In 1984, the citizens did not vote for their leaders; the citizens could not date; people were encouraged to spy on each other and to point out those who acted suspicious, non-conforming, or non-plussed by the rallies, speeches, telecasts, and celebrations put on by the government. The government had access into the homes of the individuals and could see every move one makes.
In MY world, citizens can vote for their leaders, but they often don't.
Citizens who are heterosexual are legally allowed to date and to wed, but not those who are homosexual.
People are not encouraged to spy on each other.
People are encouraged, but not required to participate in the a party.
The government does not have direct or "live" access into the homes of individuals, but they can "track" us through all of our electronic transactions, etc.
In both worlds: Fear has been used to control actions. Laws must be followed or punishment is warranted.
If I was to answer the question, why I think the author chose to write this novel, I would say that Orwell wrote it as a cautionary tale and to demonize communism. He wants his readers to see that too much government control is deadly to the human spirit and to any effort towards "progress" or "innovation" or "free thinking society." Big Brother's mantra is WAR is PEACE FREEDOM is SLAVERY IGNORANCE is STRENGTH. This is the OPPOSITE of everything Orwell believed to be necessary to live.
I like the way that you explained how actions can still be "tracked" in our society. While not as obvious as the telescreens of 1984, it is interesting that technology seems to be increasingly used for this purpose.
ReplyDeleteI also like that you noted how citizens CAN vote, but don't often do so. I think that is important, since we currently have the freedom to choose a leader that Winston never had, but few people actually take this seriously.