George Orwell

 George Orwell

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George Orwell was a literary critic and writer that wrote many essays and books. We learn that one of the most important books that George Orwell wrote was 1984 that describes a dystopian society where individuals are not allowed to think for themselves, and technology has attempted to remove autonomy, freedom, and empathy. We learn that George Orwell wrote against totalitarianism and communism. 

George Orwell wrote about the flaws and lies of communism that attempted to "appear" to help when in reality attempted to lead to hypocrisy, decreased autonomy, decreased empathy, and suppression of free thinking and the free market. We learn that "wrong-think" is a word derived from "group-think". "Wrong-think" signifies in 1984 the hatred from communist and totalitarian sycophants of individuals who think for themselves. Any thought that was different, unique, and non-conformist was deemed "wrong-think" by the totalitarian and communist dictators and sycophants. "Group-think" describes the inability of an individual to think for oneself and instead leads to the individual to choose to go along with the crowd that is common of sycophants. We learn that this describes oppressive and totalitarian dystopias that fail to help individuals and instead lead to difficulties, stagnation, vices, and destruction of the wicked in the long run seen in the collapse of the Soviet Union and Nazi socialism. This describes the importance of practicing responsibility along with autonomy so that autonomy does not lead to iniquity. 1984 describes the manner that communism and totalitarianism uses lies to cause individuals to believe things that are never true.

"Then the face of Big Brother faded away again, and instead the three slogans of the Party stood out in bold capitals: 

WAR is PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

        IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH"- 1984 (page 17)

In 1984, George Orwell describes an individual who is able to think for himself and resist the indoctrination of totalitarianism and communist like "group-think". Although, George Orwell wrote 1984 in 1949, the book is a warning against placing all hope and faith on repressive and totalitarian systems that only look to cause difficulties and stagnation.

George Orwell's critique for totalitarianism and communism is seen in 1984 where technology is used as a method to remove autonomy and freedom from individuals. We are able to understand the importance of free thinking, autonomy, freedom, and also responsibility. We are able to realize that with autonomy there is also the need to practice responsibility. 

George Orwell's Criticism of Socialism

“It had always been assumed that if the capitalist class were expropiated, socialism must follow; and unquestionably the capitalists had been expropiated. Factories, mines, land, houses, transport- everything had been taken away from them; and because these things were no longer private property, it must follow that they must be public property.”- (page 170)

George Orwell was able to criticize socialism in 1984. George Orwell described that socialism “appeared” to “favor” the working class while actually looking to prevent true capitalism from helping individuals improve themselves. George Orwell described how socialism is essentially the same as monopoly “capitalism” because the intention is to prevent individuals from all classes from improving themselves. We learn from history that socialism has never worked in all the nations that it has been implemented. Instead of creating a utopia, there is a bureaucracy that leads to dystopia. George Orwell was aware of this and wrote extensively about the dangers of socialism that only “appears” to want to “benefit” individuals, when the intention is to attempt to falsely accuse others, attempt to steal coveted resources, and lead to conflict. We learn that the history of the Soviet Union describes this in great detail in the Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The socialists appeared to have “good intentions” while harboring hate, envy, bitterness, and coveting. We learn that we can leave socialism in the past and persevere obeying the commandments of Moses.

George Orwell describes in 1984 how socialism had caused for there to be no private property. There was only monopoly “capitalism” that is essentially socialism that seeked to prevent individuals from improving themselves. We learn that 1984 describes the truth of how socialism leads to barrenness and dystopia. Individuals could not create or be self-sufficient because that would cause envy and coveting. There were attempts to prevent individuals from learning, practicing autonomy, speaking truth, and having privacy. The socialism of 1984 did not just covet material resources, but also attempted to prevent individuals from being autonomous, truthful, self-didactic, and having privacy. Conversations were overheard by the Thought Police, and frienemies could essentially be Inner Party informants. The protagonist Winston described how he did not trust Parsons and Syme who were most likely informants. Winston described how if he decided to take a different route to a store or visit a new place, informants were listening and seeing his movements. Winston noticed that he was followed on different occasions and that informants were looking to overhear and observe his movements due to his actions including going to different locations and asking individuals about the past. The socialists did not want individuals knowing the truth about how individuals lived in the past because that would cause individuals to question the false narrative of the socialists. Big Brother had created “utopia” in 1984 through lies and if individuals knew the truth, then individuals would question the reality. We learn that Winston recalled that in the past there was abundance and goodness compared to the present. Yet, it was dangerous to say this because there were informants who were looking to accuse individuals who spoke truth. In socialism, there is the “appearance” of utopia while actually living under dystopia.

