1984 …

[naomi24]

… by George Orwell. Anyone read it - and if so what were your impressions and is it relevant to what is happening today? The condemnation and destruction of history, the suppression of ideas that oppose the ideals of the ‘woke’, and the insistence in some quarters that two plus two really does equal five - all of that I think we are now witnessing.

Your thoughts?

[Tilly2]

He got the date slightly wrong. I read 1984 when at school and, at that age, could not believe that those things could happen. I remember being relieved when 1984 came and went. Orwell had got it wrong.

2020, is what the title should have been.

[sandyRoe]

Many of the Uighurs in western China seem to be going through experiences similiar to Winston's.
It has a sad relevance.

[Rosie29]

I can only agree Naomi.

[ToraToraTora]

At first I thought you were referring to all the lock down measures etc and I was going to point out their temporary nature. However, yes Naomi, there are some terrifying similarities with 1984. Obviously they can't actually read our thoughts but we are pretty close to the "thought police" now and big brother is no doubt watching! It will soon be all but illegal to utter a non prescribed view on any given subject. No doubt all public places will soon have "take the knee" areas where our subjugated population can show the correct deference.

[Zacs-Master]

Well, I can still watch what I want on TV, my clock still only goes up to 12, and no one has even hinted at strapping a cage to my face with a hungry rat in it.

I don’t think we’re anywhere near a 1984 scenario.

[Tilly2]

Even just quietly queuing outside a shop shows how easily some of us acquiesce to rules and regulations. Nobody grumbles, we just do is as we are expected to do.

[tiggerblue10]

I'm hoping that the far left agenda of the BLM backfires and is placed into Room 101. I think most people who supported it have already woken up and smelt the coffee and realise now how damaging it will be. I don't think we will get as far as an Orwellian dystopia.

History was my favourite subject at school and I learn't about every aspect of British history, good and bad including the slave trade so I'm unsure why BLM are claiming it wasn't part of the teaching/curriculum. My loft is full of history books.

[Peter Pedant]

I have to admit that I have been doing The Plague as more relevant to Lock down . I have just got up to "Declarez l'etat de Peste, fermez la ville!" It is really about the German occupation

1984 was written in 1948 - possible twisting of dates and no more (metathesis). The parallels are closer to Stalin for which it was intended - Goldstein is based on Trotsky - but cd be Corbyn I suppose. Two minutes Hate - could be any white power thread on AB - was about loathing Trotsky. Loathed but had been an ally, and hence the re-writing of history.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lenin_and_stalin_crop.jpg

"lthough Stalin did visit Lenin in Gorky frequently, the photograph has been heavily reworked: retouchers smoothed Stalin’s pockmarked complexion, lengthened his shriveled left arm, and increased his stature so that Lenin seems to recede benignly beside his trusted heir apparent. The reality was quite different"

I wanted to do the one where there is just a part of a pair of shoes where someone has been airbrushed

I have to admit I cdnt walk past the Uni of London senate house without thinking that was the basis for minitruth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_House,_London

the economic circumstances were maintained by a state of continuous war ( there wasnt one) and the Victory resaurants based on The British Restaurant - meal for 6d

winston smith remembering that her mother was carted away to a concentration camp - that has no parallel here

horses for courses I suppose

[Peter Pedant]

hmm missed the it where orwell writes about BLM - I really need to concentrate

[johnny.5]

"My loft is full of history books."

but all history books are biased or have the potential to be biased some even omitting the real truth because it hurts
such as in the Tulsa (black wall street ) massacre 1921
which I have to admit I had not heard of until this morning


we all really need to start living for the future and learn from past mistakes
but I still think the same mistakes will be repeated some time and somewhere

[vulcan42]

Of course 1984 is allegorical but the basic premise is there, we are gradually being subdued. As been said, George Orwell only got the date wrong.

[tiggerblue10]

Sorry PP, I thought that was one of the themes relating to Naomi's OP. If I got that wrong then I'll apologise and request that a mod removes my post :o(

[naomi24]

Tigger, you've no reason to apologise to anyone. Your posts are interesting and relevant to the thread.

[Old_Geezer]

Read it decades ago, enjoyed it, no longer recall details sufficiently to compare properly with today; but things seem to have been going in the same general direction for some time now.

[Old_Geezer]

Not been on 'I'm A Celebrity..." then Zacs ?

[naomi24]

The ducking and diving around the Brexit vote is a good example. Newspeak came into its own!!

[Theland]

Newspeak has its parallels now with compelled speech.
No more , ''him / her,'' etc, to be replaced by a preferred pronoun, such as '' theybe '' for example.
What is more interesting is the numerous bible prophecies coming true, for those with their eyes open.

[naomi24]

Can we keep religion out of this please. I'd like the thread to stay on track.

[jourdain2]

I read it many years ago at school, but thought that of course it could never happen. People were too sensible and freedom-loving. Both of us have been more than disillusioned and dispirited in the last few years. 'Newspeak' is alive and well - as are the 'thought police' i.m.o..

[Atheist]

Naomi; hear, hear in respect of your remark to Theland.