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George Orwell AND politics
Doublethink 1984 into modern society
Doublethink 1984 into modern society
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Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "When a whole nation is roaring Patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and purity of its heart" (Naked Eye View). When investigating the integrity of the overly patriotic country of Oceania in George Orwell's 1984, one discovers that there is an extreme lack of regard for the values which modern day citizens typically cherish. In Oceania, rudimentary concepts such as independent thought, the right to privacy and free speech are nonexistent. Is there anything to be learned from such an undesirable form of society? Alarming connections can be made to real-world government activities inside the United States when you take a close look at the cruel and unusual world of Oceania. Many of the authoritarian notions inside the world of 1984 would hit modern day people of free nations as being out of control. Such total violations of individual liberties would most likely cause most American citizens to be loaded with a powerful desire to bring about a change in their government, and a sense of frustration and anger. Can you imagine how the United States’ citizens would respond if telescreens were abruptly to become a part of their everyday living? These devices play an important role in 1984, as they supervise the citizens virtually everywhere they go and cannot ever actually be turned off, unless you're a high government status. It was one of the prime devices utilized in catching Winston, and numerous other people who committed crimes against the government (Orwell 197). However, oftentimes the misdeeds that are being pledged are not actions of rape, killing, or abuse. Instead, the telescreens are assisting to lock away people who do not take part in their man... ... middle of paper ... ...t Americans could be dwelling in the identical state if the government continues to extend away at rudimentary, everyday freedoms for example being able to wear a t-shirt with a certain political message or being able to talk out against government ideas. The citizens of America should be vigilant about their freedom's welfare. The right to privacy and the right to articulate oneself can slip away if not kept protected and stood up for by a unified group of people with a desire to be free. Works Cited Davidson, James W., et al. Nation of Nations: A Concise Narrative of the American Republic. New York: The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc., 2002. Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Penguin Books, 1949. "True patriotism - a dedication of a lifetime." Naked Eye View. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2013 .
Deception and a blatant contradiction of facts in the spirit of impunity form the foundation of the construct of modern dictatorship and draconian governance. Leaders with this attitude treat the public office and nation as personal property and deploy the state resources at their disposal for selfish use. Their behavior takes the form of frivolous “surveillances, monitoring, and other control structures founded on lies and ambiguities” (Dean and Orwell 23). The same scenario is exactly what happens at Oceania. The nation is governed by the party headed by the big brother (“Gordon State College” n.p.).
Through out George Orwells 1984, the use of telescreens is very efficient and effective for the Party. On the other hand it plays a very hard role on our main character, Winston. Through out the novel, he lives in fear of the telescreen and is ultimately taken by the mighty power that is the Party, all in help by the telescreen. The watchful eye of the telescreen is not totally fiction though, in many places it all ready exists.Winston is a worker who's job is to change history to make sure that its "correct" by the Parties standards. He meets a lovely girl Julia and falls in love. They together try to find life and happiness together, and also they want to find the resistance, or the group of people that they figured existed that will help see the end of the Party and Big Broth...
It is clear that the government of Oceania in 1984 is self-serving, existing not to benefit its citizens or the elite Party members, but existing purely to exist and grow. Perhaps the most clear indication of this was O’Brien explaining the Party’s motives while torturing Winston. O’Brien explains that “the Party seeks power only for its own sake” and that “the object of power is power.” (185) This clearly indicates that the government of Oceania, a totalitarian state, seeks power not to improve the lives of citizens, but for power
In 2007, the NSA started a program called PRISM, where they can request information from large companies such as Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple without probable cause. This program reduces our freedom and privacy (largely), but by doing so, the NSA is keeping us safe from terrorists and many more threats. In 1984, the government had posters of Big Brother on every wall, on coins and virtually everywhere you look. Also, there are telescreens in the workplace, in the streets, in the cafeteria, and in peoples homes. As stated in 1984, “Nothing is your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull” (Orwell 24).There is no escape. These telescreens are constantly watching you and “at any rate, they could plug into your wire,” (2). However, in 1984, the government is surveilling the people for a completely different reason. They want to stay in control and don’t want people to rebel. But nowadays, the heavy surveillance is for counter-terrorism and protecting the people. For that, I am willing to give up a small amount of my freedom. But, in 1984 giving up your freedom means giving up your freedom of choice, way of life, and basic inalienable
Winston describes the telescreen as “an oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror,” he also mentions, “the instrument could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely” (Orwell 2). The Party employs technology like telescreens to create fear and paranoia from a lack of privacy which all human-life craves at some point or another. This device also causes paranoia when Winston and Julia are sitting in the golden country and they believe a bird is watching them. The Party has employed technology so well that when Julia and Winston are away from telescreens do they not feel save. Later we find, it is always possible for one to be watched by the ThoughtPolice. Ironically, even the betrayal of Mr. Charrington had subtle clues that Winston obviously did not foresee. According to Carpentier, “the signs from Mr. Charrington also come in triplicate: globe, church, song”
Even though many of Orwell’s ideas in his novel 1984 seemed completely fictional, several of the concepts throughout his book have a common link to today’s society. For instance in the same way telescreens monitor people every second of their li...