“Therefore, from the point of view of the new groups who were on the point of seizing power, human equality was no longer an ideal to be striven after, but a danger to be averted.”- (page 168)

George Orwell's Criticism of Technology

George Orwell was able to describe the manner that technology needed to be used with responsibility. We learn that George Orwell wrote against the misuse of technology and also against the dangers of socialism. In 1984, technology is used to attempt to remove freedom and liberty from individuals. We learn about individuals needing to participate in community activities whenever they were not at work or sleeping so that they did not have time for themselves. This was with the intention to lead to sycophantic behavior and prevent the individual from realizing the truth. We learn that specific activities were looked down upon. We learn that writing, reading truthful books, and solitary exercising was looked down upon. Reading books that spoke truth were destroyed and only approved and revised versions of the books were allowed. If individuals did not participate in community activities, they were accused of being traitors. Individualistic activities that reinforced the need to be independant and self-sufficient such as reading, writing, and learning were seen as dangerous to the socialist state. Big Brother was the individual that was the leader of the socialist technologic dystopia. We learn about the face of Big Brother that was an individual that was placed in advertisement boards and posters with the slogan “Big Brother is watching”. This describes the use of technology to attempt to lead to decreased freedom. Individuals in 1984 knew that they were being watched and that the intention was not to help the individual. We learn that individuals had a specific time during the day in which the television turned on by itself and led the individuals to listen to specific propaganda messages. This was with the intention to see and listen to the individual’s reaction to said propaganda. Individuals were always beeing watched through technology and informants.

If the individual reacted negatively or spoke negatively against the propaganda of the system, the Thought Police would remove the individual from society. George Orwell described the need to be weary and cautious about technology since it can be used to cause difficulties, decrease freedom, and lead to enslavement seen in the manner that individuals did not have freedom of speech and could not voice their true opinions for fear of being removed. George Orwell described that even a facial expression could cause the Thought Police to remove an individual. This describes that not even voicing an opinion, but a facial expression of disapproval was enough to remove the individual from existence. 1984 is fiction, yet describes the need to be skeptical of idolatry seen in the worship of technology. We are able to know that George Orwell saw the incongruencies and hypocrisy of socialism in his time and was able to describe the need to not believe socialist and communist temporary lies. 

Misuse of Technology and Informants in 1984

George Orwell described how in 1984 there were informants in addition to the use of technology to overhear and see individuals. The informants were in the form of the thought police or frienemies, individuals that “appeared to want to help” while actually being quite egoistic and parasitical. We learned about Syme and Parsons who were individuals that were negative and quite narcissistic. They were not to be trusted and were constantly asking the protagonist for favors. Aside from informants, we learned that the televisions were able to listen to and watch individuals. The televisions or telescreens were able to be turned on at a specific times of the day to lead to the listening of propaganda. We learn that the telescreens also were able to watch the individual. Despite having technological methods to reduce autonomy and freedom, there were also informants in 1984. This is interesting noting how technology use needs to be moderated by an individual so that the individual has control over technology and not the other way around. We learn to understand the use of technology yet not allow technology to become idolatry nor allow technology to restrict autonomy.

This is an interesting topic that George Orwell wrote about in 1949 describing how he had seen socialist nations attempt to restrict the autonomy and freedom of its citizens. George Orwell wrote extensively against socialist totalitarianism and fascism. We learn to understand that while technology can be used for good in order to learn science, history, literature, mathematics, languages, and integrity for the betterment of oneself and society, it can also be misused for decreasing autonomy, freedoms, liberties, and understanding. We can learn from 1984 about the need to persevere understanding that technology is a tool that can be used for good, but that must also be controlled by the individual. 

The Use of Informants in 1984

George Orwell described in 1984 about how there was distrust against informants and the thought police. There were helicopters that zoomed near buildings to see what individuals were doing. George Orwell described how individuals were not allowed to speak their mind because of the informants that existed. The thought police consisted of individuals that would falsely accuse other individuals concerning being traitors to the state while, in reality, they were attempting to prevent the truth from being spoken. The protagonist, Winston Smith, described that certain individuals lile Parsons and Syme could not be trusted because they were probably members of the totalitarian socialists in 1984. We learn that the fictious characters would ask Winston if he had specific basic items (for example shaving blades) to give them being that it was known that the items were decreasing in availability. While the propaganda from the telescreens stated that the items needed were abundundant, the reality was that they were not. The propaganda was changed constantly so that there was always a positive note being displayed, yet the propaganda was based on lies. We learn that lies were told by propaganda and the informants.

The informants were particularly negative and deceitful. Parsons would ask for favors to Winston constantly. In a specific occasion, Winston helped Parson's wife fix the sink in the apartment and was attacked by the children of Parson and accused of being a traitor by the children of Parson. Winston recalled how Parson's wife looked tired and weary from the misbehaving children. Winston described how the children would probably become informants and falsely accuse Parson's wife in the future. Parson's children also were impolite, misbehaved, and abusive, yet were encouraged instead of disciplined. The children were encouraged to participate in the Junior Spy League that taught them how to falsely accuse individuals of being traitors. George Orwell described how in socialism there are a lot informants and lies. This is interesting because in the Soviet Union, children were also informants and were able to falsely accuse adults. The codes of false accusations was given in three letter combinations so that even children could know what false accusation to use based on socialist lies.

