George Orwell's 1984 novel

[Mahoujin Tsukai]

Has anyone read the above novel? For those who did, what are your thoughts on it? Will our world become the '1984' dystopian society in 70 years time?

I got some nightmares after reading this book (not joking).

The dystopian society described in '1984' is a nightmare that only the End of Days can end. There are no personal freedoms (not even freedom of thought - literally, because of the Thought Police), you are watched wherever you go - even in your home, your friends/family can denounce you anytime, news & history are rewritten at light speed to suit the party's needs, wars are waged to stay in power rather than conquer...

The economic practices of Ocenia are insane - production of goods for only to destroy them later. Not raise the standard of living.

'2 + 2 = 5' stands out very clearly to me. This shows what a totalitaranian government (and a society under its control) can do to an individual's thinking.

Thoughtcrime, doublethink, Big Brother, etc...

 

[Mycernius]

I read this when I was 15 on my English teachers recommendation. Not a good book to read when you are 15. I found it a boring pile of rubbish. Was not impressed at all. Due to that I have never bothered to pick it up again and try to see it in a different light.

 

[leonmarino]

I read it a while ago and it's one of my favorites.. The thing is a lot of things described in that book are realities of how nation states, governments and world leaders work, a very interesting read indeed.
I hope we'll never reach the state of 1984, but some things have been realities all along (changing historybooks, brainwashing citizens etc.) in many countries. (The current war on terror for example, but if I say that I'll be accused of USA-bashing, there are also a lot of other examples though, China, the Cold War etc.)

 

[Ma Cherie]

I thought 1984 was rather boring, but at the some time it's not a bad book. I for one enjoy reading dystopian fiction. "Brave New World" is one of my favorites. I really liked "The Handmaid's Tale." But aside from that, I think 1984 was a way to tell people that how easy it is for the government to control people.

 

[anadorei]

Big Brother Is Watching You.
One of my fave books ever.

 

[yukio_michael]

It's a pretty great book in my opinion, but it's actually supposed to be a metaphor for England emerging from WWII. Airstrip One of course being England.

There are a lot of good points to the book, such as how a society that controls history ultimately controls the present--- Look at how our own nations dictate popular thought by choosing what to omit from our history books.

Leonmarino, I don't think the "war on terror" counts as brainwashing, as I think almost everyone except for the administration trying to push it knows that not only was it a complete failure in namesake or otherwise, it has ultimately made the world a much much more unsafe place to live.

 

[Pachipro]

The book should be re-titled "2006"

 

[leonmarino]

Leonmarino, I don't think the "war on terror" counts as brainwashing, as I think almost everyone except for the administration trying to push it knows that not only was it a complete failure in namesake or otherwise, it has ultimately made the world a much much more unsafe place to live.

Yeah that's true. It's not so much the brainwashing that I meant, but their (the government's) trying to change the past, or at least presenting the "facts" in such a way that Saddam Hussein "has always been a enemy", while the US had a diplomatic relationship with him for several reasons (Iran being one of those reasons) in the past.

 

[yukio_michael]

Yeah that's true. It's not so much the brainwashing that I meant, but their (the government's) trying to change the past, or at least presenting the "facts" in such a way that Saddam Hussein "has always been a enemy", while the US had a diplomatic relationship with him for several reasons (Iran being one of those reasons) in the past.

"They lie. They lie and we have to be merciful for those who lie. Those... nabobs. I hate them. I do hate them." -Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Apocalypse Now)

Interesting quote because nabobs (a corupted form of nawab) was the term used by the natives of India (I can't figure out what to say here--- Indians?) for the English colonialists who most profited from the colonization of India...

 

[den4]

kind of reminds me of this movie:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafka_(film)

 

[leonmarino]

Speaking of movies, they should make a remake of 1984! There is one version released in (guess!) 1984, but it's not that good and incomprehensible if you haven't read the book.

I would like to see Jim Carrey as Winston and Angelina Jolie as Julia..

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Somehow I don't think 1984 would make a very good comedy....

 

[leonmarino]

Somehow I don't think 1984 would make a very good comedy....

Ey! Who said it's going to be a comedy? Jim Carrey can also act in serious roles apparently, as I saw in "Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind".

But indeed, it wouldn't be a good comedy.. I wonder if someone decides to remake 1984, and if it's such a hit that a sequel will be made, would the sequel be called "1985"?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Ey! Who said it's going to be a comedy? Jim Carrey can also act in serious roles apparently, as I saw in "Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind".
But indeed, it wouldn't be a good comedy.. I wonder if someone decides to remake 1984, and if it's such a hit that a sequel will be made, would the sequel be called "1985"?

Yes, you're right of course. Jim Carrey can certainly act in serious roles, but for some reason, the first thing I think of when I hear his name is comedy.

1985 sounds like a great title for a sequel to me!