#austinsterling

The article is about how since 2001, the NSA has been spying on us through our electronics, like our phone calls and internet communications.  In the book, the Party spies on civilians through the t.v.’s as well as read their minds.  “You had to live - did live, from habit that became instinct - in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized” (page 3).

This song by Pearl Jam is the definition of dystopia.  The video literally depicts the end of the world, and the lyrics suggest that the evolution of humans is what caused it.  The song sends the same message as 1984, as the song was written in 1998 and one of the last lines is “2010, watch it go to fire.”  They’re “predicting” that human greed and corruption will be our downfall, just as Orwell predicted in the 50′s.  In 1984, the Party brainwashes the people to love them.  O’Brien tells Winston, “You must love Big Brother.  It is not enough to obey him; you must love him” (page 282).  In the song, the narrator is supposed to be an elite man, and he says “Admire me, admire my home.  Admire my son, he’s my clone.  This land is mine, this land is free.  I’ll do what I want, but irresponsibly.”  Because he is prestigious he is ordering others to admire him, just like the Party.

The man in this video says the bottom 90% of Americans have absolutely no say in the passing of a law.  Whether 0% or 100% of citizens support an idea, there is always about a 30% chance it will become a law.  This video relates to 1984 because, based on his analysis, the government is hungry for power just like the party.  As O’Brien says “But always - do not forget this, Winston - always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler.”  The video explains that it is mainly the fault of corporations and billionaires, who are able to buy political influence, but it doesn’t change the fact that it is legal.  The “constantly increasing power” O’Brien obsesses over can be compared to money for corporations.  The video explains that when they buy political influence, it causes a cycle that just ends up making them even more money.

I think if 1984 was meant to be anything, it was meant to be scary.  I think Orwell feared that England was headed down a path of power and corruption, so he wrote this book and set it in the not so far future (at the time) to share his fear with the general public.  While his 1984 was far worse than what 1984 actually ended up being like, when it comes to privacy and political and corporate corruption, it is hard to deny that most first world countries have been on a downward spiral since the book was published.  Right now it seems unlikely, but I can’t help but wonder if at some point our world will be as messed up as that of 1984.  Its hard to envision a nation that gets away with having their slogans be “War is peace.  Freedom is Slavery.  Ignorance is Strength” (page 4).

I can’t say that 1984 opened up my eyes or made me more wary about trustworthiness of my country, but it was definitely a thought provoking read.  While I think Orwell was pretty paranoid, I respect him for bringing much needed attention to a very delicate topic.  Winston was a strange and often confusing character, but to get the intended message across, I think Orwell made the right move in making him the protagonist.  Winston is paranoid, but the ending proves to us that his knowledge and suspicions about the party were true.  Everyone else was blind to the fact that the party was corrupt, which I think is Orwell’s way of telling us we need to wake up and realize the government isn’t as trustworthy as we think.  Also, not giving the book a happy ending was a good strategy because it made the threat seem more real.  “The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake.  We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power.  Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness; only power, pure power” (page 263).

Although i'll answer your questions here. 

CONDENSED ANSWERS THOUGH.