Both books--1984 and Brave New World--have relevance in today's society, but 1984 holds more truth.
Some would argue that the genetic cloning in BNW relates to today’s genetic engineering, that the drug use in BNW relates to today’s counterculture, and that the sexual content of BNW relates to today’s world. Those allegations are indeed true. What matters more though is weight; quantity does not matter as much as quality—do the similarities of BNW to today outweigh those of 1984?
Nope, not even remotely. Orwell feared a government that would lie to its people, withholding information from its citizenry. Consider “executive privilege”, the process under which any information pertaining to “national security” can be deemed classified, and seen by no one other than the president himself (or Big Brother, as I will refer to him). When the term “national security” is tossed around with such reckless disregard for the phrase’s original intent as to allow wiretaps to listen in on phonesex conversations from US soldiers in Iraq to their loved ones in the States, have we not fallen victim to a society strikingly similar to that created by Orwell? With over 15 MILLION documents designated as classified each year, how could anyone say that our government is not withholding information from us? Our government is living up to Orwell’s claim.
We live in a country dominated by fear, just a described in 1984. We were fear-mongered into waging a war in Iraq, based on false pretenses, but we did it out of fear. Our Congress was fear-mongered into allowing the Patriot Act to pass. Our airports were fear-mongered into enforcing stricter regulations. Only after we were made to fear were we OK with being searched, searched, and searched some more, putting up with long lines and red tape the whole time. Our state governments are fear-mongered into putting up absurdly low speed limits. The general public is fear-mongered away from the use of drugs and alcohol and cigarettes, our state governments fear-mongered into placing high taxes on such items. Want more examples? There are hundreds on my mind. Just ask, I’ll supply. We have turned into a nation that is dictated by the whims of the masses, but also controlled by the uppermost sectors of the government. Who else has had enough of this NANNY-STATISM?
It seems like Orwell’s prophecy came 25 years late.
10 comments:
As I stated before, is (now former) President George W. Bush really capable of being Big Brother? Or, if one thinks about it, O'Brien? Really, we never know if Big Brother exists. The "boot grinding into the face" was O'Brien's thrilling quote.
Regardless, I agree that there are some minor similarities to BNW, and these are awfully simple and not highly influential. The main horror of BNW, a soma-induced orgyfest of happiness, is nowhere near achievable. If anything, BNW is an overly extreme utopia that will likely never happen, unless a nuclear war decimates the population (and dare I say irradiate and mutate their minds). However, could one not say the same of 1984? Sure there have been some similarities, in our own country even. But have we suffered Gestapo (thought police)? Are people vanishing? Is the Iraq War the endless wasting war between three superpowers, described by O'Brien?
(By the way, is it just me, or are you actually stating on an online forum that US soldiers in Iraq would be engaging in phonesex conversations, monitored by the government, in their spare time? The H*LL?!?)
Yeah, Orwell's government lied through its teeth. But withholding information, which I believe is your big irritance, is not the same as lying. Withholding, using your example, military phonesex conversations from the public is not the same as saying, "we are winning the war against the devil, and still growing stronger and more prosperous even though your life sucks even more than before." I would have pursued the telescreens more to add impact; aren't we already a TV society? Wouldn't the wiretaps be the other end of the line? And again, is such a breach in the bastion of civil liberties apocalyptic? (And try not to provide a slippery slope response on this one.)
I agree that we have acted on fear. And yes, fear was part of 1984. I would like to ask, however, how a breach in personal space at airports can be likened to speed limits. Really, try not to speed much more! You might actually be driving too fast! (The government did not run you off the road, and you don't necessarily believe in God; who's left to blame?) Take out that one odd complaint, and I applaud the argument. However, I also provide a few thoughts on your examples. Were we tricked into waging war, or did Bush and Congress decide that on his own? Is airport security so abhorrently un-American and negative? Would not higher taxes on booze and 'bacco discourage such vices and avoid placing higher taxes on, say, YOU? And considering human rights, the alleged "fear-mongering" would act as a disclaimer to those who would love to file another easily-winnable lawsuit. It's a proven fact that these aren't particularly beneficial to health and welfare; you may sound as if that ought to be swept under the rug. Be careful that you don't imply that harmful side effects ought not be disclosed to the vulnerable public after advocating full disclosure by Big Brother. (Or, conveniently placing "long lines [at the airport]" right before your speed limit example; studious pricks, such as myself, see that as a sign of impatience.)
Is 1984 more prevalent in our society? Perhaps. But is the boot grinding ever into the human face, as Big Brother smiles malevolently down upon us miserable wretches? I doubt. We have quite a ways to go, and will likely never get there, especially with such vigilant, wary persons as yourself on sentry duty. I agree with civil liberties and privacy and all that, but perhaps we can all calm down a bit now that the so-called despotic regime has, in fact, been overthrown, if you will. Obama has yet to have done enough to be judged by Orwell's standards; I dare say he has yet to have done much to be judged by at all.
P.S.: update on Word Verification:
It wants TWO from me to place a post now! TWO proper verifications! Wasn't one enough?
For once, I believe I agree with you. As you stated, some social aspects of BNW have come true, 1984 is more important because the ideas that are showing themselves in today's society affect greater things than sex and drugs. They affect power of the government over all of those in their country. While I don't know much about the "executive privilege" I will go look it up because the thought that that exists today is terrifying since I would doubt it would be used for purely good reasons.
I made my post about Huxley's view being more relevant than Orwell's, but I hadn't even considered the governmental aspect like you did. I focused on books and teenage sex and other social issues, but you have a good point about the US government and its use of wiretaps and withheld information. When you consider it from that perspective, 1984 seems just as relevant as Brave New World.
I'm waiting for your next entry... post it now!!!! I will comment and there's nothing you can do about it! are you scared yet?
YOU MISSED THE DUE DATE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU... DO YOU WANT TO FAIL AT LIFE AND DISSAPPOINT EVERY PERSON IN YOUR LIFE... YOU KNOW, I MISSED AN ASSIGNMENT ONCE AND I FAILED OUT OF SCHOOL... THAT'S YOUR FUTURE! THE OX HAS SPOKEN
To mr. OX, you intolerable prick,
What is your issue? I think you can clearly tell that, considering the level of our discussion, that none of us are going to share your fate of being a total failure. The person you happen to be insulting as a coward is actually quite outspoken and willing to protest just about everything. He just has senioritis and procrastinates, like everybody else. Of course, I wouldn't expect a dropout to know, but still...
If you have something to say, please do check to see if it's worth saying. We hardly check these anyway, so you'll just end up being ignored. Not to mention half of your insults are hardly worth responding to. If you're that pathetic that you have nothing better to do, please keep your idiocy to yourself so the rest of us can succeed and exceed in life. Unless you're really that petty and jealous...
And, by the way, you have my undivided attention now. Feel free to respond on my blog.
man, you must really like me if you're following every disrespectful, rude, and sometimes true/funny comment I make.
"Of course, I wouldn't expect a dropout to know, but still..." - oooh, fighting fire with fire I see!
"We hardly check these anyway," - if you hardly check these things, then why are you looking for all my comments left on people's past blogs? I know how this site works
see I can be an AP student too with all this fancy analysis and such! and don't try any psychology stuff - just because I make fun of each and every one of you does not make me a wannabee AP student!...analyze that!
How special do you think you are? You know, due dates apply to you too, you little freak...
your grade will be worse than swiss cheese
YOU SUCK! THIS IS MY ONLY JOY IN LIFE AND YOU HAD TO RUIN IT, YOU ARROGANT LITTLE LOZR (IT'S HARD TO TYPE WITH OXY HOOVES)
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