Our founding fathers warned the American people that if too much power was handed to bureaucratic officials, they would manipulate the public in order to fulfill their objectives. As American history progresses, autocratic officials continue to cover their political agendas through the use of mass media and other forms of entertainment. Many Americans are currently absorbed with their own desires and do not notice their leisure activities are laced with government propaganda. In return individuals effortlessly accept fads, trends, and cultures that the government privately conditions us to follow due to bureaucratic officials fashioning us to believe that those inclinations are from our own desires. The Orwellian predictions of governmental involvement in brainwashing society combined with Huxley's assertions that our vain desires will ruin us; is essentially the deadliest weapon to our demise. The initial prelude of our demise began in the mid eighteen-hundreds when government covertly funded projects for political use which in return altered American culture. The United States financed many literary works that were paid to detail our exceptionalism regardless of violent eruptions and cataclysms of current culture. For instance, Alexis De Tocqueville’s description of American democracy and capitalism was financed by the government to counter the growing acceptance of Marxism (Ross.) Tocqueville’s writings influenced pro-American sympathies abroad due to his inflation of American uniqueness and liberalism. If it weren’t for the U.S. government bankrolling Tocqueville’s expedition to Civil-War Era United States, one can argue that the French writer may have painted America as a combative oppressive nation comprised of individ... ... middle of paper ... ...st tiers of government. Our reckless impulsive desires is the driving force of America’s spiral down the abyss of dissolution. However the personal yearnings that is causing our demise was influenced by the government to promote whatever political and social agenda they have in store. Nonetheless we cannot blame the bureaucratic officials for having these desires because we allow propaganda and we permit governmental promotion to infiltrate our minds and essentially lead our lives. Even when we are actively aware of “subliminal” conditioning, we continue to follow our desires due to the longevity of propaganda and its prevalence in society. Both Huxley and Orwell predicted inaccurately that either-or would be the cause of our deterioration, rather, both our desires and the government work and in hand to tear down the values America’s freedom based foundation.
Rather than progressing and remaining active for the betterment of America, the country continues to dwell in the past by surrounding itself with fictional stereotypes and overwhelming confidence. Krugman’s tone shifts to a more concerned viewer, as he stressed the importance of relying on factual evidence opposed to cultural biases. America’s formation of a French caricature inevitably backfires when statistical evidence (a chart) reveals about how untrue the nation’s ‘facts’ are about the employment rates in the European country. As shown on the graph, France’s employment rate has grown steadily over the years, while America’s rate has continuously declined, resulting in a substantial gap between the two countries. If America is not willing to improve itself as a nation and a world power, it will no longer be respected by the rest of the world. Its famous reputation as a world power would stripped, leaving it helpless and bare to harsh judgement and criticism of the Earth’s citizens. Although laughing and poking fun at a country’s past mistakes is comfortable and natural for America, it only proves of how distracted we are about the reality of America’s idleness. If we do not take ourselves seriously, who
“"Propaganda is as powerful as heroin, it surreptitiously dissolves all capacity to think” by Gil Courtemanche connects to the sad fact of using propaganda as a deadly weapon to feed people with false information and stop them from thinking. George Orwell’s novel, 1984, describes a totalitarian dystopian society where the Party is constantly brainwashing its citizens with information that is beneficial to its own rights. On the opposite side, people are working for the party just like dominated slaves for their masters without knowing what’s going on. But, in order for the party to achieve this goal, they have to use different techniques of propaganda in Oceania to create fear for people so that they can obey the rules. The use of propaganda in the society of 1984 takes away freedom from individuals because of the absence of privacy, thinking and making decisions.
Tindall, George, and David Shi. America: A Narrative History. Ed. 9, Vol. 1. New York: WW. Norton & Company, 2013. 185,193. Print.
The novel 1984, by George Orwell, made me paranoid. It made me suspicious of our government's power and intentions. I became aware of the potential manipulation which the government could impose upon us. I came to see that the people I believe to be wholly dedicated to the well-being of society, the people I rely so heavily on to provide protection and security have the power to betray us at any given time. I realised that in my naivety I had gravely overlooked the powerful grip government has over society, and what it can do with that power.
ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE: ''It is odd to watch with what feverish ardor Americans pursue prosperity. Ever tormented by the shadowy suspicion that they may not have chosen the shortest route to get it. They cleave to the things of this world as if assured that they will never die, and yet rush to snatch any that comes within their reach as if they expected to stop living before they had relished them. Death steps in, in the end, and stops them before they have grown tired of this futile pursuit of that complete felicity which always escapes them.
While government as an institution can be used for benevolent purposes, George Orwell’s novel 1984 contends that when taken to an excess in the form of totalitarianism, government becomes dangerously self-serving.
