Can anyone suggest any inferences/conclusions gathered from George Orwell's 1984? Preferably "insightful"

Question

Lessons learned, warnings, predictions, comments on nature of humans/individuals/socity/Government... anything!

Answer 1

Given the right conditions, Orwells nightmare scenario can be an inevitable EMERGENTconsequence.

My answer to your question lies buried within the word "emergent" (hence it is capitalised). There is such a thing as (adaptive) emergent phenomenon. Look it up! (Don't get me started cause I could quite easily talk all day about this).

We need to consider what are the ingredients (or what we physicists call BC's (boundary conditions)) to kick start the slow progression of society into an Orwellian scenario. A naive faith in authority and it's acceptance is one such ingredient. This is one reason why I am an anarchist!

His novel was a reflective response to the rise of fascism in parts of Europe was it not?

Answer 2

This was written as a forward thinking book which evolved from "Animal Farm". Both of these book were aimed at the then current "Cold War" with Russia but were expanded to be non nationalised.

Once of the most striking things that I found was that the majority of a population, according to the book, could be satisfied with the "foul smelling liquid" (vodka) and the smoke (joints). There appears to be an almost resignation to the events attitude rather than a will to change.

I also found that there was what appeared to me to be a case of if you just allow things to happen and take no positive action, then large amounts of normally intelligent people could be given enough of the "maslow needs" to keep them not quite motivated enough to attempt to change things.

A very interesting book which I may now have to go and re-read

Answer 3

You learn from your elders, but that's a different guarantee.

The Erikson life-stage virtues, in the order of the stages in which they may be acquired, are:

hope
will
purpose
competence
fidelity
love (in intimate relationships, work and family)
caring
wisdom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Erickson

So, what is the value for democratic individualism now. You see above how the meaning for words change in the absence of personal independent thought. When war is the purpose, everything else is negative.

Stage One Oral-Sensory: from birth to one, trust vs. mistrust, feeding; hope
Stage Two Muscular-Anal: 1-3 years, autonomy vs. doubt, toilet training; will
Stage Three Locomotor: 3-6 years, initiative vs. inadequacy, independence; purpose
Stage Four Latency: 6-12 years, industry vs. inferiority, school; competence
Stage Five Adolescence: 12-18 years, identity vs. confusion, peer relationships; fidelity
Stage Six Young Adulthood: 18-40 years, intimacy vs. isolation, love relationships; love
Stage Seven Middle Adulthood: 40-65 years, generativity vs. stagnation, parenting; caring
Stage Eight Maturity: 65 years until death, integrity vs. despair, acceptance of one's life. wisdom

Answer 4

humans after some time will be as illogical as the word