well, is it me or is 1984 the novel becoming reality?

[refujiunderground]

-got those little scanning things on coupons where people can scan on their cell phones now.

-got some law where the president can serve indefinitely in times of crisis

-now they're trying to police the surface web.

there's a lot of other things that have been going on as well. kind of coincedential if you ask me.

 

[refujiunderground]

George Orwell never said that his books were completely fictional.

well, how would he know something like this would happen? have you ever read or glanced through the new world order book? that book is real interesting even though it talks about aliens and is very homophobic. i don't believe in the new world order conspiracy theory even though i do agree that the government is all for controlling the people to do whatever it wants to do and has done so.

 

[Sigma-taylor-E]

Sigh..I love when people project the whole 1984 sentiment now. I was on the train reading 1984 and this guy randomly started talking to me "he was right you know" (referring to Orwell)

I think it should be a fallacy 1984 when even used for an argument. Ridiculous!

 

[shainski]

-got those little scanning things on coupons where people can scan on their cell phones now.

-got some law where the president can serve indefinitely in times of crisis

-now they're trying to police the surface web.

there's a lot of other things that have been going on as well. kind of coincedential if you ask me.

that's funny.

It's been a long time since i read 1984 (heck, it was before 1984).

I don't remember any of those things in the book.

Did Orwell really predict "little scanning things on coupons" or "policing the web
? If so, het has more prescient than i had thought.

And is this something knew tha tthe president can serve indefinitely in times of crisis. (I'm not familiar with that...if there is some prevision like that - wasn't it there in WWII? - and if so, at the time before the book was written)

When you say this is coincidental - i think you are projecting your own fears based on a book that predicted a controlling future. I don't necessarily like the 24/7 news cycle and communication - but, it seems almost the opposite of what that book preached (to me).

I don't like an overly powerful central government - but when i look at all the commotion in the middle east (for example), it seems that the opposite is occurring. All the technology is giving more power to the masses and not the central governments.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

da news media ans media ans more media repeat same stuff every day

ans oohh noooooo so many professions repeatin same thang every day

ans ooh noooo

maybe public turn inta
OOOOH NOOOOOO

then go fa pee ans discova
OOOH NOOOOO
------------------

anyway

da numba 666666 waitin fa ya 6 ta make it 7 ans
OOOOOH NOOOOOO

not worry cultures all in dark ages enjoyin hi tech mouse traps ta keep da mice happy likes

thankyou

 

[Asenath]

I've always argued that we went more Brave New World (distract us with recreation & prescription medication, give us "groups" to identify with and keep us from acting in solidarity with other groups, line us up and indoctrinate us from childhood on. . .) than 1984.

 

[chrisw87]

1984 was a fantastic piece of literature and one of my favorite novels. In my opinion, while we are living in a situation where the government can see most of what we do it is a possibility.

Look at London for example, their extensive CCTV network is quite scary, but it is also a blessing for preventing crime and convicting criminals (also great for traffic controllers).

The whole society situation that is depicted in 1984 however won't be possible without an end of the world situation. The proletarian are too powerful even in countries that are prime for it, look at the Arab Spring that has occurred.

China is another example, they were a prime 1984 candidate, though the people are slowly becoming more and more powerful as the country expands.

The only Country left IMHO that really has a 1984 situation possible, and it is in force is North Korea.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

1984 was a fantastic piece of literature and one of my favorite novels. In my opinion, while we are living in a situation where the government can see most of what we do it is a possibility.

Look at London for example, their extensive CCTV network is quite scary, but it is also a blessing for preventing crime and convicting criminals (also great for traffic controllers).

The whole society situation that is depicted in 1984 however won't be possible without an end of the world situation. The proletarian are too powerful even in countries that are prime for it, look at the Arab Spring that has occurred.

China is another example, they were a prime 1984 candidate, though the people are slowly becoming more and more powerful as the country expands.

The only Country left IMHO that really has a 1984 situation possible, and it is in force is North Korea.

lot a countrys still

1984 cum in vairety ta suit
but now with popcorn ans 24 hr tv coverage fa da
OOH NOOOO
with replays of countrys historical undys ta keep folk happy dat all a well
ans costumes is in control


anyway

all plot lands folk will get maybe chanceeeeee ta seeeeee wot amazin is fa eons a time no just da folk still alive form da fun times of 19th ans 20th centurtys ans jolly fun times of 21st ans get meet da amazin publics popcorn recipes wot so nice um share ta da starvin folk still enjoy da benifts of great cultures wot luv nice holidays ta get SNAP SHOTS ans wear there amazin ans say how they help ta ya knows

anyway sure 21 st gonna be da 1 with or with out da millions a slippas sippin their fantasys ans make da coffee table scrapbookys ta show folk theys is not dead

or sumthang

there dat fill a bit of white box

ans now space station need folk ta push it ta mars so get nice snap shots
all don by magic ya know

 

[goldenmoth]

I first read 1984 during the peak of the Bush regime. It blew my mind as to how in touch with the world it is...and it was written decades ago!

Ever since then it has remained one of my most favourite books.

