Don't Worry I'll Keep the Flies Off Your Babies Slavery

Natalie Frank has a Ph.D. in Clinical psychology. She specializes in Pediatric Psychology and Behavioral Medicine.

At the showtime of the book 1984, these words are presented as the official motto of the nation of Oceania:

War is Peace

Freedom is Slavery

Ignorance is Strength

— George Orwell, 1984

These slogans were created by an entity known only equally "The Political party," which consist of those in charge of the country. The words are written in enormous letters on the white pyramid of the Ministry building of Truth, which because that they are obvious contradictions, seems to be an odd place to put them.

The fact that this motto is written on a regime building for a department called the Ministry of Truth suggests that the author is trying to convey that these statements are somehow true for the order he has synthetic. These are just the kickoff in a series of contradiction written throughout the volume and they serve to represent the nature of the social club and how information technology is held together through the way in which these opposites function.

Orwell opened his volume in this mode on purpose in order to introduce the reader to the concept of Doublethink, which is what allows the people of Oceania to alive with constant contradictions in their lives. Doublethink is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in i's mind simultaneously.

The Party develops this power in information technology's citizens by undermining their individuality, independence and autonomy and by creating an environment of constant fearfulness through propaganda. In this way, the Political party breaks down their power to think rationally and makes citizens have and believe annihilation they tell them, even if it is entirely illogical.

The volume is filled with similar contradictions similar the ones seen in the opening quote. For example:

• The Ministry of Peace oversees state of war
• The Ministry of Dear carries out the torture of political prisoners and serve every bit the police of Oceania
• The Ministry building of Truth is in accuse of changing the content in history books and in the news to concur with the Party's beliefs

These contradictions keeps the citizens constantly off residuum, and then they are never sure of themselves or each other and must rely on the party for guidance as to how to live their lives.

The fact that the national motto of Oceania is simply as contradictory equally these other examples emphasizes the success of the Party'southward campaign of psychological mind control. The government has get able to maintain the apparent veracity of these opposing statements because the functions they serve which make them a reality in the society of Oceania.

What Is the Meaning of "State of war Is Peace" in 1984?

The first slogan is probably the almost contradictory of the three. The people of Oceania believe that the maxim State of war is Peace ways that in guild to have peace i must tolerate the horrors of war. It does not equate the two as the statement might otherwise suggest. The people fully believe that war is bad and peace is good.

Yet, equally in existent life, the people take come to the agreement that sometimes one must make terrible sacrifices in order to have a peaceful nation. The war does non take place on the soil of Oceania but instead, somewhere far from it so they don't come across the horrors of the battle, the destruction, the wounded and dead in front end of them. They only hear virtually it through the daily announcements made by the Party.

While this contradiction may seem like a logical reality at get-go, it becomes less so when the reader realizes that there is actually no war occurring at all. Information technology is a made up fiction created by the Party just to keep the people in line. It is intended to keep their attention focused elsewhere, so that they do not realize how the Party is controlling their every thought and activeness.

The motto State of war is Peace indicates how having a shared enemy unites the people of Oceania and helps them remain on a common grade. It gives them something to worry about external to the way the land is existence run, that is happening somewhere else. Information technology helps to prevent them from becoming consciously aware of the obvious problems in their own society. This mentality, put in place for the benefit of the Political party, gives the people someone other than the government to blame for their issues, making them easier to rule.

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A state of abiding war demonstrates that people are sacrificing for the greater good of the gild, pledging their try and money to the war, and devoting themselves to their country and authorities. From the Party'due south point of view, all of this is adept in that the more than people that invest in and commit to their nation and government, the fewer problems they volition perceive.

This maxim focuses the people's attention, preventing them from beingness consciously aware of the obvious problems in their own lodge, where they are being actively manipulated and controlled. If people discover themselves having thoughts counter to accepted regime rhetoric, they can quickly distract themselves by thinking about the state of war and worrying over the possibility of attack.

What Is the Meaning of "Liberty is Slavery" in 1984?

