The Big Brother of 1984
The Big Brother of 1984 is Watching You Now.
The Big Brother of 1984 is a book written by George Orwell which, at the time, told of a futuristic society that is brainwashed by the ruling powers, and under total societal surveillance with television screens in all places to monitor activity and spies and informers all around.
In this society, it is forbidden to speak out against, act out against or even think negative thoughts about the government, which is referred to fondly by its own proponents a organizers as “Big Brother”.
The story is really quite remarkable in that many of the laws that are being passed today, which are eliminating civil rights, and the fact that the government has given itself complete unrestricted permission to monitor communications of whoever they choose, is tell-tale of a “Big Brother” mentality in government.
The movement towards a more totalitarian government, with George Bush declaring constitutional dictatorship over the country, in response to the state of national emergency that erupted following the events of September 11, 2001 has been astounding.
The mass reorganization of government and the increased security in society in general, the laws that were passed to give powers to the Department of Homeland Security that are essentially unlimited in certain circumstances, is a very similar situation to the power of government in the Big Brother of 1984.
American government is going through a transition right now that could end in disaster if government is allowed to run amuck without restraint or oversight by the people, as there is an increasing trend toward less public involvement and more government unilateral decision making.
The American people can never assume that they do not have to watch their government and its officials, and they should never assume that they do not have to keep their government officials honest by keeping them in check and responsible to the people.
If we are not careful, before we know it, America could be a ‘Big Brother’ state and its people unwilling slaves to a system where they are allowed no privacy, no free speech, no ability to gather in protest and no weapons to defend against the enemy, which could turn out to be the government.
Distracted and Divided We Fall
In the Orwell story, the people were propagandized to remain distant to each other and to look to “Big Brother” for their comfort and needs, rather than to have any sense of caring for each other or any sense of community or family where bonds of rebellion could develop.
The Big Brother of 1984 demonstrated the sterilizing of human emotions toward anything but what was publicly condoned; and bizarre ritual that involved anger, hatred and violent thought toward a public enemy was a common ground for all inhabitants on a daily basis.
The Big Brother of 1984 is Reality
Not unlike today, the wars that are broadcast on news television, the enemies we are taught to fear and hate, people most of us have probably never met and will never meet, are enemies from across the sea who we are told threaten our way of life.
Is it all just propaganda to divide the mass population so that the government machine can interject its own reality on the people and create a society of slaves who are unquestioning and obedient?