Thoughts on Proles

[McLovin]

Big Brother and the party certainly take advantage of the Prole's ignorance and lack of knowledge. I believe the Proles are not under telescreen surveillance because the government knows they're harmless. By providing the Proles with Pornosec and Victory Gin, B.B. is "keeping them stupid". I think Orwell makes a good point here, and expresses how easily those who are uneducated can be controlled. What are your thoughts on the Proles, and how the government uses them?

[cafolini]

Big Brother and the party certainly take advantage of the Prole's ignorance and lack of knowledge. I believe the Proles are not under telescreen surveillance because the government knows they're harmless. By providing the Proles with Pornosec and Victory Gin, B.B. is "keeping them stupid". I think Orwell makes a good point here, and expresses how easily those who are uneducated can be controlled. What are your thoughts on the Proles, and how the government uses them?

I would agree that the proles are not extremely difficult to control, but I think history has already proven that the educated are much easier.

[Goku]

I also agree with the original post, and I think the Proles play a big part in 1984. The Proles show the importance of education in a society, and how terribly not having education can destroy a society and economy. Orwell's placement of the Proles within this book reflect societies of pre-revolutionary France, America before the government started intervening in economic problems, etc. My question is why, ignoring Orwell's pessimism, would every character (besides Winston in his thoughts) in Oceania be so clueless to B.B.'s intentions?



P.S. I have only just finished reading Part 1 of this book

[Deutsch3]

I also agree that the government does not have full surveillance on the Proles because the Proles are considered ignorant and have a lack of knowledge as a whole. Although "Big Brother" does not believe they are a threat couldn't they use that to their advantage? Maybe if someone with more power or knowledge were to push the proles they could gain control. Strength in numbers?

[Discojaxx]

I also agree with the OP. Goku, you made a good point as far as the Proles and lack of education. However, I think the reason all the characters in this book seem to be 'clueless' is because of the Ministry of Truth and how they rewrite history to match present day events. These characters could remember the past all they want, but if they research it or look it up, they'll be wrong. Rewriting these events are seen as corrections and I don't think the employees of the Ministry of Truth even know they're making up lies. They also have doublethink, so they will believe one thing and also it's contradiction. (War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Freedom is Slavery)

[OrwellianTiger]

I think that B.B. overlooks a major threat that is the proles. They may be uneducated and not seem to pose a major threat now, but Winston makes a good point when he talks about the frightening that the three hundred angry women fighting over cooking pots had. Whats stopping a more intelligent person from unleashing the proles on B.B?

[LizzzyBF]

I think that there may be more people than we/Winston think that realise what is really happening. But with the thought police watching everyone, it would be very difficult to let anyone know. That's also why someone more educated can't rally the huge numbers of proles - as soon as you mention unorthodox ideas you get dragged off to the ministry of love, before you have a hope of organising any sort of action. I think the organisation of the Brotherhood as described by O'Brien would be the most likely way any resistance would work, as anything more overt would be crushed before it began.

[stlukesguild]

I would agree that the proles are not extremely difficult to control, but I think history has already proven that the educated are much easier.

Please give us some examples of this... considering it is both counter-intuitive and against logic.

[Monkeys]

The government uses the Proles because they can. The government is purposely keeping the Proles " stupid" because they can be controlled that way. They occupy the largest percent of the population so the government knows they have to keep them unable to notice government lies and manipulation or they could take over. If the Proles were more intelligent and interested in the issues they would not trust the government and could lead a revolt. The government is simply doing things to stay in power.

[Arrowni]

I would agree that the proles are not extremely difficult to control, but I think history has already proven that the educated are much easier.

Please give us some examples of this... considering it is both counter-intuitive and against logic.

I'd guess he's talking about making educated people chase education and jobs for 30 years in a fabricated enviorenment so they are too distracted to actually care about social issues and care only about their relative interest, which is manipulated through a system.

But in the end, I have no idea what he means.

[blackbird1159]

I believe that the proles are ment to be kept "stupid". With saying that, how hard would it be to educate them about the pretty obvious flaws in the government? Would Winston, or others, be able to get their brains moving and maybe cause a revolt at some point? I feel like someone could but it's probably easier said then done.