The second motto, Freedom is Slavery, represents the message that the party imparts to the community that anyone who become independent of gild's control is bound to exist unsuccessful. A society that is based on costless will effect in chaos and the devolvement of the society. Since the slogan is commutative, if freedom is slavery then slavery is liberty. Hither, the Party communicates the message that those who are willing to subjugate themselves to the collective will or the will of the society which past definition is the will of the Party, will be freed from danger and wanting what they tin can't take. Society defines what is good, what is acceptable, what is desirable. Those who focus on those things and on fulfilling the will of the guild will be gratis from despair and will lack nix, at least nada that society, or the Party, condones.

The Party embodies the idea of a paternalistic structure for those who live in Oceania. Hence, the idea of the Government surveilling it'due south citizens being presented under the guise of "Big Brother." Adherence to the ethics and rules are ensured by this private, who is presented as a family member and who is supposed to only have the best interests of the people in mind.

In society to survive in this society, the citizens must ignore the clear reality that Big Brother is certainly not a family member showing concern, but is rather the government spying on everything the citizens practise in society to control them. The Party even interprets facial gestures and nonverbal advice and the people can be tortured equally political prisoners because of behavior interpreted as subversive.

The obvious contradiction here is that it is only by enslaving yourself to the regime and any they condone that you are complimentary from harm and imprisonment. Freedom in Oceania means the freedom to do and retrieve what the Party wants without deviating from their rules and regulations.

What Is the Significant of "Ignorance is Strength" in 1984?

There is also the need for the citizens to subvert their will and their awareness to accept the contradictions the government puts forth. They are expected to bury the truth and take irrationality such every bit is demonstrated in the three statements. Ignorance is therefore strength every bit it is the willing ignorance of the people who ignore obvious contradictions. They neglect to investigate such inconsistencies as a non-existent war with an e'er irresolute enemy.

It is this ignorance that maintains the power of the government and the seeming coherence of the the society. It is but through ignorance that people can find the strength to live in a totalitarian society where the government oppresses them even while communicating to them how fortunate they are.

Members of the Political party participating in "hate week."

What Are the Themes in 1984?

When beginning reading these iii slogans, most people scratch their heads wondering how conflicts that can arise from equating two opposites. Just the idea of contradiction is one of the principal themes of the novel. In particular, specific themes include:

• A shifting definition of liberty and enslavement
• The nature of trust and true loyalty
• What reality is and how it is affected past appearances

All of these themes are contradictory, all the same they power the plot of the novel.

Shifting Definitions of Liberty and Enslavement

One idea presented in Orwell's book is expressed in the saying:

"Absolute ability corrupts absolutely."

The government has grown to get omnipotent, writing its ain version of reality past changing the content of history books, and making the people too fearful to remember critically.

The Party is then powerful that when it says ii+2=v, the people accept this and come to mindlessly believe it. When the Political party declares that Oceania is at state of war with Eurasia, they distribute heaps of propaganda and edit records so that the people accept that this is how it is and has always been. When the government then says Oceania is at war with Eastasia and has always been at war with them, the people permit their reality to be inverse and accept this every bit true. Not only that, but they accept that Eurasia has always been their ally.

Even so, the people do not perceive whatever of these contradictions as a type of enslavement. They willingly let the Party tell them what to think, what to believe, what to value, and how to act. They allow the government to modify these ideals whenever they cull, believing the new propaganda as fact and repressing the previous reality.

The people must be aware on some level that they are accepting clear opposites, reversals of what is presented equally fact, and revisions of history. Yet they accept come to accept this as a small price to pay for safety from their assigned, feared enemy.

It is nigh every bit if the government sometimes changes reality just because they can. In that location is no need to change a fictional enemy, as the entire war is made up anyway. Creating a new contradiction for the people seems sometimes to exist done merely considering the Party is able to practice and so, and considering information technology keeps the population on its toes. The authorities has not but come to dominion completely, but has reached a point where information technology takes pleasure in enslaving people and then they do, say, and believe whatsoever their master tells them.

The nature of the relationship between the Party and its citizens is very much like slavery. The people must serve the government, and any try to "escape" with independent thought is brutally punished. The people are valued simply insomuch every bit they benefit the authorities.

