For Christmas we got George Orwell’s classic novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four. First off, let me begin by saying that this is one of the most well-written and honest works of fiction I have ever read. I never have been a huge fan of fiction, preferring to get my doses of unreality via movies and television, but this book has changed my perceptions about the genre. When this book was published in 1948, the year 1984 was still 36 years in the future, yet Orwell’s depiction of where society is, and was, headed is spot on. It is hard to believe that this masterpiece was written by Orwell while he was basically on his death bed, but this last piece of work will make sure his name lives on for centuries to come.

I really do not know whether to feel frightened or enlightened as a result of digesting this book. On one hand it is chilling to think how close we have crept to Orwell’s idea of being run by a totalitarian super-state with the ability to watch our every move, on the other hand there is a certain sense of edification that comes as a result of realizing that the system of domination by a ruling party in which we find ourselves today has been in place since the beginning of modern society. I suppose if I had to ultimately choose one feeling that the book left me with, I would have to say with much sadness that it would be a sense of doom; that we have already taken so many steps towards our beds being been made, and now is our time to lay in them.

What is even more shocking, and depressing, is how accurate Orwell was with his predictions of where the future would find us. We have not yet reached a point where we have two-way television screens, called telescreens in the book, linked up to our homes, recording our every move, but we have all certainly heard about the numerous accounts of warrant less wiretapping. You can not call any major company’s customer service hot line without being prompted that your call will be recorded, nor can you write a truly confidential email or have an “off the record” instant message conversation. Once people become used to these “normal” invasions of privacy they will be more willing to go along with more invasive techniques, like mandatory RFID chips that contain all of your personal information; information which could be erased with the click of a mouse, making you utterly nonexistent.

Orwell goes on to describe a never ending war between three superstates - Oceania, Eastasia and and Eurasia. A war which is never meant to be won, the alliances at one point change during the middle of a hate rally (basically a screaming and yelling fest the entire country takes part in to profess their dislike for their enemy and love for Big Brother). Instead of the community questioning this change in alliances, they focus their efforts on removing the various war propaganda with the incorrect enemy name on it and replacing it with the updated information. The only purpose this perpetual war serves is to make use of each superstate’s own labor force so that each economy could not possibly provide equal and high standards of living; its function is to maintain oppression. I think this is one’s parallels with today’s society are pretty cut and dry, I really do not even want to get into it.

In the end Winston, the main character and a closet political disssenter, is beaten, tortured and starved, held against his will at a place ironically known as “The Ministry of Love”, until the party leaders no longer doubt his love for Big Brother. A brainwashed Winston is then released back into the world, unable to think for himself and enslaved by the party, he spends most of his days drinking gin in an apathetic stupor. I feel like this is already happening to us. So overwhelmed by the declining economy, lack of leadership and embarrassing foreign policy we have somewhat given up, ultimately stripping our decision making power and letting the few make choices for the masses. Until people start to wake up, we are going to start creeping closer and closer to the mantra that ultimately dictates the course of the entire book:

War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength

March 31st, 2008 | Literature, Realpolitik