"he who controls the past controls the future; he who controls the preasenst controls the past." George Orwell.
Yea he's the guy who wrote "Animal Farm"
I agree somewhat with this statement. I mean if you know the past than you know how to prevent something from happening again. in having control on what is happening with you at every moment than you have controlled the outcome. Although, I think that there really is no future. Only the constant preasent. Consentrating on the past and the future take attention away from the preasent.
Tell me what you think.
2006-09-29 11:43:49 · 14 answers · asked by Eris Discordia 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I think you are right. There really isn't future. You can make plans for what you think will be the future, but who knows what will happen. It really makes sense how you said there is only the " constant preasent" when people focus to hard on things they can't control something they could becomes out of control.
2006-09-29 11:47:41 · answer #1 · answered by Katie W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well of course the future doesn't exist. It is merely a word used to describe the abstract thought of a point in time that is yet to occur.
The quote is from Orwell's "1984". It was the character Winston Smith musing on how the state can control and manipulate people's concepts of their existence.
If *someone* had full control of the media of today then a constant stream of untruths can be made true if enough people DO believe.
This is basic concept that trashy papers and public figures use to delude the masses.
2006-09-29 18:53:22 · answer #2 · answered by Gonrecht 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1984.
I agree with you. You have to take the quotation in its context. In the novel, Winston had the job of 'correcting' the past, in order to control the nation. I don't think that this example is as severe as it is in the book, because people are rebelling all the time, and there's bound to be a change sooner or later.
"He who controls the past can try to control the future, but in the end, when they find out who He is, and what he's up to, he's in for it."
2006-09-29 18:52:54 · answer #3 · answered by almostdead 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It refers to those that have control over a country's government; they can re-wite history, events of the past that led to the present state, to herd the people to execute their agenda... pretty much what has happened throughout history, where governments and committees compromise with the truth and dictate how history is to be taught, and it also involves the religious zealots and fanatics that meddle in matters other than spiritual guidance, their place of "knowledge" (teaching of Evolution vs Creation in governmented supported schools; therapeutic vs reproductive cloning; blood transfusions to save lives, abortion issues, etc).
Consider the MOTIVES and what happens, for example, when the truth is buried and hidden by those in power? Or why it is that those entrusted with running our government are permitted to lie without accountability or prosecution for deliberately and willfully lying and misleading the public, or pass laws that benefit them over the rest of the populace? Ponder that.
Consider also that the present is a line that is forever moving forward just between the past and the future. It never stands still, and what is the present is also the past the minute it is uttered or it occurs!
If you repeat lies often enough there are bound to be those stupid and gullible enough to believe it... the same ones that are doomed to repeat history.
2006-09-29 19:26:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Philosophy makes my head hurt really bad. Wish I was more clever. I don't think. I used to be a thinker. I now only enjoy life and don't think about what other thinkers thunk in the past.But if I HAVE to think about it I would say that nobody can control the past or future or present, so who is he talking about?
2006-09-29 19:00:03 · answer #5 · answered by booha! 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh, well I would think it means that God controls the past, the present, and he controls the future. I think it makes sense.
2006-09-29 18:53:15 · answer #6 · answered by saasay0 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that if you think you have control of any situation, you are deluding yourself. You can only control what you do...you can never really control anyone or anything else.
I also believe that you can't control the past...it has already happened, and you can't retroactively control something...Otherwise, I would control Hitler, and no one would have been put into concentration camps.
2006-09-29 18:53:03 · answer #7 · answered by abfabmom1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with that 100%
You have to accept what has happened in your past so you can live life to the fullest in the future......and if you are happy with the life you have now, you must do it with the realization that it took your life experiences to get you where you are today.
2006-09-29 19:12:30 · answer #8 · answered by msdagney 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is because people have a pattern of life that they live,they do this unconsciously. therefore if you know the pattern of some ones ways you could pretty much control what happens,because you know in advance the pattern of life they have chosen
2006-09-29 18:56:25 · answer #9 · answered by elizabeth s 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think it means that whoever is in control right now- the present
can determine what is known, or allowed to be known about the past
the winner decides what is "history"
not the actual occurences
like in 1984
remember how we had no alliance with this country, we were always enemies with them? blahblahblah
2006-09-29 18:50:27 · answer #10 · answered by justsomedumbgirl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