In 1984, Winston, the protagonist, and Julia, his lover, secretly endeavour to escape from the mind command of the government in a room they rent to a higher place Mr. Charington'southward store. They believe the old-fashioned room has no telescreen, a device through which the Inner Party surveils the population.

But in fact the room does have a telescreen hidden behind a painting, and Mr. Charington is actually a member of the thought police. The notion of freedom cannot be maintained as Winston and Julia are attempting to define it. They cannot be costless just considering they remove themselves from their normal environment and become to a different room. There is no escape.

As the book comes to a shut, Winston's thought of liberty has changed. He no longer has a sense of individual self, he has, in essence, become selfless, a function of the greater guild. Now, he is not only compliant with the Party's dictates, merely he wants to exist compliant. He loves Big Brother and has no difficulty rejoicing when he hears near a tactical victory in Africa. The author then states that he slips back into a beatific dream where he perceives himself to have a soul as white equally snow as he confesses and reports more people to the thought police.

The novel ends by saying that the long hoped for bullet entered Winston'due south encephalon. This does non mean he really died, but that the independently-minded Winston, whose idea of freedom was freedom from Big Brother and the dictates of the Political party, died. This suggests that Winston was willing to give up all that he had fought for and take being subservient, controlled, and manipulated.

In today'due south complex world, it tin can sometimes experience equally if having others take responsibility for making decisions for us would be freeing. We wouldn't have to struggle with different options or have the consequences of bad decisions and situations nosotros can't control. For different people, unlike degrees of autonomy, responsibility, and consequences contribute to the mode freedom is defined. Some may feel complimentary when they have more control over their life, even if it means they take more responsibleness. For others, the stress of responsibility hampers their sense of freedom.

More choices may be construed as liberty, while numerous options may paralyze. Thus, freedom may be perceived in different ways by different people. As we see with Winston and Julia, this is even true in the dystopia of 1984.

Trust, Loyalty, and Betrayal

The twisted nature of trust, loyalty, and betrayal is a recurring theme in the novel 1984. Winston is betrayed past Mr. Charrington, O'Brien, and Julia. He also betrays Julia as well as himself. Yet the novel explores the nature of trust and how it plays into loyalty and betrayal. Without trust, there can be no loyalty or betrayal, and trust is almost non-existent in the novel. The characters can never know if they are being observed, either in person or through the telescreen.

It is also incommunicable to know who is a member of the thought police, and even those who are not function of the thought police oftentimes betray others past turning them in. On multiple occasions those closest to one other–such as spouses, siblings, parents, and their children–may beguile each other. All the same this is what is expected of the members of this society. Citizens report one another with zeal.

Prior to their arrest and torture, Winston and Julia believe the merely true betrayal is the betrayal of the center, every bit this is the only kind of betrayal they have control over. They learn that they actually have no control over this blazon of expose either, as in the terminate they have no choice only to beguile each other and themselves. What establishes their loyalty to each other is trust in something outside of the Party and Large Brother, only this idea is somewhen broken.

They aren't traitors, though, until the Party makes them traitors through torture, when they confess to betraying the unabridged society and are forced to farther betray anyone toward whom they may experience loyalty. The Party seeks to eliminate potential expose at the root by getting rid of all trust and loyalty.

So, the contradiction exists whereby trust and loyalty to other citizens is deemed bad, while trust and loyalty to the Political party is deemed proficient. Moreover, betrayal of the Party is accounted bad, while betrayal of others is deemed good. The irony is that when all loyalty toward other citizens is destroyed, no true loyalty toward the Party can be either. Still, loyalty based on fear and manipulation is satisfactory to the Political party.

Winston believes that despite knowing they will turn confronting each other and tell the Party what they want to hear virtually each other's sins, every bit long every bit they continue to love one another this will non be betrayal. This is an idealistic and naive viewpoint, since he clearly tells Julia that, in one case they are captured, in that location will be zero they can do for each other.

Truthfully, they tin can remain loyal to the other past not giving up data. Simply neither of them consider this an option. When yous cannot put another over yourself, or stop yourself from saying something that could harm the other, truthful or non, not only can there be no trust and thus no loyalty, in that location can be no love.

