on the poor to pay for the rich, or for projects to further manipulate the poor. It also keeps the poor in a state of constant hope, so they don’t protest.
Orwell writes about the lottery as the major pastime of the poor, the proles. That’s odd because the Lottery was brought in by John Major, way after George Orwell died. This was John Major’s major achievement, which always puzzled me at the time. But now I see why it’s so important. It’s a tax on the poor to pay for the rich, or for projects to further manipulate the poor. It also keeps the poor in a state of constant hope, so they don’t protest.
Litres…
The barman in 1984 serves drinks in litres, pints not allowed, which is odd, because when I was at school in the 60′s and 70′s, we still had the old measurements. So how did Orwell know what was coming?
The barman in 1984 serves drinks in litres, pints not allowed, which is odd, because when I was at school in the 60′s and 70′s, we still had the old measurements. So how did Orwell know what was coming?
Marriage…
Was for the purpose of children in 1984. All children were conceived by artificial insemination, and brought up in institutions. No sexual attraction required, or even allowed. Eventually the kids turn on their parents, as they are trained to do by the state. This is the way it is heading right now. I also suspect that the target is to grow babies in incubators before too long, so there is no physical connection to the mother at all. That vital human connection must be severed for complete control.
Was for the purpose of children in 1984. All children were conceived by artificial insemination, and brought up in institutions. No sexual attraction required, or even allowed. Eventually the kids turn on their parents, as they are trained to do by the state. This is the way it is heading right now. I also suspect that the target is to grow babies in incubators before too long, so there is no physical connection to the mother at all. That vital human connection must be severed for complete control.
The Sex instinct…
This is hijacked by the party in 1984. The innate sexual energy in everyone is diverted towards all the chanting, and passion behind the Party. Nowadays, sex is prescribed to be dutiful within marriage, or is completely distorted into drunken Saturday night partying, or paedophilia. Kids are indoctrinated from a young age with sex education, films, books, and subliminal programming. Anything to drive them away from a natural path.
This is hijacked by the party in 1984. The innate sexual energy in everyone is diverted towards all the chanting, and passion behind the Party. Nowadays, sex is prescribed to be dutiful within marriage, or is completely distorted into drunken Saturday night partying, or paedophilia. Kids are indoctrinated from a young age with sex education, films, books, and subliminal programming. Anything to drive them away from a natural path.
Alcohol…
Is used extensively to control and numb the masses. Sounds familiar.
Is used extensively to control and numb the masses. Sounds familiar.
Hiding your feelings…
Noone must show their true feelings. If they do, they are liable for arrest for thought crime. I have to say, I often feel like this myself, but to a lesser degree than in 1984. My thoughts seem to be too different from everyone else’s around me, and I often feel limited by what I can express without causing constant conflict.
Noone must show their true feelings. If they do, they are liable for arrest for thought crime. I have to say, I often feel like this myself, but to a lesser degree than in 1984. My thoughts seem to be too different from everyone else’s around me, and I often feel limited by what I can express without causing constant conflict.
History rewritten…
This bit is brilliant. Huge teams of people constantly rewrite history and newspapers, so that noone really knows what the history was, and all the forecasts of the Party turn out to be right. Can we know history anyway? Or is it always, at best, a guess? The past and future are written and controlled by the Party. I would say that is very similar to now, except we have more escaped bits of information and more mavericks around. And we have the Internet.
This bit is brilliant. Huge teams of people constantly rewrite history and newspapers, so that noone really knows what the history was, and all the forecasts of the Party turn out to be right. Can we know history anyway? Or is it always, at best, a guess? The past and future are written and controlled by the Party. I would say that is very similar to now, except we have more escaped bits of information and more mavericks around. And we have the Internet.
No Internet…
This is a crucial difference between 2012 and 1984. We have the Internet. We have alternative news sources. We can interact with each other. We know there are others who think along the same lines. We know we are not alone. There are too many of us for them to get. We can have faith in our own power. 1984 was going to be called “The Last Man In Europe”, the implication being that Winston was the only one left thinking how he did. He probably wasn’t the only one left, but was brainwashed into thinking he was.
This is a crucial difference between 2012 and 1984. We have the Internet. We have alternative news sources. We can interact with each other. We know there are others who think along the same lines. We know we are not alone. There are too many of us for them to get. We can have faith in our own power. 1984 was going to be called “The Last Man In Europe”, the implication being that Winston was the only one left thinking how he did. He probably wasn’t the only one left, but was brainwashed into thinking he was.
