Okay, I'm going to say it. I'm actually enjoying 1984 both as a work of fiction and as a very real portrait of concerns for the future.
I didn't like the other dystopia we read primarily because I did not care for the premise fear. The fear of technology is rather repugnant to me, but i have already waxed on about that more than enough.
1984 presents a legitimate fear of mine and I believe of many people with regards to the future.It recognizes that people.... Well, we kind of suck, don't we? We hate each other and start wars over petty things. You cant turn on the news without hearing about a shooting, murder, kidnapping or military tragedy. Utopia doesn't exist because we aren't good enough to make it, not even close.
This novel describes a possible scenario, in which an incredibly evil, or at best a terribly misguided but deeply charismatic group of people convince others to submit to unspeakable things in the name of creating a better world. Now this is something that could actually happen and a real fear.
We've seen horror stories about cult leaders like this, haven't we? Passionate and charming, they convince their followers of horrendous things and tell them they are happy, and they believe it. What if this happens on a massive scale? Couldn't it.... Hasn't it already dozens if not hundreds of times....Hitler of course comes to mind but haven't we been doing this as far back as recorded history can remember? People who slaughtered others in the name of ending suffering and bringing about a new world.
This is the phrase that chills me to the bone:
A war to end all wars.
I agree that there is no way for us to create a Utopia and maintain it. Humans are annoyingly disagreeable and could never maintain a Utopian society, especially like the one in 1984.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is no way for us to create a Utopia and maintain it. Humans are annoyingly disagreeable and could never maintain a Utopian society, especially like the one in 1984.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Utopia cannot exist because we are not good enough to make it, but that is also because we cannot find a goal or commonality that everyone can agree on. The conditioning in Brave New World seems more of a possible way to manipulate society than charismatic, evil leaders. After all, not everyone agreed with Hitler and his "reign" eventually came it an end.
ReplyDeleteI agree that any given population can only be pushed so far before a reckoning occurs, such as the events leading to the end of Hitler's "reign" as you put it. Do you think that would eventually come to a head in 1984 as well? Don't you agree that the existence of people like Winston and Julia prove that this has begun? Doesn't the ministry of love exist solely in an attempt to stop that landslide? Do you believe that they would succeed long term?
DeleteTotally legitimate fears! Except I'm more worried about the whole constant surveillance thing. We already had the Patriot Act which allowed the government to watch whom ever they wanted. What's to say they couldn't eventually have giant t.v.'s that can watch our every move?
ReplyDeleteThere are laws concerning our privacy in and out of our homes of course- or that could already be done. I have a kinect in my room right now, and it watches me day in and day out. If someone wanted to abuse that technology the could, but thankfully nobody cares enough about me to look... not to mention that is really crazy illegal. The key is that our judicial system only accepts evidence obtained in predetermined ethical ways. If someone saw me doing something illegal by illegally hacking into my webcam, that information couldn't be used to prove my guilt. So why bother doing it in an illegal way?
DeleteLawsuits have been fought and won against government agencies like the CIA and so on preforming illegal searches and harassing people too. But all that could fall apart if those laws were to change. In which case, I wouldn't live in this country anymore. Not because I do illegal things, but because I don't want big brother to watch me sleep.