1984, an exercise in thought.

You got it! By being in control and not in control at the same time is what I feel the whole part of the book is. If you can accept both things at the same time, no matter how contradictory, no matter if it is an action, cause, effect, or thought, you live in Winston's world.

You were really onto something. You touched upon paradox, freedom, and the creative element of our consciousness. But why did you cite our inability to interfere with the development of others as an inevitable precursor to our eventual re-imprisonment?<br><br>Why are you concerned with the other? How do our animal habits keep us from progressing? Are these processes not interconnected, capable of change, and hence free?<br><br>It is possible to survive in this world AND change it in a very real and significant way; it has been done throughout history and will continue to be.<br><br>All that hinders this is fear, which we must all inevitably overcome.

Hi<br> I'm re-reading it for the first time in decades. Fascinating how the patterns of so-called 'civilization' tend to repeat themselves as archaeological work has begun to reveal.<br> There have been thousands of civilizations, all of which have come and gone after rising to some particular apex. All filled with people of mediocre as well as spectacular intelligence.<br> One of the most subtle things about 1984 and our comparison to our current state of affairs, is to point out that we are both in control and have absolutely no control simultaneously.<br> In a nutshell, it's really up to us.<br> We have control because when we realize it, in spite of what anyone else ever says or does, if we imagine the earth pristine but vacant of any sign, present or past, of humanity, then you realize this, all of this, is just all in the minds of men. It is not a physical thing that is a part of our world, influencing or inhibiting our habitation on this planet. We are imprisoned or freed by our own minds. And our minds - any minds - can be changed - it's just a thought process away.<br> And we have no control because while we cannot change the minds of others when they act out with intentions either good or harmful, upon seeing we cannot mentally 'wish' our good intentions to come true, we give up trying, realize our small stature in the universe, and resume our animal habits of sleeping, eating, working, just treading water as it were.<br> A fascinating exercise in thought!<br>