10 minutes of hate & the falsifying of the past.

[YaKuZA]

I dont understand how Big Brother can unite these people under the 'EMOTION' of hate when Big Brother vaporizes people under the same aspect, but based on other things...that is really strange to understand. The 2 minutes of hate is when these people undergo the emotion, Big Brother is letting people show only one emotion....hate, but ONLY hate to other people and coutries. And another thing, the non-understand that Winstons has about the history books, I feel the same way about them, WHY is that taking place.


please let me know what u think about these 2 subjects after u read this. i want some answers from each of you who read this.

[NickAdams]

People unite naturally when they have a common enemy. Look how America came together after 9/11. America had a common hate for terrorism, it was a little more racially focused than that, but lets leave it at terrorism.

It is also conditioning. The citizens associate hate with the enemies that the party creates, which are enemies to the party and by contrast the party is the hero and protector.

[nerdyarmadillo]

I don't know how many times you'll hear the word 'brainwashed' on this site, but it's probably a large number. Big Brother wants to control every aspect of the people's lives, and he is quite adept at it too, although he can't silence some people. Big Brother doesn't vaporize people out of hatred, he vaporizes them out of fear of them. Big Brother, like all tyrants, fears his people. B.B. knows that a large group like the proles could overthrow him easily, if they were of a mind to. Thus, he focuses their unhappiness elsewhere.

About the history books? Well, I'm not quite sure what you meant. Are you asking why Winston is unsure whether or not the history books are truthful? Well, I guess it's because all of the politicians promise the people many things, raises in certain rations, etc...But when rations lower, or something else negative happens, the numbers and statistics are erased and rewritten to seem better than before, as if things were raised. This has been such a long, ongoing process, and Winston feels like he's been doing it forever, and doesn't know what is real, and what is not anymore.

[Granny5]

Have you ever been to a church that believes in talking in tongues or shouting? It's the same thing. People get caught up in the emotion of the group. Even if they don't believe in what's going on, they join in. They have no other outlet for their emotions. BB changes the history books to reflect what he/the party want history to reflect. No one outside the inter Party knows for sure what the truth is. That probably plays havoc with everyone's memories. They have no reference.

[Teacher]

NickAdams is right on in using the "September 11" comparison. Uniting people in hatred may be the easiest, most efficient way at unification.

Go to a college or NFL football game. You see the same concept revealed there. The "us against them" attitude can be traced throughout history. I remember vividly throughout the late 60's and 70's, at the height of the Cold War, the anti-Soviet rhetoric that was aimed at uniting us.

Every four years the Olympic Games would roll around and while we hoped our own would put up a good showing, our real hope was we'd meet up with those "Commies" and put a whoopin' on them. The best example of this may have been during Hitler's Munich Games.

Bottom line is Orwell is not making this concept up. It's a simple one. In fact, I think his real point is asking us to question the concept of PATRIOTISM. Is it based more in the pride that we have in our country or is it based more in hatred of others?

I'll say hate simply because hate is easy! Understanding and acceptance of difference takes some time.