The Appearance of Reality vs. Truthful Reality

In the novel, O'Brien tries to teach Winston about the nature of reality nether the Party through torture, manipulation, and fear. Winston attempts to concord onto his belief that at that place is a true reality that cannot exist controlled by the Political party, especially in relation to the past, which is fixed and a part of people'south memories. O'Brien points out that the Political party controls all documents likewise as people's thoughts, so the Political party truly can control the by.

This accented control leads to the assertion that whomever controls the past controls the futurity, and whomever controls the present controls the by. O'Brien is arguing that the Party's version of the past is what people believe, and what people believe is truth even if it has no footing in true reality. This is related to the Party slogans in several means.

O'Brien wants Winston to permit get and allow himself to be torn down so he can be reconstructed equally a citizen that is loyal to the Party. This ties into the reversal of the traditional idea of freedom and enslavement, equally it is only in allowing oneself to become enslaved by the Party, by fully accepting information technology and its ethics, that one can go rid of the stress and strain involved in fighting against it.

Once one accepts the Party, they no longer have to worry about what to think, how to act, or what to do with their lives. It is all washed for them, and they are free from the burden of self-conclusion. Past waging war against self-decision one tin can find peace. The easiest way to practise this is through ignorance, which provides a person with the ability to take anything the Party wants them to believe. This allows them to be a model citizen, and in this world, that is a strength.

Concluding Thoughts

In today's world we all besides often fail to find that we are allowing ourselves to be enslaved equally well. Sometimes this is due to propaganda and the lack of alternative information that is easy to obtain. Other times it may be do to shear laziness and the failure to seek the truth or to permit ourselves realize that we are contributing to our own slavery such as when we turn over personal data online without thinking twice.

We annals brief outrage when learning of the government's intrusion into our private lives such as with hidden wires that allow them to access our mobile conversations and data. But nosotros just as quickly allow information technology become without demanding redress, with the alibi that we can't do anything about it or that that the company in question must deal with information technology. We let government officials change reality with false facts and false news and again give lip service to our anger and disbelief merely let them to remain in function saying that is what politicians do and we have to accept the bad with the good.

In other words. nosotros are letting those who pb, those in power, define our reality, at least in function. This is done through whatever ways will aid them retain power as opposed to what is in our best interests. We accept propaganda that reverses itself similar to the war propaganda in 1984. For instance, whether Great socialist people's libyan arab jamahiriya is our staunchest enemy or marry has depended on if there was benefit to one vs. the other at the time.

We can accept that a nation is our friends one twenty-four hours and our enemy the next, largely by assuasive ourselves to remain ignorant. We fail to learn everything we can about the state of affairs, instead, just assertive the position the government tells us to believe. We allow ourselves to exist led to wage war on what we know to be reality that is based on manipulated commonage memories of events.

This may seem like peace since nosotros don't have to piece of work to clandestine the truth of situations, but it is taking the piece of cake style out and assuasive others to ascertain our past, present and future. The only way to notice truthful liberty, peace and strength is to refuse to blindly take whatever we are told just to keep things simple and non-confrontational.

Nosotros demand to come to the decision that it is time to wage state of war on such automatic acceptance of manipulated reality. Nosotros can accept a opinion and follow our words with actions, demanding there be consequences for those who attempt to feed the public lies dressed up equally alternate facts or who rewrite history co-ordinate to their ain best interests. This is ultimately what will atomic number 82 to true strength, the abandonment of ignorance and ultimately freedom and peace.

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What Are the Four Ministries in 1984?

Ministries in 1984 are the departments of the regime that maintain the status quo. Each of the ministries has a different responsibleness. The 4 ministries and their functions are as follows.

Ministry	Role
Ministry of Truth	Alters official documents to reflect the artificial reality dictated by Big Brother. Distributes propaganda, controls the flow of new information, and alters documents from the past to make them align with the present.
Ministry building of Dear	Enforces the rules of the government by carrying out surveillance of Oceania'south citizens. Employs the idea constabulary to spy on and capture potential offenders. Carries out the imprisonment and torture of political prisoners.
Ministry of Peace	Carries out all matters of war, including the cosmos of armies and the creation of weapons.
Ministry of Plenty	Carries out the production of goods similar food, clothing, appliances, and equipment.

