1984

[Ash]

I simply have found it necessary, after reading your summary of Orwell's 1984, to point out to you that it really has very little to do with communism and, similarly, that the U.S. is far from a communist state. As you clearly haven't the faintest idea what communism really is, let me enlighten you. But first, a suggestion: Go out and buy yourself a copy of The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx. At any rate, communism (in theory and horribly oversimplified) is a state in which every member of a society is perfectly equal and there is no personal property. It relies on the inherent goodness of human kind and as such cannot ever really exist. So in short, Mr. Domino Effect, it’s nothing we’ll ever have to worry about because people are too naturally selfish.

[Zardoz]

Yes, the US is far from a Communist state. You can forget about your Communist Manifesto. A first year university Philosophy student can destroy the arguments in that book with simple critical thinking techniques. It's logically inconsistent. If you want proof of its value, look around the world at the collapse of Communism. Communism is almost dead, and therefore harmless.<br><br>The world, however (i.e. The United States, the only remaining Superpower), is marching towards complete Totalitarianism. The realisation that the current U.S. "enduring" war on terrorism parallels Oceania's permanent state of war is one of the most important things a modern reader can take away from this book. Likewise, the recently passed Patriot Act allows people to be detained indefinitely without charge. Where do they take people so detained? The Ministry of Love, no doubt. The U.S. doesn't have an official Ministry of Love, but they do have a Ministry of Peace. It's called the Department of Defence. Why isn't it called the Department of War? It used to have the word "war" in its title, but they changed it. Orwell warned about exactly this - the alteration of the language, and with it the alteration of our perception. Do you give your taxes to the Department of Defence? You are giving them to a war machine.<br><br>Realising the striking parallels between Winston Smith's world and our own, particularly the current U.S. Bush Jr Regime, is vital to our freedom.

[Unregistered]

Excellent book. Was Orwell a prophet? No, Orwell knew "their" plan what "they" were going to do to the masses, truth in a novel. He warned, yet his books were "banned" for decades. Now, too late, the books are school reading material. The plan was subtle at first, then wickedly, "in-your-face" bold, such as "Oceania, Eurasia, Eastasia" now a reality as news and weather commentators already use 2 of them, as well as "Big Brother". It is no wonder it was schoolbook reading material which was a bold mocking ("we got them now!") venture, for students were/are already being indoctrinated into socialism (Animal Farm) schools and will not mind being led into communism which is subtle in itself, and one finds themselves eventually not able to express opinions or facts (because facts "are relative" or "irrelevant", nor work for which they went to school, nor do what they do according to their individual talents, nor writing, reporting, but only what "government" allows, nor think by one's own conscience as taught traditionally, nor be creative; but act according to "Big Brother" only and be as a robot.<br>Now, we also have the endless ("Enduring") "war" which also was in "1984". What is really remarkable is that being Orwell spoke grammar the correct way, yet wrote of "their" "newspeak", young people today understand and use the "newspeak".<br>O'Brian asked Winston to the effect, "How do you control someone?" Winston answered, "You make them suffer".<br>While mindful people in America are oppressed and suffering the tyranny of "Big Brother", they who already read Orwell's 1984 many years ago while it was "banned" in public bookstores. Why? Because it is truth in novel form. The mindless are not troubled at all, for already "Big Brother" is their friend and the endless "war" they cheer for that was begun after 911 is their future as they've already accept the lies, the propaganda. This is happening over the world. If a nation does not comply with "Big Brother", then they are targeted to be bombed into submission.<br>Orwell's literary style holds the attention and is a must-read. However, the only reason students are able to read it now is because the plan in "1984" is already set in the schools. Students are now reading it as it has already been done. That is how communism is; it is subtle.<br><br>

[rory1234]

1984 is about totalitarianism right?

[Reaper_ofall]

Yes, the US is far from a Communist state. You can forget about your Communist Manifesto. A first year university Philosophy student can destroy the arguments in that book with simple critical thinking techniques. It's logically inconsistent. If you want proof of its value, look around the world at the collapse of Communism. Communism is almost dead, and therefore harmless.<br><br>The world, however (i.e. The United States, the only remaining Superpower), is marching towards complete Totalitarianism. The realisation that the current U.S. "enduring" war on terrorism parallels Oceania's permanent state of war is one of the most important things a modern reader can take away from this book. Likewise, the recently passed Patriot Act allows people to be detained indefinitely without charge. Where do they take people so detained? The Ministry of Love, no doubt. The U.S. doesn't have an official Ministry of Love, but they do have a Ministry of Peace. It's called the Department of Defence. Why isn't it called the Department of War? It used to have the word "war" in its title, but they changed it. Orwell warned about exactly this - the alteration of the language, and with it the alteration of our perception. Do you give your taxes to the Department of Defence? You are giving them to a war machine.<br><br>Realising the striking parallels between Winston Smith's world and our own, particularly the current U.S. Bush Jr Regime, is vital to our freedom.

I agree with you, except it is not just the Bush thing, (notice that he is the son of Bush Sr. The inner party is passed down through leniage(sp)) it is all government. The alternate is lessia fair free market.