Temporary Lies and Propaganda

George Orwell described how the propaganda stated that there was an abundance of material resources when in reality there was scarcity and the numbers were fabricated. This is consistent with Soviet socialist countries that stated that there was abundance when in reality there was scarcity based on the sins and vices being practiced. The envy and persecution against the most industrious did not help also. In 1984, there were multiple reports stating that each year had an increase of resources (for example boots) and positive numbers when, in reality, the numbers were lies. The lies not only applied to material resources but also to different stories concerning the perfect socialist society that existed in 1984. We learn that Winston was able to realize that the numbers were fabricated. He recognized that the numbers seemed rather false and were not truth.

Winston described how there was constant war between the three major nations. While Oceania was at war with Eurasia for multiple years, there were new reports that stated that Oceania was never at war with Eurasia and instead it was Eastasia. Such reports needed to be changed and it was Winston's job to constantly change the previous reports to newer reports. This was so that no one could figure out that lies were being told in 1984. This is interesting because George Orwell described the need to speak truth against fascistic and totalitarian socialism that attempts to lead to difficulties due to the authoritarianism and arbitrariness that exists. George Orwell hated socialism and was able to describe the discrepancies between the truth and the falseness of socialism. 

The Two Minute Hate

“In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance.”- (page 157)

George Orwell described in 1984 how hate and envy were needed in order to prevent individuals from improving. We learn that individuals within society in 1984 needed to attend the two minute hate propaganda in a theater or else be removed or vaporized. The Two Minute Hate consisted of a video of individuals that were enemies of Oceania. The warring soldiers of Eurasia were shown in the movie in order to stoke fear, hate, and anger. Individuals were encouraged to hiss, yell, and throw objects at the movie screen in order to foment hate. George Orwell described with great detail the manner that the socialist state wanted individuals to have anger, bitterness, resentment, and hate for no reason. Individuals were encouraged to participate in the two minute hate or else be deemed traitors.

"The problem was how to keep the wheels of industry turning without increasing the real wealth of the world. Goods must be produced, but they not need be distributed. And in practice the only way of achieving this was by continous warfare. The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labor. War is a way of shattering into pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials that might be used..."- (page 157)

George Orwell was able to describe how socialism and communism wants individuals to have negative emotions instead of positive emotions. 1984 describes how individuals needed to participate in negative activities in order to not be considered seditious. Individuals in the movie theater would scream and hate for no reason. The movie described how Eurasia was the enemy of Oceania and needed to be defeated. This is with the reality that there was always war going on between Oceania and Eurasia. This describes how the socialist state only wanted negative emotions out of people instead of actually fomenting loyalty or patriotism. Winston described the manner that there was always war with other countries and that it was not about loyalty and instead about having negative emotions for no reason. George Orwell described the manner that he preferred pacifism to war. 1984 describes the absurdities of war and hate.

“As for the problem of overproduction, which has been latent in our society since the development of machine technique, it is solved by the device of continuous warfare.”- (page 171)

George Orwell's Criticism of War

“Even when weapons of war are not actually destroyed, their manufacture is still a convenient way of expending labor power without producing anything that can be consumed.”- (page 157)

George Orwell was against authoritarianism, fascism, totalitarianism, and socialism. In 1984, we are able to see how warfare was used as a method of dividing people into different groupings so that they had hate and anger. George Orwell describes the reality of war being that it does not help anyone and only leads to difficulties. George Orwell was a pacifist who was against socialism and warfare. Pacifism describes the importance of living in harmony with one another understanding that there is no need for unnecessary conflict and division. We learn that true pacifists have spoken against war and the use of war knowing that it is not something that helps humanity. We learn that war is usually a last option and can be avoided through empathy, understanding, filial love, and dialogue. In 1984, war was so common that it was difficult to know when there were no wars in the past. We learn that there were three large nations that comprised the world. The nation of Oceania that was the Americas, Eurasia that was Europe, and Eastasia that was essentially Asia. The three nations were always at war. George Orwell described how warfare was used to produce goods that citizens could not use and was with the intention of not producing abundance of goods for the majority. This was with the intention to prevent individuals from living in harmony.

"If he were allowed contact with foreigners he would discover that they are creatures similar to himself and that most of what he had been told about them is lies. The sealed world in which he lives would be broken, and the fear, hatred, and self-righteousness on which his morale depends might evaporate."- (page 162)

There was also the description of how Big Brother and the Inner Party attempted to prevent individuals from learning about other cultures and other nations so that there would be enmity and strife instead of genuine empathy and harmony. This describes that division and war was used to cause negative emotions in individuals. If individuals decided to learn about other cultures and nations, individuals would understand that there is no need to hate others based on their nationality or ethnicity. 1984 described that the Thought Police and Inner Party attempted to prevent individuals from learning the truth because then individuals would realize that there is no need for hate, envy, strife, and conflict. George Orwell describes that individuals from Oceania were not allowed to learn about Eurasia and the only thing that could be safely mobilized between nation borders were bombs. This criticism is interesting because we learn that there is no need to hate others based on their race, ethnicity, or place where they were born. Instead we can learn from other cultures and nations so that we have empathy for others seeing how we are created to love GOD Almighty and respect humanity instead of being in conflict and strife without reason.