1984 Discussion Thread.

[Bubba Dawg]

Good point. But I'm reading Oceania as a dystopian UK--it could be bright and cold in April.

Are we thinking nothing is what it is? Then we need more clues to get a frame of reference. To really be clear of how Orwell means for us to see this world.

Should read the first chapter and reconvene. or wait for wilbur?

Waiting for Wilbur.....



Sorry, couldn't resist. :o

[wilbur]

I'm coming... just started reading today.... this is one I haven't read. So I'll join the discussion in a day or two... but feel free to get going without me (as some already have).

[CorwinK]

Are we going to do discussion on each chapter? or are we going to break it down into multiple chapter sections?

[Shannon]

Are we going to do discussion on each chapter? or are we going to break it down into multiple chapter sections?

I don't think anyone knows.

[CorwinK]

well for the record I recommend we divide each part (3 parts there) in half and discuss at that marking point...side comments in between always welcome of course

[Gingersnap]

well for the record I recommend we divide each part (3 parts there) in half and discuss at that marking point...side comments in between always welcome of course

wilbur is the de facto leader of this discussion and he's currently reading the book. I expect he'll be along with his discussion concept in a day or so.

[NJCardFan]

I was reading this recently as well as I watched the movie a few weeks ago and if I recall, he wasn't sure what day it was as it appears as though their days are so mundane and repetitive that knowing the day of the week would be hard and by Winston mentioning April could very well be a guess. As for the time, I agree that this is an aspect of Newspeak.

[Constitutionally Speaking]

But what was the purpose of newspeak?

By messing with the language you can control people. Words no longer have meaning or no longer have the ability to express the subtlety of thought needed to communicate things such as outrage or dissatisfaction.

It allows for great manipulation of the masses.

We see this now in how some organizations are destroying our language with the purpose of undermining our freedom. Freedom of religion, as it once was understood, has now been turned upside down to mean freedom FROM religion. It destroys the whole intent of the first amendment, and lays the groundwork to take all freedoms away.

Welfare becomes a tax cut - despite that you need to pay taxes in order to get a cut! It worked as a control measure and people actually believed Obama gave tax cuts to people who paid no taxes in the first place.

It is now humane to allow despots like Saddam Hussein to go on murdering innocents by the millions and it is a war crime to attempt to end it.

Torture has been defined downward to include placing a single caterpillar - confined to a box no less - in the same room as a terrorist.

Terrorists are called freedom fighters despite fighting FOR oppression.



Control of the language means control of the masses.



1984 was not just a critique of Stalin.



It was a warning.



We are not listening.

[Gingersnap]

All excellent points here but we need a discussion leader. wilbutr isn't stepping up to the plate so volunteers?

[PoliCon]

All excellent points here but we need a discussion leader. wilbutr isn't stepping up to the plate so volunteers?

yea . . . . YOU. :p