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My question to you is mind control or physical control more important for power of BB? Or are both equally important, and if there were less advanced technology would they have the same effect on the people (sheep/brainwashed faithful/proles)? In a time where technology was nonexistent would Big Brother have the same amount of power as they do in 1984, especially if telescreens weren't around, would the sheep still be sheep?
The proles in 1984 aren't watched by Big Brother and his telescreens, but by their own ignorance and want for materialistic things. (Like pots and pans) Also do the proles really represent the brainwashed faithful? In my opinion the Middle Class represents that and the proles represent working class poor. Another opinion, i believe that Big Brother isnt in physical controll or has mind controll of the people of Eurasia but he controlls what they see and therefore generally believe. Maybe without technology the middleclass wouldnt be as faaithful to Big Brother as they are and more so for Winston, but I believe technology doesnt effect the proles very much at all.
Yeah I don't think the proles are the brainwashed faithful. Winston actually believes that any hope for change lies with the proles. The proles aren't being watched, because they are not seen as a threat, and it is ironic how the people who are free from the telescreens are the ones who pay absolutely no attention to the party. I believe that this is a warning from orwell, and that he is telling us, the people, that we need to keep an eye on our leaders. Orwell is trying to say that everybody needs to pay attention to what is going on around them, even the proles.
Yes B.B. makes the people fear the government with technology like the telescreens but they don't have any proof that anyone is even watching. It's like how the thought police don't actually read minds but people believe that if they do something wrong the thought police will get them. B.B. has brainwashed them into thinking that no matter what someone is watching you so you should never do something wrong. This means that even if he stopped watching through the telescreens you would fear that you would get caught and so you would not break the laws. The government wants to strike fear into the people's hearts so they have no thoughts of breaking the law or fighting back.
Mind control is more important to B.B due to if they use physical control more people would probably not be afraid to overthrow B.B (in my opinion).With mind control B.B can prevent being overthrown if he makes people think that everything he is doing is terrific, or have them fear B.B there by preventing anyone from doing any sort of crimes because the people would be too afraid to commit any crimes or to overthrow him. As for if B.B didnt have the technology they do in the book, they could get the same results as before but with using a different/careful execution in their ways. They would just have to do the same thing as there doing now but with less advanced technology, it might not work for a long period of time but it could work if executed correctly.