What Is Facecrime in 1984?

Facecrime in 1984 is committed when a citizen of the Political party reveals that they are committing thoughtcrime through the expression on their face. It may likewise be something that indicates abnormality such as a nervous tic, a await of anxiety, muttering to oneself, for example. Annihilation that suggests someone has something to hide.

Facecrime tin be detected using telescreens, a citizen spy, or a fellow member of the thought police force.

What Is Thoughtcrime in 1984?

Thoughtcrime in 1984 is committed when a citizen of the Party thinks "deviant" thoughts, which would include any thoughts that take to exercise with individuality or freedom. A citizen can be charged with thoughtcrime for simply thinking about thoughtcrime.

Thoughtcrime is detected with telescreens installed throughout Oceania that have both microphones and cameras. Thoughtcrime can also be detected past the inflection of one's voice or the micro-expressions of their confront (called facecrime). Members of the thought police, an organization within the Ministry of Love, or a citizen spy may catch someone committing thought crime which leads to the individuals abort and interrogation.

What Is Doublethink in 1984?

Doublethink in 1984 occurs when a person knows that something is not truthful, only believes information technology to be truthful anyhow. One instance of the citizens of Oceania using doublethink is if Big Brother were to say that 2+2 equals 5. While mathematical fact says that 2+2 equals 4, through the use of doublethink, two+ii tin can equal 5.

Doublethink is a fact of life in Oceania, and must be used everyday in club to survive. The best citizens in George Orwell'southward dystopian universe are those who take mastered the fine art of doublethink.

What Is Duckspeak in 1984?

Duckspeak in 1984 occurs when someone speaks without thinking, similar a quacking duck. In Oceania, saying that somebody is using duckspeak can exist interpreted as either good or "ungood" depending on who is speaking and what they are saying.

If a denizen is maxim something in line with the parties ideals then it is good. If they are carelessly saying something confronting the Political party doctrine then it is "ungood" and results in their arrest and interrogations.

What Does it Mean to Be Vaporized in 1984?

To be vaporized in 1984 is to exist captured past the thought police force for a criminal offence and eliminated. Beingness vaporized means you lot not simply finish to exist, simply have never existed. Once you take been vaporized by the Ministry of Dear, the Ministry of Truth goes to work removing every trace of your existence.

Oftentimes, those who are vaporized are not fifty-fifty told of their crimes. Instead, they are simply abducted i day, taken to the Ministry building of Truth, tortured until they acknowledge to some wrongdoing, asked to implicate others, and vaporized. The cycle continues endlessly, and keeps citizens vigilant when it comes to enforcing Large Blood brother's rules and ideologies.

In ane scene from the volume, Winston, is his chore at the Ministry of Truth, has to edit an article from the past about a man who was recently vaporized. Since he is now considered an unperson, Winston fills the hole left by this man by creating an entirely fictional grapheme, a busy state of war hero. Other departments in the Ministry of Truth go to work making a face for the human, taking pictures of him in professional studios that make information technology look like he is in some far away, war-torn land. Once this work is finished, the real human being is gone, replaced by a fictional one.

What Is an Unperson in 1984?

An unperson in 1984 is a person who has been vaporized and no longer exists (and has never existed). This is the term the Inner Party uses to refer to those they have had removed from club through vaporization.

A big part of Winston's chore at the Ministry of Truth is to fill the gaps in history that are left in the wake of unpersons.

Questions & Answers

Question: Is the statement, "War is Peace" a paradox or an oxymoron? Also, what are some examples of paradoxes and oxymorons in literature?

Answer: Many people confuse oxymorons and paradoxes. Both tin be recognized in everyday chat too equally in literature. However, they are non the aforementioned thing and have unlike purposes.

A paradox is a argument or grouping of statements that may on the surface announced to embody contradictions or seen cool but upon further reflection exist seen as true or at to the lowest degree as something that makes sense. They are contrary to what we usually believe and can make us think about things in different means or more securely. They, therefore, are oftentimes employed every bit literary devices. An oxymoron is comprised of two opposing or contradictory words that are used for dramatic effect.

