Page 7 - Discover Spring 2021
P. 7
concept in the creation of his dystopian world, and the thought police. The politics of today
in which the Party’s opposition is eliminated. has seemingly eschewed debate in favor of
Rather than using propaganda or force to scorched earth policies. It’s not enough to
impose its will, the Party simply obliterates win elections; it’s necessary to eliminate the
any suggestion of contrary thought. opposition. Thus, we have people calling for
the punishment of “climate change deniers”,
This is accomplished through the constant
and the ruination of people who dare to
revision of history. Any possible reference
question the authority of the state.
to something that is harmful to the Party or
contrary to its teachings is simply removed Our lexicon now includes “doxxing” of
from all possible references. Books are people with controversial opinions. It refers
rewritten. News stories are changed. People to the use of the internet to maliciously attack
who rebel are simply erased from history and silence them. It bears an eerie semblance
as if they had never existed. Anyone who to the practice of 1984’s children, who happily
questions the Party or attempts to affect reported their parents to the state if they
change is subjected to extreme physical and should so much as utter a discouraging word.
mental torture. Acquiescence to the Party’s Orwell seems to have imagined the future
demands is only the first step in the process. existence of the internet and state surveillance,
The individual is broken down to the point of which is accomplished through the use of
actually believing whatever the party wants video screens that are capable of two way
him to believe, including that two plus two communication. Look at us now, with our
equals five. Success is finally achieved when smart TVs and our laptops with built in
the subject is forced to face his worst fear, at webcams. Given that this book was written in
which point he betrays the person whom he 1949, it’s amazing that he envisioned this.
loves the most. Winston Smith, faced with
What’s not so amazing is that he
being devoured alive by hungry rats, tells his
envisioned Big Brother and the Party’s
torturer to do it to his girlfriend Julia instead.
agenda. We humans are given to the conceit
Thus, his ordeal is complete, and he now truly
that we are somehow superior in nature
loves Big Brother.
to the people of the past. Our so-called
“Big Brother” is a familiar term, which has “enlightenment” is merely a construct, as
its origins in 1984. It refers to a mythical head every succeeding generation imagines itself
of state who is all knowing and all powerful. morally superior to past generations. The
“Big Brother is watching” is a constant truth is that human nature remains largely
reference to state surveillance of all citizens. unchanged throughout history, which we
One had to be careful not only with words seem condemned to repeat.
and actions, but with facial expressions and
It was not long ago that we were told that
emotions. People lived in constant fear of the
“dissent is patriotic”. We were told that flag
thought police.
burning was a form a freedom of speech.
To me, the expression “hate crime” bears Today, you must be careful of whom you
an uneasy resemblance to “thought crime” might criticize, and whose flag you burn.
www.discoversmithmountainlake.com 5
