1984 Totalitarianism Essay Research Paper Democratic Illusion

1984 Totalitarianism Essay, Research Paper Democratic Illusion or Totalitarian Actuality In the classic novel, Nineteen Eighty-four, George Orwell describes a totalitarian society in which the government has complete control over its people through means such as the widespread use of propaganda and the unfathomable power of their leaders. In the context of this discussion our world will refer to North America. Our world is not far from becoming a totalitarian society because of the circumstances that make our realm similar to 1984. In both worlds, our channels of information are controlled, our day-to-day activities are monitored, and our rights and freedoms are restricted. Nineteen Eighty-four s government named Big Brother controls all forms of information much like how our

channels of information are controlled. By doing this our dominators hold more power over society. There are media barons that exist in our world who are very similar to Big Brother, and this small group of people control what the rest of us get to hear, read, or watch. These few individuals have an incalculable influence in many lives. The purpose of controlling the flow of information is to gain power over the population. Knowing that political leaders seek control over us should not surprise us, for governments this is an evolutionary thing, and it has only one direction to evolve: towards more control (Slave 1999). By deluding the populace into hearing what they want to believe, the masters are able to maintain their control over us. Some examples of this would be to allow

persons to believe that they have the freedom to express themselves or that they live in a democratic society where everyone is equal to everyone else. These ideals are an illusion created so as to provide a domain stable enough to rule. Nineteen Eighty-four s Big Brother also feeds their own ideals to their society to control their nation named Oceania . They deliver thoughts of hate and anti-sexuality to also create stability in their country and to render its population manageable. Nonetheless, most people in 1984 are aware that an immoral government manipulates them, but fewer people in our world are truly aware that they are controlled in this manner. Entertaining the notion that the Illuminati of this world are capable of disguising this secret more carefully, they must be

more powerful than Big Brother. If they do have this much power it must have come from somewhere and that would be the people. Our government s capacity to control us is underestimated and should be more carefully observed. The information of our day to day activities and transactions are monitored similarly to 1984. The recording of our daily actions is an infringement of our privacy. The devices used in 1984 to monitor its citizens are the always-present telescreen , these devices are used to monitor the conduct of its people. They also use these devices for other purposes such as the spreading of propaganda. The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as

he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard (Orwell 1948; 4) While Big Brother uses a very direct method of overseeing its people, our world uses many indirect methods, such as social insurance records from government sources and credit records from lending institutions. These records can hold all the important facts about peoples lives. The reasons why omniscient governments like Big Brother or our dictators have all of this important information is unknown to its citizens, but information is power and at some future date it can be used against its people. To follow a person s life so closely without their consent is a violation of their rights and individual liberties. Everyone has the right to be secure against