War is peace seems like a contradiction and an absurd one at that. War is the virtually brutal human action we tin carry out against each other. It is far from peaceful. Sometimes war is necessary to ensure that peace can occur.

Consider the situation where a state is constantly launching missiles at some other country, going on stealth raids or other types of limited attacks that may be months apart and each a single occurrence but which still result in the loss of life, property, the constant fear or another attack that causes the population to have to change the mode they live to protect themselves from harm and terror when the attacks occur.

This is not a country of peace. And then to stop all this, the land existence attacked launches a war against the other nation to render it incommunicable for them to continue the attacks both materially and based on the conditions of either a cease-burn down or final agreement. The country that had been previously attacked wins the war following which they at present accept peace and are free from fear of farther attack.

In Brute Farm, also by George Orwell, there is a cardinal rule set forth for all the animals. Part of information technology states:

"All animals are equal, but some are more than equal than others."

This statement seems similar it is impossible. First of all, equal is equal; it's an absolute without a related quantity. Y'all tin't have something that is more than equal or less equal. So then, if all the animals are equal, you tin can't have some that are more equal. This would imply that some are either better, accept more than power, have more of a correct to brand decisions or deserve more than resources than others. Again this would not suggest equality.

But in the novel, the government has never treated anybody as fifty-fifty while stating that everyone is equal. It is alike to the separate but equal doctrine that once justified systems of segregation and the dual educational activity system in the south. It was determined that as long every bit black children were provided with equal facilities as white children, segregation didn't go against the Constitution. Just these split up schools were anything merely equal.

In another, instance, In Shakespeare's Village, Hamlet states, "I have to exist cruel to be kind." Again being cruel and existence kind are considered to exist contrary and mutually exclusive such that an action that is fell cannot exist kind and vice versa. We typically don't see someone who is cruel to us as a kind person.

In this example, Hamlet is speaking about his mother, and his intention to kill Claudius, his Uncle. It will exist a tragedy for his mother, who is Claudius'south wife, simply Village thinks that killing his father'south murderer volition ultimately be the all-time matter for this mother. And then in the greater scheme of things, while it may seem roughshod initially, Village feels that the kindness he is doing is far greater.

In some other Shakespeare work, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, information technology says,

"The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb;

What is her burial grave, that is Rainbow in her womb…"

The lines are at one time describing the nascency, with the earth being the birthplace, and death with the same globe housing Juliet's tomb. The second life, juxtaposes the thought of a grave, once more alluding to expiry, with a womb, which is associated with nativity.

In the poem, My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold by William Wordsworth, is the line:

"The child is father of the human…"

This line seems reversed for information technology should be the homo who is the father of the child. But thinking about it more than advisedly, it tin exist seen that childhood and everything that happens during this stage sets the stage for what comes subsequently. So childhood is the basis for adulthood and thus, childhood "fathers" the man or adulthood.

There are numerous examples of an oxymoron in literature, but probably the almost obvious one is from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:

Why, and so, O brawling honey! O loving detest!

O anything, of zero first create!

O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!

Mis-shapen anarchy of well-seeming forms!

Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, ill health!

However-waking sleep, that is non what it is!

This love feel I, that feel no love in this.

Romeo learns he has fallen in love with an unavailable adult female and feels as if he has descended into anarchy. All his hopes and dreams have been shattered. Shakespeare portrays this sense of discord through the utilize of opposites that don't make sense much the same as Romeo'southward life no longer makes sense to him. This is communicated through phrases such as loving hate, heavy lightness, serious vanity, feather of lead, bright smoke, cold burn, sick wellness, waking sleep.

© 2018 Natalie Frank

CommonCents on October 18, 2019:

Natalie said: "Given everything that is going on in the earth today and our current President in the U.Due south. I think so many of the things Orwell wrote about accept already come up to pass in our order. "

Well Natalie, you are conspicuously drinking the INGSOC Party Kool-Aid if yous retrieve the current president represents the worst of 1984... the previous president (Obama) and his party see 1984 every bit their bible.

Daniel on May 28, 2019:

Hilarious that both 1984 and Brave New World predicted the future. Fifty-fifty more hilarious that the states proles are withal allowed to read them as a token freedom of "and what are yous going to do about information technology?".

