Orwellian

 

"The best books.. are those which tell you what you already know." - extract from 1984.

In today's world, every step we take and word we speak is recorded. We sit helplessly as media being fed to us gets dangerously close to narrow propaganda. Each day we find it harder to raise our voices against our governments which become increasingly dilute and fragmented in their accountability.

George Orwell's famous works of literature are, '1984' and 'The Animal Farm', revolve around the harmful by products of an autocratic rule, but strikingly stand out even in the world we live in today. 

The word 'Orwellian' is often used interchangeably with 'authoritarian'. But the true meaning of the author's works and what the word stands for is far more interesting and grave. It is also interesting to note that Orwell himself was an avid socialist and his works focussed rather on the harmful consequences of a totalitarian regime where the masses were forced to follow blindly. 

Though his works may be used as a strong backing to persecute ideas of such regimes, more than anything, '1984' and 'The Animal Farm' are warnings of the consequences which will unfold when we the common folk, the members of the society we create, shall cease to think independently and abandon free will of our own accord.

While this may sound blasphemous, the vivid stage set in the author's dystopian world does more than enough to convince the reader that such a society isn't impossible. 

In Orwell's 1984, the world is split in 3 supermassive nations namely the Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia each of which are nearly equal in power and follow similar principles of repressive rule. These three superpowers constantly battle against one another over disputed territories but make no progress in the long run.

The novel revolves around Winston, a civilian of 'Airstrip One' (The UK) who works in the Ministry of Truth. Right from the start, we are plunged into the peculiar features of the dystopian world.

Propaganda praising Big Brother and victory banners regarding the war saturate the air. 'English Socialism' or Ingsoc is the primary form of thought in this dystopian society where men and women toil away to run the machinery of war and live their entire lives praising the Party and existing merely for the glory of their land and its principles. 

Old records and literature are constantly replaced to show the party in good light and history is constantly re-written by the Ministry of Truth.

Constant propaganda over the years has numbed the population and newer generations born into the rule of the Party blindly follow its propaganda and chant words of its glory.

Anyone who dares to show signs of dissent, dissatisfaction or even a express their annoyances is 'erased' from existence. 

'Thoughtcrime' is the act of controversial behaviour of even thoughts. In this society, cameras and telescreens watch you every second of your life. One false flick of the eyebrow or a mutter in your sleep enough to raise suspicion of your loyalty to Big Brother, is regarded as thoughtcrime. 

And you are at once evaporated from all records and your existence from history is evaporated too. As for the people you know, they will soon cease to speak of you anymore, else the thought police... 

The idea of thoughtcrime was perhaps the most unsettling to me as it seems impossible for such a large population to stay silent let alone praise their rulers even under such harsh and visible oppression. And it is precisely this point which is terrifyingly disproven by the author. 

What reason do the people of Oceania have, to think themselves oppressed? After all they have no contact with the outside world and the constant state of war only channels their dissent towards loyalty to the state!

It is fascinating to see how foolproof this version of society is explained and portrayed to be. War ensures that there is no desire for betterment of the human condition. Every last drop of energy from the 'comrades' of the nation is spent towards fueling the same war which bore no results or victory. Each of the three nations is so powerful that even two combined could not triumph over the third. And yet, the three nations operate on similar principles of totalitarianism and lived in a state of perpetual war to preserve the current structure of their societies within their borders.

'People's lives are short and are spent from birth to death praising the all-seeing Big Brother. They labour away to run the wheels of the state so it may fight valiantly against the evil nations beyond its borders. They will spend their entire lives never wanting more. For all their passion and human ingenuity is weaponised and blown to bits at borders by the machinery of war.' 

Naturally, it is propaganda which plays this role of unification and weaponisation of man's frayed mentalities. 

News of conquered territories and victories from the warfront flood the ears of common folk. Every year, data of increasing standards of living is shared joyously by the party. And people eternally rejoice in their blindness to the lies and deception.

And so. Human history, has successfully been arrested at a chosen point in time. Such is the world of 1984. 

The biggest takeaway of the novel in my eyes, is the importance of truth and independent thought. Combined with ideas from Dostoevsky's underground man, the rights to exercising free seem to be the only freedom which matter to us. Orwell however, adds a twist to such an argument and raises questions threatening the very meaning of free will.

Suppose I presented to you a comrade of the Oceania for your interrogation. He would claim that every citizen of his state exercised their free will and lived contentedly under Big Brother's powerful and fatherly eyes. He would claim that he expressed his opinions freely and was not oppressed in any way!

Such nonsensical claims would not arise merely from the fear of committing thoughtcrime, no. His ideology has been hand tailored since birth and his free will has been reduced to that of blind and senseless glorification of his own shackles and their unbreaking might. And quite wittily, the symbol of allegiance shown by the goats of Orwell's world show it by doing this.

Thus. The final question is posed. "What is to happen when one is given complete liberty to express his thoughts but those very thoughts were not his own?"

This novel in my opinion, is the perfect dystopian world to have ever been created. Majorly because of the lack of loopholes in Ingsoc and how plausible the scenario looks. The ideas that drive this society are not radically different from the ones which drive our current world. Power in the hands of the few who controlled the classes which lie below them. 

History has always seen upheavals of the lower and middle classes where they overthrow the lazy and corrupt upper class. The party and the state which it runs does not vary from such a stratification but has perfected the art of oppression. Even party members work laboriously to ensure that the cycle of ignorance is carried on. All the while being ignorant themselves.

In this way, neither guilt nor compassion for the downtrodden is ever born. How can there even be a downtrodden people when everyone look at one another as equal comrades? Comrades who stand together stood on an equal footing. Only to bow to the almighty 'Big Brother'.

The intimidating masterpiece of Orwell teaches us that it above all, the idea of truly independent thought must be preserved in any society. While debate and conflict of ideas may appear to slow progress, the absence of debate may halt it completely. We are free beings only when we are allowed to stand by our thoughts and words without fear. 

They can blow buildings to bits and history to ashes. They must never get to your mind. Whoever they may be

Bear in mind, we must always ensure our words are ours alone. It is fairly easy to twist and rephase the words of another and convince oneself that it is ours. In that, lies our death. The person burdened with the pride of false intelligence suffers more than the idiot. It is a herculean feat to create a truly independent worldview or even produce a maxim of life which you yourself may live by. 

When you think about the unspoken rules which direct your life. Do ponder when you make a decision. Be it choosing a pizza topping or your college majors. How many of those decisions and world-views are influenced by stuff you were told?

How many of these axioms, maxims, proverbs, bon mot and 'invisible rules' are truly yours? For real independence of thought, you must rely on culminations of the six senses which belong to you alone. (Common sense included. Please do not eat a poisonous fruit to 'see for yourself' ). 

Lack of such self reliance is exactly what fuels propaganda and malignant autocracy. Thus, in a free world, "Independent thought must echo in unanimity-

'Twice two makes four'"

A victim of a totalitarian rule expressing typical loss of free reason. (And hair)