 

[Wilde Oscar]

I'm inclined to agree that much of what was in the book can be found in our modern society even if it isn't literally true. Indefinite and ambiguous states of war, intense surveillance, and doublethink are all present today.

Orwell imagined helicopters spying through windows, and now police departments want their own drones. The Republican party is basically a textbook version of doublethink when you listen to them ranting. Cloud computing sounds to me like a 21st century memory hole. And now that everyone has a camera we have Little Brother to worry about too.

I've always argued that we went more Brave New World (distract us with recreation & prescription medication, give us "groups" to identify with and keep us from acting in solidarity with other groups, line us up and indoctrinate us from childhood on. . .) than 1984.

This is the other side. Our culture is intensely consumerist. Between street drugs, prescriptions, kids getting hooked on Starbucks and even video games and pop entertainment, we're all drugged up in one way or another. Sex sells everything. And we have countless changing subcultures, team loyalties, and novelties to keep us all isolated.

In my opinion we're getting both books in equal doses.

 

[Jayden]

It's you.

. .

 

[The_Reaper]

I've always argued that we went more Brave New World (distract us with recreation & prescription medication, give us "groups" to identify with and keep us from acting in solidarity with other groups, line us up and indoctrinate us from childhood on. . .) than 1984.

My thoughts exactly.

I keep meaning to pick up a book, I forget the title, which compares society now to 1984 and Brave New World and suggests that Huxley's vision of the future has come full circle compared to Orwell's.

I can prove, with one example, that we have entered a Brave New World where entertainment and drugs and other methods are used to keep us distracted from what is important in life:

24-Hour Weather Channels.

 

[evanrick]

ok we should rememeber that the mere fact that the book exists that those ideas are out there.

we should also remember we are not destined to fullfill any prophecies in some book.

the collective unconsciousness is a powerful thing.

 

[kallipolis]

Conspiracy theories garnished with neurotic fears that our freedoms are in peril might well be the foundation of the occasional nightmare nevertheless Nazism, and Communism flowered and withered into the history books leading me to appreciate that democracy has triumphed over totalitarianism. Yet, recognising we must all remain vigilant, understanding that the totalitarian mindset remains and never dies, simply disguises itself as our saviour in times of national crisis.

Orwell's nightmarish scenario in his 1984 provides us with the script had Nazism, or Communism succeeded, whereas the history book of human affairs proclaims victory over those evil ideologies leading me to believe that Animal Farm, and Brave New World might well have helped deter the worst that man, can impose upon man when waking us up and inviting us to destroy our worst nightmare, that of surrendering our freedoms.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

Conspiracy theories garnished with neurotic fears that our freedoms are in peril might well be the foundation of the occasional nightmare nevertheless Nazism, and Communism flowered and withered into the history books leading me to appreciate that democracy has triumphed over totalitarianism. Yet, recognising we must all remain vigilant, understanding that the totalitarian mindset remains and never dies, simply disguises itself as our saviour in times of national crisis.

Orwell's nightmarish scenario in his 1984 provides us with the script had Nazism, or Communism succeeded, whereas the history book of human affairs proclaims victory over those evil ideologies leading me to believe that Animal Farm, and Brave New World might well have helped deter the worst that man, can impose upon man when waking us up and inviting us to destroy our worst nightmare, that of surrendering our freedoms.

all it is say males grow inta arrogant putrid shit ans begat shit
ans otdha males suck da shit cause
ans odha males no gonna make it cause

as 21st century < no time of anythang cultures of shit make shit ans 1984 is well in fashion a still

ans males all ova planet of lands no say piss spinless turds hide in da ways of it
wot keep centurys alive ans doin good

but is a awe of ways great lands luv dress up da title call MAN wot all life is ins a awe da speed of their shit across planet

 

[rareboy]

It was already 1984 in 1984.

 

[Joshua_me]

George Orwell never said that his books were completely fictional.

Unlike yourself.

 

[Telstra]

1984 was a fantastic piece of literature and one of my favorite novels. In my opinion, while we are living in a situation where the government can see most of what we do it is a possibility.

Look at London for example, their extensive CCTV network is quite scary, but it is also a blessing for preventing crime and convicting criminals (also great for traffic controllers).

The whole society situation that is depicted in 1984 however won't be possible without an end of the world situation. The proletarian are too powerful even in countries that are prime for it, look at the Arab Spring that has occurred.

China is another example, they were a prime 1984 candidate, though the people are slowly becoming more and more powerful as the country expands.

The only Country left IMHO that really has a 1984 situation possible, and it is in force is North Korea.

I didn't read 1984 but North Korea is worst than the novel.
Its citizen know nothing about the outside world. The only person they know outside their local group was the dear leader. No wonder the whole country cried when the dear leader died.

 

[chrisw87]

I didn't read 1984 but North Korea is worst than the novel.
Its citizen know nothing about the outside world. The only person they know outside their local group was the dear leader. No wonder the whole country cried when the dear leader died.

You need to read 1984, it is a great novel. It is actually like that in the story too, the people don't know anything of the world outside except what the government propaganda tells them.

 

[ravenstar]

I can't remember the novel very well, I read it when I was in High School. I remember it being pretty heavy going for a 13 year old. I should get hold of a copy and read it again. I loved Animal Farm though.