Natalie Frank (author) from Chicago, IL on September xv, 2018:

No, you lot have that reversed, jnjerrynelson. The Inner Political party rules Oceania, making up 2% of the population. They are the ones that have the power and make the decisions for the society. The outer party is essentially the eye course and composed of the more educated members of gild. They are largely responsible for implementation of the Party'south policies (though this is actually carried out through spying and reporting on each other oftentimes aimed at gaining a bit more safety from existence arrested) merely they have no say in anything. They take strict rules practical to them. The proles are the lower class and accept the same rules applied to them they but have less resources and lower level jobs. The inner party is the regime.

jnjerrynelson on September 12, 2018:

Hi Natalie - I read the great 1984 many years agone and think about it all the fourth dimension these days. I'm not certain that this is an original idea, but I've e'er thought that people missed the point about 1984 in that information technology is not about the evils of Government, and then much as information technology is almost the the Inner Party. The Government, represented by the Outer Party, is simply a tool that the Inner Political party uses to maintain control and implement its agenda. The Inner Political party is the real enemy, non the Government per se. The Outer Party is simply a means to an end. Right?

Derek on September 07, 2018:

Actually,1984 is NOT pessimistic-everyone ignores the Appendix,which is clearly written-in Oldspeak-after the novel'southward events.It begins-''Newspeak WAS (my italics)the official language of Oceania'',and later-almost a slogan-''it was believed with a fervour it is impossible for us to understand today''-implying the Party has been overthrown.Too,don't forget the idea that mayhap Julia really was an agent of the Idea Police force,with her access to quality tobacco,chocolate,etc.

Natalie Frank (writer) from Chicago, IL on September 04, 2018:

Naum, Thank yous for interest and your comment. I agree with you lot that the war is existent from the standpoint of the people of Oceania. I hope I fabricated that clear in the article. The indicate I was making as since from the standpoint of the government the war is made up and the people already believe in information technology, what does it matter who the enemy is? It causes the government added to work to suddenly change the enemy - they have to then ensure all of the people are on the same page, make announcements, change all sorts of documents and all the textbooks every time they practise this.

So it would seem in the governments best interests since the war is e'er somewhere far away with the people only having a vague idea where so they'll never to near and find out the whole thing is a lie, to keep the enemy the same. It would serve the aforementioned purpose of unifying the people and make them willing to sacrifice resources, freedom, privacy etc. on behalf of the war effort.

My opinion is that the reason they change what is already a fictional enemy - pregnant that while Eurasia and Eastasia, be Oceania isn't at war with either - is for the purpose of doublethink, command and ability. The government wants to get the people engaging in doublethink as much as possible and so it is automatic. This is the main source of power for Ingsoc.

Information technology also means the authorities tin can tell them bluish is red and up is downward and then immediately say no, red is green and down is sideways and the people will have no trouble switching from the beginning set of illogical statements to the second, fully believing each in turn. This makes them easy to command as they stop thinking for themselves, and allow Ingsoc exercise all the thinking and determination making for them.

This allows the regime to remain in complete control, to have all the power and different from most real life situations, they don't have to worry that the people will overthrow them - it takes a thinking population to first run across things differently from the way they are told to believe and do what it takes to carry out a defection.

Cheers again for reading the article and taking the time to annotate. I hope you render to take a wait at some of my other manufactures.

Natalie Frank (writer) from Chicago, IL on August 30, 2018:

Pekka - You lot are right to betoken out that obviously NATO has never engaged in preemptive war. This was added by an editor and I have removed information technology every bit appropriate. Thanks for the heads up.

Naum Shuv on August 29, 2018:

Thanks for this extremely interesting article.

Withal, I cannot agree with 1 of your statements. Merely one.

"There is no need to change a fictional enemy, every bit the entire state of war is made up anyway."

In my opinion, the war in the novel is absolutely real. I hateful, it is artifical, of form, just it is non fictional. Unfortunately, war is real in our life also, and loss of dozens or fifty-fifty hundreds human lives is of no importance for politicians.

Pekka (Finland) on August 23, 2018:

Where did you get the idea of NATO engaging into a preemptive war?

