Orwell’s 1984 is believed by many to capture the zeitgeist of today’s world, with good reason; the dystopian novel serves as a cautionary tale, evidence of what can occur if power remains unchecked at the realm where technology and propaganda intertwine. In 1984, Orwell explored the relationships between totalitarian governmental control, expanding to the use of technology and surveillance as a means of retaining governmental power. Within the book, Big Brother serves as the governmental entity, always watching, always monitoring.
Big Brother maintains this control, in part, by applying “a continuous alteration of the past, made possible by the system of thought which really embraces all the rest, and which is known in Newspeak as doublethink” (Orwell 212). By rewriting history to suit the current regime and by ensuring that the past is constantly changed, creating a situation in which it becomes virtually impossible to maintain ideas of continuity, the government is able to present a solid front that suggests to those watching that things are as they have always been and that the government knows what is best for the people.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"1984 by George Orwell".
This, in combination with continual surveillance through the application of a variety of technologies, works to ensure that those who would disagree with the new truth as presented by the government can be easily identified and removed, maintaining a docile population and ensuring that the government is able to remain in power. While Orwell’s cautionary tale has not yet become a reality, the basic components are present, and aspects of the Orwellian nightmare are already manifest in reality. As a result, reading 1984 not only embodies the current spirit of this point in time, it is a must read for all 21st century readers to ensure that they are aware of the capabilities of available technologies, allowing readers to be on their guard to prevent such a fiction from becoming reality.
