1984 (the book - spoilers)

[Sci]

Also, I don't think the concept of doublethink was ever plausible. A person can't edit their own memories.

Um, people do edit their own memories. It happens all the time in real life. Ask anyone who's ever supported a politician who later flip-flopped, or any person who ever flip-flopped themselves. Or, for that matter, anyone who believes in the divine infallibility of the Bible in spite of its numerous contradictions. All Orwell ever did in Nineteen Eighty-Four was invent fake names for real psychological processes.

 

[Carpe Occasio]

The book was doubleplusgood but you might like 1984 the movie (the 1984 UK version)

 

[Ethros]

John Hurt was perfectly cast in the role as Winston Smith. I always picture him when I read the book now

 

[Shawnster]

I think the book has lost a lot of its impact because it's no longer a plausible future. I'm not talking about the fact that the year 1984 has come and gone, I'm talking about the fact that civilization has moved in a completely different direction. Freedom has increased enormously (rather than decreased) with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Internet. Also, I don't think the concept of doublethink was ever plausible. A person can't edit their own memories.

Perhaps this is part of the reason why I dont think it is realistic. I think we should look out for this type of thing in the future. Leave it to the masses to solve the problems of the few.

Keep vigalent to ensure this does not happen, although even in Freedom you can be a slave. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

Excellent points.

Extrocomp - It all depends on your point of view, doesn't it? Yes it appears that Liberty and Democracy are spreading to every country around the world (OK, slight exaggeration) but Democracy doesn't necessarily equal freedom. The Soviet Union claimed to be democratic. China claims to be a Republic.

You can't take Orwell's 1984 and apply it word for word and scene for scene with any one particular nation today. Yet you can take parts of it and see how they are unfolding and happening in one country after another. The traffic cameras were already cited. They may not be as prevelant in the States as in the UK but they are popping up (and being fought against) more and more.

There is enough technology in use now that could easily be used by a Big Brother type of government. Imagine what our lives would be like if the Government controlled/monitored the traffic cameras, OnStar (which can start and stop your car, lock and unlock your doors and track your movements), etc...

We may not have Newspeak but we do have "Politically Correct" speak. We have sensitivity training. We have people being fired because of the sarcastic things they said that could have been taken as a threat. If you don't say the right things, act the right way, etc... you are the one that has the problem and need to be corrected.

Shrugs. It's all in how you view things.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

I wonder how the people in the outer party could justify their actions to themselves anyway.

Sometimes when I am watching the discovery channel or the same type of channel, I wonder if the history they just discovered is actually new of something they now spin differently.

 

[JGordon]

I read this book for the first time about a year ago (back to back with Animal Farm), and I was incredibly impressed. It really made me believe that -- with a few changes -- we could devolve into a totalitarian regime with no personal freedom. I agree that the characters in the book were somewhat secondary to the overall point, but I think that worked out considering the idea that everyone in this particular society was interchangeable. The book left me depressed for days, and because of that I loved it. It's a hallmark of great literature that it will emotionally effect you, good or bad.

I feel like this might be some of the OP's problem with the novel -- it looks like you were hoping to be entertained by this book, and instead you found an incredibly bleak and depressing view of the world. While I wouldn't call it boring, it's not a "page-turner" because at times it can be difficult to read and it isn't really "entertaining." But it's a seminal work and should be required reading for everybody, at least once. It saddens me that I didn't read it until I was 26.

Kind of like Schindler's List -- it's a heart-breaking, sad movie that many people (myself included) can only watch once. But most people are glad they watched it.

 

[Captain Shaw]

The scene where they get caught actually send a shiver down my spine.
The only book to ever to that.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

While there were several scenes like that, it was the final few scenes of the book that really sent the shiver down my spine. Cathartic!

 

[ThunderAeroI]

While there were several scenes like that, it was the final few scenes of the book that really sent the shiver down my spine. Cathartic!

You mean where he may have or may not have been shot in the back of his head?

Another thing I wounder about is why would they even bother killing their brain washed victums? Now that you spent untold resources on them, kill them. I realize OBrian spent some time explaining this about why they brainwash you, buit killing seems like wasted resources.

 

[Captain Shaw]

While there were several scenes like that, it was the final few scenes of the book that really sent the shiver down my spine. Cathartic!

You mean where he may have or may not have been shot in the back of his head?

Another thing I wounder about is why would they even bother killing their brain washed victums? Now that you spent untold resources on them, kill them. I realize OBrian spent some time explaining this about why they brainwash you, buit killing seems like wasted resources.

Governments always go round wasting Resources.

 

[Sci]

Another thing I wounder about is why would they even bother killing their brain washed victums? Now that you spent untold resources on them, kill them. I realize OBrian spent some time explaining this about why they brainwash you, buit killing seems like wasted resources.

Sure, but so what? The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. The point is not to eliminate your enemies -- it's to make them love you for it. To make them your willing, worshipful supporters before you snuff them out. It's the ultimate act of power: To make them want you to kill them for their previous resistance.

Yes, it's a waste of resources, but that entire society is built around the waste of resources. Heck, wasting resources is a virtue to the leaders of the Party -- it's another way of controlling the populace.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

Another thing I wounder about is why would they even bother killing their brain washed victums? Now that you spent untold resources on them, kill them. I realize OBrian spent some time explaining this about why they brainwash you, buit killing seems like wasted resources.

Sure, but so what? The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. The point is not to eliminate your enemies -- it's to make them love you for it. To make them your willing, worshipful supporters before you snuff them out. It's the ultimate act of power: To make them want you to kill them for their previous resistance.

Yes, it's a waste of resources, but that entire society is built around the waste of resources. Heck, wasting resources is a virtue to the leaders of the Party -- it's another way of controlling the populace.

all very true statements.

 

[TommyR01D]

-

 

[Kirby]

I haven't read this book since I was either a Sophomore or Junior in High School, which coincidentally the year was 1984 (our class thought that was awesome timing).Going through this thread I think it's time for a re-read.Sadly I don't think the Van Halen album did this book justice. With the exception of Hot For Teacher, it just didn't translate well.

 

[StalwartUK]

Ironic day to necro this thread given what our own government are trying to do now.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcTP7YWPayU[/yt]

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

If you didn't like the book then maybe you'll like David Bowie's aborted musical version. You can look up the songs "1984", and "Big Brother" on the ealbum Diamond Dogs, as well as "We are the Dead". Poor old Bowie couldn't get the rights to do a full blown musical, but you could think of it as a condensed version.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I think the book has lost a lot of its impact because it's no longer a plausible future. I'm not talking about the fact that the year 1984 has come and gone, I'm talking about the fact that civilization has moved in a completely different direction. Freedom has increased enormously (rather than decreased) with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Internet. Also, I don't think the concept of doublethink was ever plausible. A person can't edit their own memories.

If I remember right, and it's been 20+ years since I've read the book the little people had more freedom since they couldn't do anything and had things like the lottery and so on to keep them occupied.

The internet is a mixed bag as it gets censored in some countries and people have lost their jobs from vacation pictures and messages on Facebook, for example.