What is doublethink?

[greensock]

What is doublethink? It seems to be knowing yet not knowing something at the same time. It has also been described as remembering something then the next moment forgetting it completely. How is this possible? If I knew something, I couldn't forget it one moment, bring it to memory the next, and then promptly forget it again. It seems impossible or at least difficult to understand.:(

[The Atheist]

It is a difficult thing, but there's a very good example with politicians.

A politician will say what his party tells him to. He may disagree with it entirely in his own mind, but to retain his position within the political party, he must deny that and be passionate about the official position.

O'Brien's example of 2+2 is the key. The answer is four, but through doublethink, one can accept that the answer is whatever it is supposed to be.

There are surprisingly large numbers of people who practice doublethink on a daily basis.

[thescholar]

doublethink is abstract thought. It is paradoxical analysis, and the ability to take a thought as a thought rather than something concrete. It is knowing that thought has depth. However, in 1984, the key to doublethink is to disregard these thoughts without analysis rather than contemplate.

[Twinkle_toes]

I had difficulty understanding doublethink when first reading the book. I look at it now as thinking two contrasting thoughts on the same matter at the same time, without believing one fully.

[AimusSage]

It's like children and Santa Claus. They can see their father change into the suit before their eyes in the same room and at the same time accept it is Santa Claus once the suit is on, and no one can tell them otherwise.