Could 1984 really ever happen?

Question

I just finished the book 1984. Of course I was bothered by it. It ended with no hope, no change just one more mindless person beaten into submission by Big Brother. My questions is do you people think it could actually happen. Perhaps not in that way. But in a way close enough to have the masses singing one dilluted message.

In the book the there was obvious mistackes the party made (Ex: Saying they were at war with the wrong country every other week). Do you think if something like this happened, we all would simply believe it?

Big Brother wants everything. in 1984 you do not even have the right to die free. Could this happen to us. Could we wake up in a world with no rebelion? Could we become Winston?

Answer 1

It's been happening since 1948, when those who made money off World War II became a ruling class and established an aristocracy comprising their own worthless brats and no-talent flunkies willing to humiliate themselves to get good jobs. The fact that people don't realize that we outnumber the rich 10 to 1 and can crush them like grapes proves we've been brainwashed.

Answer 2

I absolutely love the book, but I'm an optimist, mostly. I don't think that woudl happen, I have too much faith in the human sense of... well, freedom, perhaps? to think that populations would give itself over to a supreme leader who would do things liek that. What one could do, I have no idea, though. Its a terrifying thought that the justice system could turn on and win every argument just by saying "this is the truth", changing the papers to say big brother said this and was right, etc, but frankly, I don't think there are enough people in the world who woudl WANT that, benefit from that, to create a whoel elitist government. People just aren't liek that, we are naturally flocked together, we live in a society. Apart from the mentally deranged, I say there are very few would who participate in that. Also, I don't think Big Brother was really a person, just a persona created by, say, maybe an elite organization that wanted to dominate the world. I think it says somewhere that Big Brother had been around so long he ought to be dead, or different. They never see him, only on the posters, yea?

Answer 3

yes, anything can happen and often if people gain enough power anything will. 1984 left me very shaken up as well. That’s not an strange reaction to such a book. 1984 has moments that take my mind to things of our past and our present: slavery, the holocaust, and the lives of the people in north korea. people taking the lives and the freedom right out of the hands of the people being held captive. people gain power by any means and they will use that power to gain more. yes, 1984 could happen. pray that it doesn't.

Answer 4

the thing that makes that book so dead on accurate is that you can always attribute government motives and mass hysteria to the concepts and themes of that book. Religion, technology, war, politics, anything in that book can easily be translated as something happening in the world today.

Answer 5

the prisoners in Guantanamo will tell you about 1984. it is an ironical fact that that book was written as propaganda against communism. but the fact is the capitalist countries invaded sovereign countries and dethroning their heads who defy their orders. after 9/11, several people were mysteriously disappeared from their countries and sent to Guantanamo camp are subjected to severe torture. after Allende was murdered with the help of the CIA, Augusto Pinochet of Chile, caused for the deaths of thousands of innocent people and plundered the country's wealth. it was the colonial countries like the UK, Spain,France, which made several countries as their colonies and denied freedom of speech and right to live.PEOPLE WHO SHED CROCODILE TEARS ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS IN NORTH KOREA, DO MAINTAIN STOIC SILENCE OVER KILLINGS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT IRAQIS.CRITIQUES OF COMMUNISM HAD NO MORAL RIGHT FOR THEIR SILENCE WHEN VIETNAM WAS INVADED BY THE US .ORWELL WOULD HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF CAPITALISM HAD HE BEEN ALIVE TODAY. THE TITLE OF THE NOVEL WOULD BE 2003

Answer 6

The way events are taking shape in todays world, it will happen more sooner than later.

Answer 7

Of course it can that's why it's so scary. It's brainwashing. How do you think the holocaust happened?

Answer 8

It already is - look at he rules for crossing the canadian us border - for flying on planes -

Answer 9

Please pardon the sarcasm, but...

I would answer this, but I need to go and revise my mail in light of the fact that the American government can now open it if we're at war with Oceania or Pacifica...

Answer 10

In a sense -- very much.