The novel, 1984, written by George Orwell, gives readers an insight to a possible frightening future where one government has complete and definite control of the people. But “control” might not be the term to describe such a rule. The Party dominates every aspect of life. There is not a single thing that is not under the Party’s rule. Feelings, history, language, statistics, and even human nature are submissive to the Party. They corrupt the mind so much that there is no longer a line that separates truth from a lie. Slogans are repeated through telescreens on a daily basis so the people are gradually forced to believe in illogical statements. Upon first glance, it may seem that a 1984 society is not even imaginable in the world we live in currently. But is it really logical to make such an assumption so quickly? Do we know that what we see on the news and read in our history textbooks is completely accurate? The Internet is one of the most powerful technologies our world has, consisting of an insurmountable amount of information, which is not always what it seems. Ultimately, there are so many things that we do not know, some of which is being held a secret from us. Modern day society shockingly has evidence of a transformation into a menacing 1984 society because of similar government actions and abuse of advanced technology.
According to Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death, Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World both predicted that society would eventually be governed by a global totalitarian system; however, the key difference between both their predictions is the method by which society’s cognizance would be undermined. Orwell claimed that contemporary society would be controlled by overt modes of policing and supervising the social hierarchy, whereas Huxley stated that society’s infatuation with entertainment and superficial pleasure alone would be enough for the government to have absolute control over the public. Unfortunately, today’s society is not an Animal Farm. All jokes aside, Postman’s assertion of Huxley’s theory, “what
"Most people have written this book off as a good science fiction work." Says Jason Caminiti, writer of the 1984 critical essay, "It's Like 1984 All Over Again." What he refers to is the public's reaction to 1984, a novel discussing the government's involvement in personal affairs. Caminiti believes that the book holds truer to modern times than people believe. Although there may be no Ingsoc, telescreens, Newspeak, or even helicopters darting in and out of windows, the government still has their own wicked methods of controlling and monitoring American society. Modern technology has just helped accomplish this feat. Caminiti explains how everything acts as a monitoring tool, from the Internet to the Social Security System, and even ID cards for schools and college campuses. "Our government is taking steps towards this type of Orwellian society all the time." He realizes. Jason Caminiti is right. 1984 is not just some nondescript science fiction novel, but a reflection on life today.
In George Orwell 's "Nineteen Eighty-Four," the main storyline revolves around a dystopian society whose self-thought has been corrupted by an over empowered governing body. Orwell’s intention was to bring Hitler’s ideas to life. Smith is a middle-aged frail man who is ambivalent towards his government, however is unable to resist the strength of the indoctrination he has been subjected to, during the entirety of his life. As the reader progresses through the novel, ideas of totalitarianism are illustrated throughout the story via Smith’s internal and external conflicts with his government. It quickly becomes apparent that there is an uncopiable amount of government power which is something that is seen as early as the second paragraph. Propaganda
Since the beginning of time man has tried to build vast empires to control the globe. Manifest Destiny has been sown into our human nature creating in us the desire to conquer. In the United States, we are accustomed to a safe democratic government where everyone has a voice and freedoms, but what if it all changed? What would it even look like for America to be stripped of all our freedoms, rights, and liberties? We think this is crazy and could never happen, but George Orwell illustrates, throughout his novel 1984, the possible dangers of complete government control. Even though this exaggerated society seems farfetched, many of his fictional governmental qualities are starting to line up with our government today.
Tindall, George, and David Shi. America: A Narrative History. Ed. 9, Vol. 1. New York: WW. Norton & Company, 2013. 544. Print.
Tindall, George B., and David E. Shi. America: A Narrative History. 7th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 2007.
Present day America is going downhill, due to changes in government and lifestyle. America is no longer the place it once was. Globally, the American people are known for being lazy and obese, whereas we once were known for our determination, work ethic, and great power. American citizens are now scared of the government, and their frequent actions that are beginning to take place, such as taking citizens rights away or searching their mail. If America continues to follow down this path, we will fall like the Roman Empire. Margaret Atwood in “Letter to America” uses allusions, audience, pathos, and the context of the article in attempt to motivate America to make a change, because she does not like the way that America is currently changing.
For years, America has always been perceived as one of the top world powers due to its ability of achieving so much technological, economical, and social progress within a mere couple decades. Despite their great accomplishments, America is actually regressing psychologically, preventing the country from reaching its true potential as an “opportunity rich” country. In Anthony Burgess’ Is America Falling Apart? , the author unveils the circumstances in which America’s restricting society and selfish ideology cause the nation to develop into the type of society it tried to avoid becoming when it separated from the British Empire.