1984, a Possible Reality or Dystopian Absurdity

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Society has made technological advances all in the name of security and convenience, but have these advances threatened our freedom and intelligence. In George Orwell’s 1984, the Party has control over all information and uses its telescreens to spy on party members. Also in 1984, Newspeak was created to limit language and in essence limit thinking. In many instances our technology and psychological methods in the 21st century are used similarly to the technology and methods used in the novel 1984. Are we as a society through our own devices such as CCTV’s and the NSA, social media and texting, and our human instinct to follow the crowd creating an imminent 1984?
Surveillance was a necessary system in 1984 and has become a necessity for society today. The NSA started its warrantless surveillance as a counterterrorism attempt after the 9/11 attacks and was initiated by the Bush administration. The NSA was listening in on domestic phone calls and Americans international e-mails without warrants and in essence was violating laws set by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Savage). Although the NSA had corrected its warrantless surveillance, it shows how the government has the capability to hear and read any conversations. The surveillance provided by the NSA is for the security of the nation, but who’s to say all of it is just. Acting as telescreens without the ability to project neither video nor audio, CCTV cameras have become such a common site that we don’t pay much attention anymore that or actions are monitored at all times. Today there is no such thing as privacy, and whether one is out obeying laws like most citizens or committing crime he or she has no choice but to be watched. Overall the CCTV cameras are there to ...

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...ctatorship that is run unlawfully. There will always be a sense of freedom in the human mind and an inclination to do what is right.

Works Cited

Ball, Kirstie, David Lyon, Clive Norris, and Charles Raab. "A Report on the Surveillance Society." BBC News. Ed. David Murakami-Wood. BBC, 11 Feb. 2006. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.
Lytle, Ryan. "How Slang Affects Students in the Classroom." US News. U.S.News & World Report, 13 June 2011. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
Savage, Charlie, and James Risen. "N.S.A. WIRETAPS WERE UNLAWFUL, U.S. JUDGE RULES." The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.
"The Hitler Youth: Sons of the Fuhrer: Effects of the Hitler Youth." The Hitler Youth: Sons of the Fuhrer: Effects of the Hitler Youth. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.

"Welcome to North Korea - a Backward and Brainwashed Nation." Mirror. N.p., 28 May 2009. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

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