Anna
05-24-2005, 06:07 PM
1986 is much more than a warning and a political book. It is philosophical. Sure, important themes are controll, power and individuality. But 1986 also, the same way Winston question the truth of the party, question our "truth" about the world. <br><br>Because it is not only the thought that we might come to live in a society as controlled as in Oceania that scares and disturbes us. It is fear for it being true, what the party says. That is possible to change the past and the present, that the past is not really something that exists, that it is only the memories, artifacts and the written word that decides what is history and it is only our experience of the present that decides what is now. Even if an outern world exists, what is the world to be prioritised, a dead world outside our minds that we cannot get in contact with or the world existing inside us (and can be controlled by the party)?<br><br>I think that is what dubblethinking is about. To "know" something, e.g that ministry of truth is spreading lies, but convice yourself the lies are the truth and by doing that and erase all evidence make the lies actually become truth.<br><br>Therefore, the minisrty of thruth is not only an ironical name opposite of its real purpose. It is a ministry that creates the truth.<br><br>Even if I believe this might be an possiblity, it is probably impossible to realise in the real world since everyone must be controlled, and I believe humans to be smart enough to create their own truth that suits them, e.g. that it is impossible to change the past.