George Orwell’s 1984 looks at the dystopian world of Oceania, a conformist society governed by media manipulation and mind control. This futuristic totalitarian society, which uses terror, surveillance and repression to exert power over the individual, as demonstrated through the character of Winston Smith, is strikingly similar to today’s world. We may be nearing 2010, but, if today’s society is not careful, 1984 is just around the corner.
The Use of Big Brother
Big Brother is used so that the people are completely oblivious to who is actually in charge and monitoring them. Big Brother ensures there is no individual in society and that everyone remains the same. Orwell is demonstrating that with technological advances come a lack of control, a lack of power, and a lack of individuality for the people in society.
In today’s society Big Brother is often referenced in regards to the television show where strangers are locked in a house together and constantly monitored. Ironically, the catch phrase used for this widely popular show comes from the dystopian world of 1984. However, what makes it worse in modern day society is that people choose to live like this, and, with the advances in technology, viewers actually choose to watch this on television. The catchphrase for Big Brother, a worldwide phenomena, is “BIG Brother is Watching You,” the very same as the opening line in 1984.
The advances of technology have literally taking this dystopian society of 1984, and made it into a utopian setting that is completely reliant on media control. While Big Brother is watching the housemates, their television screens that they are glued to every night are also controlling the viewers. Certainly the irony and the stupidity of the entire show would have rendered Orwell horrifyingly speechless and appalled.
Language Control in 1984
The government in 1984 uses language and “newspeak” as a way to limit any individual human thought. By controlling the language, the Party is able to control the people.
This corruption of language is extremely common in today’s society as well with ‘doublespeak’ terms such as ‘war criminal’, ‘freedom fighter’, ‘racism’ and many other expressions being used in a deliberately deceptive, propagandistic way to whip up mass hysteria. Words such as “the axis of evil” “defense strategy” and “peace keeping forces” are used to soften the truth about what politicians are talking about - war, death, bombs, terror, hell. Doublespeak terms are used in conflicts and this language manipulation is straight out of the pages of 1984.
Propaganda at its Best
Propaganda is used as a way to brainwash the people about how to act at all times. In 1984, the streets are raided with signs reminding the people that “Big Brother is Watching You” and signs claiming “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance in Strength”, The Brotherhood books, the coins, the stamps and the “victory” products are all other examples of propaganda used by the Party.
In today’s society, propaganda is generally considered to be a way in which the government enlists people into the army. The famous slogan “We Want You” is a classic example of government propaganda. However, with the advances in Internet, television, and other media outlets, propaganda is always around us. Propaganda is just another method of advertising that is plastered all over the ads with half naked women on television, Big Mac billboards, and Internet banners with cell phones. Propaganda is a way for large companies to manipulate people into purchasing items they don’t actually need.
Although today’s society is constantly changing and advancing, it is simultaneously becoming eerily similar to the one-dimensional world that Orwell created.
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