War stories…
The films at the cinema are all about War. People laugh at others being blown up. Very like 2012, our newspapers and TV are full of war, and many people are completely desensitised to it.
The films at the cinema are all about War. People laugh at others being blown up. Very like 2012, our newspapers and TV are full of war, and many people are completely desensitised to it.
Helicoptors….
They are constantly buzzing overhead. Same now, except we have planes too.
They are constantly buzzing overhead. Same now, except we have planes too.
2 Minutes Hate…
This was a daily compulsory practise for party members. It reminds me of the day of death worship that we have now on 11/11, with the 2 minutes silence. Whether you meditate in silence, or chant noisily and angrily, It’s the same effect of focussing a lot of group energy on one negative thing.
This was a daily compulsory practise for party members. It reminds me of the day of death worship that we have now on 11/11, with the 2 minutes silence. Whether you meditate in silence, or chant noisily and angrily, It’s the same effect of focussing a lot of group energy on one negative thing.
Statistics…
The Party constantly churns out statistics that are entirely made up. Statistics for boot production and other pointless measurements. We get fed a lot of that nowadays, and not only do I wonder about its accuracy, I also wonder about the point of it, unless it is to manipulate. The real truth is to be found around us in our everyday life, and through people we know and meet, through our own experience.
The Party constantly churns out statistics that are entirely made up. Statistics for boot production and other pointless measurements. We get fed a lot of that nowadays, and not only do I wonder about its accuracy, I also wonder about the point of it, unless it is to manipulate. The real truth is to be found around us in our everyday life, and through people we know and meet, through our own experience.
Community Centres…
It was almost compulsory to attend these kind of things in 1984. To make sure you looked right, looked keen. Play your obligatory table tennis, and have a pint with someone you didn’t want to talk to. I have noticed that a lot of people these days are busy with lots of organised activities in their spare time. So they don’t actually have any spare time. But they do have a good “CV” that makes up an acceptable identity. It’s even required for jobs these days, and to get into Uni! And thus people have a full diary. No time to think freely, or find out how it feels to do something spontaneous.
It was almost compulsory to attend these kind of things in 1984. To make sure you looked right, looked keen. Play your obligatory table tennis, and have a pint with someone you didn’t want to talk to. I have noticed that a lot of people these days are busy with lots of organised activities in their spare time. So they don’t actually have any spare time. But they do have a good “CV” that makes up an acceptable identity. It’s even required for jobs these days, and to get into Uni! And thus people have a full diary. No time to think freely, or find out how it feels to do something spontaneous.
Entertainment….
The Ministry of Truth is responsible for education, news, entertainment and music. To indoctrinate and keep the masses busy. Machines write books. I am sure many books are written by machines now, as are newspaper articles, and the music on the radio sounds exactly like it has been computer generated.
The Ministry of Truth is responsible for education, news, entertainment and music. To indoctrinate and keep the masses busy. Machines write books. I am sure many books are written by machines now, as are newspaper articles, and the music on the radio sounds exactly like it has been computer generated.
George Orwell…
…died in 1950, only 6 months after the book was published. He was 46 years old. It seems that he was intent on fighting his illness to complete the book. Knowing what I know now about people being assassinated, I wonder if Orwell was killed off? He was surely becoming a big threat to the plan.
…died in 1950, only 6 months after the book was published. He was 46 years old. It seems that he was intent on fighting his illness to complete the book. Knowing what I know now about people being assassinated, I wonder if Orwell was killed off? He was surely becoming a big threat to the plan.
The Fabian Society…
Orwell is a bit of a maverick. He should have been at the top of the elite. He went to Eton, belonged to the Fabian Society, (a big player in the global agenda), and was generally groomed for an elite life. But somewhere along the line, he rebelled against this, and saw the truth around him.
Orwell is a bit of a maverick. He should have been at the top of the elite. He went to Eton, belonged to the Fabian Society, (a big player in the global agenda), and was generally groomed for an elite life. But somewhere along the line, he rebelled against this, and saw the truth around him.
Why 1984?…
It seems there was some debate about the title of the book. Noone seems to know why this date was chosen. It’s possible that 1984 was chosen because that was the target date for the World Controllers to achieve what they wanted. If that’s the case, then I would say they are behind schedule. ENDS
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Not in New York, sadly. It seems there was some debate about the title of the book. Noone seems to know why this date was chosen. It’s possible that 1984 was chosen because that was the target date for the World Controllers to achieve what they wanted. If that’s the case, then I would say they are behind schedule. ENDS
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