Natalie Frank (writer) from Chicago, IL on August 21, 2018:

The more than I look into it, the more similarities I run across between what Orwell predicted and warned us virtually and the society we alive in today. Information technology really is an amazing parallel in a lot of ways. Thanks for reading and for commenting, Linda.

Natalie Frank (author) from Chicago, IL on August 05, 2018:

Dora - I'm glad you found the article interesting and relevant. Given everything that is going on in the world today and our current President in the U.S. I call up and then many of the things Orwell wrote about have already come to laissez passer in our society. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Natalie Frank (author) from Chicago, IL on August 05, 2018:

Hi Doris - Yous are so right near what you said. We may not call it doublethink merely that'southward not to say we don't do information technology a whole lot. We read 1984 and can't imagine living in such a world but fail to encounter that many of the things he warned us most take come truthful in spades. Just the fact we are accepting the idea of fake news and alternative facts, perhaps giving lip service to being outraged but at the same time we are letting leaders stay in power who are actually admitting to doing this as well as responsible for coining the terms in the first identify. I'thousand sure what you saw in Russia was even worse as these things are certainly not limited to our country and have been going on elsewhere a lot longer. Simply seeing it really develop under our noises with our awareness and ultimate acceptance or at least refusal to practise annihilation is frightening and frustrating. Thanks for stopping past and for the annotate. I am just finishing another article on other similarities between our world and 1984 - I hope you'll bank check back for it and have a await once it's published. I'll await frontwards to your response.

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful Due south on July 09, 2018:

I agree with your analysis on 1984. Skilful job! I read this book back in the nighttime ages when I was a college pupil and institute it and then frightening that I thought information technology too ridiculous to even consider the possibility that it could come true. Today, I'thousand not and so sure, and that is what actually concerns me. Political correctness trying to rewrite history, continuing to attempt to keep a whole surface area of our population on a guilt trip (the South) while totally ignoring the warts on the rest of the land, focusing on the wealthy while calling the poor "parasites" are just a few of today'south attempts at Doublethink. Something to recall about.

I like Tom's' annotate mainly considering I spent 2 weeks in the Soviet Union in the late 80s. Although I enjoyed traveling through a couple of major Russian cities, I could non wait to get back home to my own land, the country of the free and the home of the brave. HA!

Natalie Frank (author) from Chicago, IL on July 08, 2018:

I'm glad you found the commodity on the marking, Tom. Yes I'm certain the idea of limited freedom hither and in Eastern Europe is quite different. We forget what we have and more than importantly I call back nosotros sometimes forget to protect what we have. Thanks for the annotate and for stopping by.

Tom Southward on July 06, 2018:

Fantabulous, to the indicate, and very well explained and so even I can understand it. Begs an association to current events in America. The Democratic Political party comes to mind.

This is even more than applicable to me since I grew upward in socialism/communism in Eastern Europe. Until you know what living under express freedom means you exercise not know freedom.

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean area on May 07, 2018:

I similar your modern day application in your conclusion. Thanks for the review. I read this book years ago. You lot encourage me to reread.

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on May 04, 2018:

Excellent analysis of Orwell's 1984. I read the book during my sophomore year of college in the 1960s, and it has stuck with me all these years enough to meet a parallel with today's propaganda being spoon fed to u.s.a. through both professional and social media. It doesn't thing whether we are losing elections allegedly due to imitation news sourced from Russian hacking or whether Southerners are existence fed a constant avalanche that they are bad people because of something their ancestors did over 150 years ago. The result is still the aforementioned, and it stems from the aforementioned premise of mind control as was evident in the dystopian novel. Just equally in 1984, people are accepting this grade of mind-control as truth and allowing it to stir upwardly hate for each other. In today's club, as was then, there seems to be a preponderance of the absence of beloved.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on May 03, 2018:

This is a very interesting and thought-provoking analysis, Natalie. 1984 is an impressive book that contains some fascinating ideas. I savour reading people's thoughts about the story and its implications for today.

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Source: https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-Meaning-of-War-is-Peace-Freedom-is-Slavery-and-Ignorance-is-Strength-in-Orwells-1984

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