4 ms·

1984 in top 3 yet our world is spiraling deeper and deeper into it

goldenchrome 7y ago
People tend to better cope with bad events if they know they're going to happen in advance. There's a chance we're all okay with it because we read about it already.
kortilla 7y ago
The only reason people like to claim we are spiraling into 1984 is because of its popularity. When it comes down to it the resemblance to today is superficial at best.
- quaquaqua1 7y ago
  We live in a world where Julian Assange is put in prison and tortured for refusing to confess to his thoughtcrimes and for revealing the thoughts of others to the public, much to the dismay of the Party, which is all seeing and all knowing. For those of us who have read 1984, it will sound more than superficial.
  - trianglem 7y ago
    Julian Assange he is the example you choose to bring up in this double speak world
    - quaquaqua1 7y ago
      If you aren't careful, the next example will someday be yourself! Abstract it if you don't like Assange: anyone who is in prison for telling the truth... it's not a good thing... history is full of thousands if not millions who have died for such crimes, some high profile and some unknown
  - briandear 7y ago
    Conspiring to steal classified data isn’t a thoughtcrime. He isn’t being punished because of what he thinks, he is being punished what what he did. Conspiring to obtain classified military data isn’t the same thing as thinking differently.
- goto11 7y ago
  Perhaps 1984 have become the go-to dystopia because it is not that relevant today. It is not dangerous. If it was, it wouldn't be something you read in school.
- thrower123 7y ago
  Everyone has read 1984, and The Handmaid's Tale, and Brave New World in high school. Or if not there then in their freshman lit class. Therefore those books are the yardsticks that all dystopian hot takes on current events must measure themselves against, no matter how nonsensical. Shakespeare had Ovid and Homer and the Bible to pull his references and allusions from, but our shared canon is considerably poorer.
firasd 7y ago
I always feel like 'Catch 22' is underrated as a reference point for bonkers situations, including current US politics. It is very lengthy though, so that explains why it's not so widely read. The movie 'Brazil' treads some of the same themes. Basically, not just dystopia, but incomprehensible absurdity.
- ta999999171 7y ago
  If you're reading this, please watch Brazil (1985).
yesenadam 7y ago
In what way? Isn't it much closer to Brave New World?
- esyir 7y ago
  We've got a happy mix of both. Increased surveillance and propaganda ala 1984, and plenty of media and other such attention hoggers to keep us all happy. Why settle for one when the two have synergistic effects?
- quaquaqua1 7y ago
  A ruling Party which is able to watch us through screens everywhere in life? The mere thought of rebellion is a crime? Rewriting history is the goal of the Party, to avoid the truth being revealed to the public? People who want to lead rebellion against tyranny are actually spies who will torture you in prison?
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
ThomPete 7y ago
Brave new world is a better description of what is going on than 1984 IMO.
briandear 7y ago
I wish Animal Farm were higher on the list..
- claudiawerner 7y ago
  And Orwell's Homage to Catalonia...

People tend to better cope with bad events if they know they're going to happen in advance. There's a chance we're all okay with it because we read about it already.

kortilla 7y ago

The only reason people like to claim we are spiraling into 1984 is because of its popularity. When it comes down to it the resemblance to today is superficial at best.

quaquaqua1 7y ago
We live in a world where Julian Assange is put in prison and tortured for refusing to confess to his thoughtcrimes and for revealing the thoughts of others to the public, much to the dismay of the Party, which is all seeing and all knowing. For those of us who have read 1984, it will sound more than superficial.
- trianglem 7y ago
  Julian Assange he is the example you choose to bring up in this double speak world
  - quaquaqua1 7y ago
    If you aren't careful, the next example will someday be yourself! Abstract it if you don't like Assange: anyone who is in prison for telling the truth... it's not a good thing... history is full of thousands if not millions who have died for such crimes, some high profile and some unknown
- briandear 7y ago
  Conspiring to steal classified data isn’t a thoughtcrime. He isn’t being punished because of what he thinks, he is being punished what what he did. Conspiring to obtain classified military data isn’t the same thing as thinking differently.
goto11 7y ago
Perhaps 1984 have become the go-to dystopia because it is not that relevant today. It is not dangerous. If it was, it wouldn't be something you read in school.
thrower123 7y ago
Everyone has read 1984, and The Handmaid's Tale, and Brave New World in high school. Or if not there then in their freshman lit class. Therefore those books are the yardsticks that all dystopian hot takes on current events must measure themselves against, no matter how nonsensical. Shakespeare had Ovid and Homer and the Bible to pull his references and allusions from, but our shared canon is considerably poorer.

firasd 7y ago

I always feel like 'Catch 22' is underrated as a reference point for bonkers situations, including current US politics. It is very lengthy though, so that explains why it's not so widely read. The movie 'Brazil' treads some of the same themes. Basically, not just dystopia, but incomprehensible absurdity.

ta999999171 7y ago
If you're reading this, please watch Brazil (1985).

yesenadam 7y ago

In what way? Isn't it much closer to Brave New World?

esyir 7y ago
We've got a happy mix of both. Increased surveillance and propaganda ala 1984, and plenty of media and other such attention hoggers to keep us all happy. Why settle for one when the two have synergistic effects?
quaquaqua1 7y ago
A ruling Party which is able to watch us through screens everywhere in life? The mere thought of rebellion is a crime? Rewriting history is the goal of the Party, to avoid the truth being revealed to the public? People who want to lead rebellion against tyranny are actually spies who will torture you in prison?
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

ThomPete 7y ago

Brave new world is a better description of what is going on than 1984 IMO.

briandear 7y ago

I wish Animal Farm were higher on the list..

claudiawerner 7y ago
And Orwell's Homage to Catalonia...