General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnd now for a few words of warning from George Orwell's 1984
How does one man assert his power over another, Winston?
Winston thought. By making him suffer, he said.
Exactly. By making him suffer. Obedience is not enough. Unless he is suffering, how can you be sure that he is obeying your will and not his own? Power is in inflicting pain and humiliation. Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.
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Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped."
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Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power.
Easterncedar
(5,417 posts)The thought of the Smithsonian being pillaged by these racist goons fills me with rage.
Tadpole Raisin
(1,889 posts)Discussion or movie associated with it.
And if you prevent schools from discussing the subject through threat of termination or jail , well - Problem solved!
Ligyron
(8,000 posts)llmart
(17,302 posts)It wouldn't surprise me if they started book burnings any day now.
radical noodle
(10,467 posts)I notice so much more in the book now than I did years ago when I first read it.
StarryNite
(11,965 posts)The last time I read it was many years ago. I have a feeling I will notice a lot more this time too since we are actually living it now.
WinstonSmith4740
(3,411 posts)Go read the book. I started reading it in college (late 60's), got about 2/3 through and thought, "Well, obvious condemnation of authoritarianism as practiced by the Soviet Union, but this is America. This will never happen here." Put it down, because I had finals to study for.
Picked it up again IN 1984, with Reagan in office, and it scared the hell out of me.
So when I first found DU back in it's early days, my screen name was a no brainer.
KPN
(17,116 posts)rubbersole
(10,962 posts)WinstonSmith4740
(3,411 posts)It was always 4, regardless of what O'Brien said. We have to remember that, because the Rethugs keep insisting it's five.
rubbersole
(10,962 posts)...how dare you question her math...
WinstonSmith4740
(3,411 posts)Expecially with this critical thinking bullshit. It's so...Democratic.
DENVERPOPS
(13,003 posts)here in Denver, 8th grade, 1962 we had a teacher for social studies who was an absolute FANATIC about us learning every last thing about the history of the U.S. and we had to MEMORIZE the bill of rights, the amendments, the intro to the Gettysburg address, the preamble to the constitution, etc etc.
He then assigned us outside reading, which we were tested on......1984, Animal Farm, The Jungle, and The Ugly American.....
(He almost got FIRED for those reading assignments!!!!!!) And he was devout Old Guard Republican, believe it or not.....I am sure he is rolling over in his grave right now as so many of the Old, True, Republicans........
These "Powers To Be", have eradicated Civics, and meaningful history classes, including world history, AND most certainly, American history....creating a population of citizens with a "Three Day News Cycle Memory". Including Members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate....... People who have learned to memorize the facts only long enough to take that week's test, and then forgotten..........
I have seen an article on how med students are learning "Studying To Take The Tests" but are not RETAINING it long term, and are having to CRAM BIG TIME when it comes to taking/passing their NATIONAL MEDICAL BOARDS......
I see it in my grand kid's friends........if you ask them a question about something they should definitely know, about anything,, they grab their iPhone to look up the answer...
If you want to challenge a MAGAot who is coming at you......try this.....it shuts them up every time:
I ask them if they can tell me how many U.S. Senators there are? Then I immediately ask them if they can tell me how many U.S. House Members there are and how many are from each state and does that number ever change? Then I ask them if they can tell me how many U.S. Supreme Court Justices there are, and how they each lean, left or right????
It shuts them up every single time, even the ones with College Degrees or Master degrees....
It goes a long ways to explaining how Rural Colorado elected Bang-Bang Boebert, who didn't have a high school degree...And prior to her trying to get elected had to take the GED test THREE TIMES, or how the Republican Party could make Sarah Palin a VP Candidate....
some_of_us_are_sane
(2,674 posts)And quite precient.
wordstroken
(1,402 posts)allegorical oracle
(6,135 posts)Charlie Chapulin
(371 posts)Who controls the past, controls
the future: who controls the present, controls the past.
Nictuku
(4,529 posts)allegorical oracle
(6,135 posts)LittleGirl
(8,939 posts)the whole book shouted "this is IQ45's world" it frightened me and I have never recovered.
Nictuku
(4,529 posts)Since that is over 40 years ago, I think I might need to read it again.
Bo Zarts
(26,248 posts)He who controls the history of the past, controls the future. He who controls the present, controls the past.
Owens
(585 posts)Stargleamer
(2,587 posts)"We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men (sic). If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act."
markodochartaigh
(4,901 posts)Some read it as a warning. Some read it as a plan.
Martin68
(26,940 posts)Revolution, or Pol Pot's reign in Cambodia. Much more precise instructions for the would-be despot.
allegorical oracle
(6,135 posts)thought crime
(1,145 posts)Martin68
(26,940 posts)what he was describing.
Clouds Passing
(6,835 posts)I own and have read it several times. It was required reading when I was in 10th grade.
mdbl
(8,016 posts)it explains how we got to where we are today.
Permanut
(7,933 posts)Brilliant.
EricL
(105 posts)George Orwell's 1984 inspired Boualem Sansal's 2084: La Fin du Monde
Boualem Sansal is a French-Algerian writer currently imprisoned in Algeria for opposing the government.
2084 has been translated in English ; 2084: The End of the World.
Author : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boualem_Sansal
Book : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2084:_The_End_of_the_World
"Abistan, a vast empire, takes its name from the prophet Abi, Yölah's sole "delegate" on earth. His system is based on a collective amnesia and submission to the one God."
Worth reading IMHO
SleeplessinSoCal
(10,366 posts)Willingly play dead? Or actually die by suicide?
Doc_Technical
(3,733 posts)Doubleplusgood Duckspeakers.
Cherokee100
(429 posts)How long before, 'Benedict donald'/draft dogger' turns the Whitehouse, into one for his sleazy hotels?
BoRaGard
(7,591 posts)
thought crime
(1,145 posts)I haven't seen one Truth on Ministry of Truth Social that mentions this so-called novel.
Paul-EM
(34 posts)In 1959, Eugene Ionesco wrote "Rhinoceros," a play about a town whose inhabitants steadily become rhinoceroses (fascists or totalitarians). Great art never loses its relevance. The play can be seen on YouTube.
Larissa
(793 posts)In these days it is no longer a work of fiction. Orwell knew it was coming.
calimary
(88,861 posts)Well, that sounds like the donald and the dream he'd be holding close to his heart (if he had one).
anamnua
(1,493 posts)Last edited Tue Apr 8, 2025, 05:07 AM - Edit history (1)
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
anamnua
(1,493 posts)Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia.
Now we have the Trumpshere, the Putinsphere, and the Xisphere.