Identity, in today’s society, is often taken for granted. We have the ability to be anything we wish to be and act in any way we wish to act, but in the novel 1984 by George Orwell, identity is not taken for granted because it does not exist at all. Winston Smith, the narrator, lives in a dystopian society based on the idea of totalitarian government rule. This government is known as Big Brother. In order for Big Brother to stay in power, a few things are necessary: identity cannot exist; everything and everyone must be uniform; the past must be controlled in order to regulate the present; and the people must constantly be practicing the ideas of Newspeak and Doublethink, a form of control the government holds over the people. By enforcing these simple laws and regulations, the government is able to keep a tight grip on its people, with few ever releasing themselves from its grasp. Winston Smith on the other hand, seeks to know the truth behind the government, he is constantly questioning everything and repressing all the ideas forced upon him. Winston “seeks truth and sanity, his only resources being the long denied and repressed processes of selfhood” (Feder 398). All identity is gone in this place called Oceania, and for the sake of Big Brother and its continuous control of the people, it will never exist again. In 1984, the absence of identity strips the people of all creativity and diversity, as well as takes away any chance the society has to advance as a people or in the area of technology.
The family unit of Oceania in George Orwell’s book, 1984, plays an important part to society. These families are broken rather than households of affection and comfort. Oceania’s government, called the Party, controls the families in every aspect. With these non-existent families, there is a cycle of breaking down of family and a stronger Party as times passes until a there is force strong enough to end it. These families that lead to corruption in society should be avoided in order to prevent a totalitarian government from rising.
In 1984, George Orwell presents an overly controlled society that is run by Big Brother. The protagonist, Winston, attempts to “stay human” in the face of a dehumanizing, totalitarian regime. Big Brother possesses so much control over these people that even the most natural thoughts such as love and sex are considered taboo and are punishable. Big Brother has taken this society and turned each individual against one another. Parents distrust their own offspring, husband and wife turn on one another, and some people turn on their own selves entirely. The people of Oceania become brainwashed by Big Brother. Punishment for any uprising rebellions is punishable harshly.
Instead, the Oceania government brainwashed their citizens into believing everything they had to say. The citizens of Oceania were convinced that Big Brother was always watching, the Thought Police could at any moment in time catch you for thinking something unlawful, or knowing there was nothing illegal, but if caught it would end in death or twenty-five years in a forced labor camp. 9. The Oceania society was not allowed to have thoughts or even opinions knowing their government has the capability of punishing them.
At first, we do not think, nor contemplate the effects that come as a result of our actions. In 1984, we get a sense of a greater authority in Big Brother. Although we never know if Big Brother actually exists, the power and authority that this idol holds over the people is unimaginable. The people of Oceania are divided into two classes, the members of the Party and the proletariat. The Party members are like machines that do the jobs of the government.
The telescreens in 1984 served two purposes, surveillance and mind control. Unlike the televisions of our present day, the telescreens in 1984 also served as a device constantly monitoring the citizen’s actions by means of an integrated camera and microphone in addition to broadcasting continuous p...
The 1984 community provided many ways to surveill its citizens, one being The Thought Police The Thought Police were undercover operatives who hid amongst everyday citizens, and could be found at any given time or place, to monitor people for thoughtcrimes against the party. The problem with this was the fact that “A few among of the Thought Police moved always among them, spreading false rumors and marking down and eliminating the few individuals who were judged capable of being dangerous” (Orwell 62). The people of Oceania knew that Thought Police were always around, but could never know which certain individual or individuals were actually one of them. This caused them to be suspicious of everyone and focus on not committing any violations. Along with telescreens, “You had to live - did live from habitat that became instinct - in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and except in darkness, every movement scrutinized” (Orwell 6). Although not every single citizen can be watched at every moment, they never know exactly when they are being watched. Therefore causing most of them to always follow the rules especially when every...
Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell, is a superb novel with outstanding themes. One of the most prominent themes found in this novel is psychological manipulation. Citizens in this society are subject to ever present signs declaring “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” (Orwell 1). Along with psychological manipulation, physical control takes place. The Party not only controls what people in Oceania think, but what they do as well. Technology is another important theme. Without the constant telescreens, microphones, and computers, the Party would be all but powerless. Big Brother is the main figure of the Party. The main symbol that drives these themes is the telescreens. It is representative of the party always watching and controlling everyone at all times.
In the novel 1984 by Orwell, an extremely controlling totalitarian government called The Party, rules the society. They have introduced Telescreens which monitor your every movement, conversations and any other action. The citizens of Oceania, located on Air Strip One, are psychologically manipulated to believe in the three main slogans of the party: ‘War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength’ (1948, Orwell). The citizens of Oceania are so brainwashed that they don’t question anything the party tells them or any new law they make. Thought crime occurs when someone does not fully agree and follow what the Party has said. People who commit crimes become unpersons; therefore, they stop existing, and any record of their existence is erased or they can be sent to the ministry of truth, where The Party will try to break them, and force them to love Big Brother. This is very relevant because in order to serve justice which according to them is having everyone love the Party and nothing else, everyone else must be eliminated or brainwashed. The use of technology in this novel is very important because it is the main way in which justice is carried out. Telescreens, microphones and cameras cover the whole nation. Every conversation is recorded and every action is taken note of. The government will make anything to keep their power.