Thoughtcrimes with Alice

One thing that Orwell didn't have is the internet .  I think it's pretty safe to say that we can never fully squash totalitarian/authoritarian ideas. (Doing so might be a certain kind of totalitarianism anyways?) However, as I talked about in one of my previous posts, the isolation of each person in 1984  is what makes erasure of the past and future possible. Therefore, if we stay connected, I don't believe any entity like the Party will be able to take control. Yes, it is very naive to claim that the internet fixes everything. In fact, it breaks a lot of things and is perhaps the source of many of the problems that we face today. But in terms of moving away from an Orwellian society, the ability to instantly connect with people all around the world is POWERFUL . As with any tool, it can be misused. In 1984 , it is a combination of the state and the media (controlled by the state). In our world, maybe we should be concerned with the internet as a way to meaningfully connec...

Throughout his "reeducation", Winston goes through cycles of resistance and defeat. I have opinions about this regarding how Orwell seems to be struggling between staying true to his bleak message and glorifying Winston, but I will ignore those for this post. One of the more disturbing parts of this book is the mental torture which Winston is subject to. Sure, the descriptions of his emaciation and teeth/hair falling out is pretty gruesome, but I think the mind is something more people would consider untouchable by others. Torture can force someone to confess, and to bend completely to another's will, but it cannot change the beliefs of someone who is truly determined. Winston tries to cheat the system at several points by folding externally but keeping the spirit of rebellion alive deep inside. But O'Brien seems to always know what he is thinking, and counters--to the point that he gets Winston to finally betray his "love" for Julia (again, I have opinions)...