Will

I thought it would be fun to start a thread on how close we are to a Orwellian 1984 scenario. I thought the best way would be to find examples from the book, and then find their closest current equivalent. Bugsy, I imagine this will be right up your street.

I'm going to edit this first post in the thread, as we add to it. Mainly because it's been a while since I read 1984.

So in no particular order:

The Book/UK to Date:

1. Big brother watches your every move via a two way TV, both in public and in the home.

1. It is now almost impossible to walk in public without being cause on CCTV, these include public as well as private security cameras. The government has just released findings that conclude that the UK is now the most spied on society in THE WORLD! Now there are plans to hold ALL of your personal infomation on a universal database, with access allowed only by govenment authorities.

2. Big brother is waging a war which very little is known about, only that it's apparently in our best interest. In reality according to the book, it was to waste a certain amount of produce in all areas of industry, in order to keep the masses on the bread line and in check.

Hate hour, and even hate week were part of every day life. Where citizens had to openly show their hate and anger against "the enemy", which often changed, allies would become enemies and enemies would become allies, though it was always claimed that things had never been any different. In short, there was a hidden agenda behind the war.

These lies were fabricated for the people in order to keep them backing the war.

2. We have recently been to war with two countries, which it was claimed were in defence. As it turns out the war against Iraq may have been illegal, and the war in Afghanistan appears to have done little to end the terror threat.

Pre-war and during war time, we were shown constant reminders of just how evil these countries leaders were. We were shown plans for and schemes of the enemy, which apparently didn't exist. In short we were made to hate our enemy. It is more then entirely conceivable that the real reason we went to war with Iraq, was because of oil.

These lies were fabricated for the people in order to keep them backing the war.

3. History is constantly rewritten to make it appear that Big Brother is never wrong.

As an example Guy Fawkes night no longer exists in the eyes of East-London's council, and has been banned! East-Londoners are now expected to celebrate some Bengali myth about a tiger which bares no relivance to the historic date of November 5th.

Historical events are being banned in the name of political correctness. More and more traditions are being frowned upon and discouraged in the name of diversity.

Tony Blair now insists he knew nothing about the questionable validity of the Iraw WMD infomation, and refuses to allow it to be investigated further.

4. The thought police arrest anyone who shows any sign of rebellion against big brother. You could be arrested just for saying your mind, or being creative. Big Brother was constantly re-writing the dictionary to remove as many expressive and descrpitive words as possible, known as 'New Speak'.

Another part of newspeak is Doublethink The keyword here is blackwhite. Like so many Newspeak words, this word has two mutually contradictory meanings. Applied to an opponent, it means the habit of impudently claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts.

4. It is now illegal to protest outside parliament without permission, and it is up to the police to decide if you are allowed to protest there or not. We have seen examples of how a fascist (and as much as we may disagree with his policies) has been criminalised for something he 'MAY' have said, with no victim apparently present. It seems apparent that he was criminalised for his political views.

Bureaucrats want us to use Politically correct language, and failing to do so could wind us up in trouble. We are being told that we must treat all people the same, regardless of how different they may be.

Political correctness IS 'New speak' we are being constantly told how we must speak, you MUST speak in the politically correct terms. They even tried to make it illegal to make jokes about religions, TELLING US THAT WE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO SAY WHAT THE GOVENRNMENT WANTS US TO!

We are also encouagred to use 'Doublethink', with contradictory phrases such as 'Positive Discrimination'.


5. You are not permitted to move about the country without the proper documentation.

There are currently no plans we've been made aware of to do this. But with the imminent introduction of compulsory ID cards, this could well be the next logical step. Fitting GPS to cars as standard, as well as inserting chips under people's skin are no longer science fiction, but possibilities that some people would already have us believe may soon become a reality.

6. Citizens often had to surrender their civil liberties "for their own good".

Many laws have recently been passed in order to "combat terrorism". This includes the discontinuation of free protest outside parliament, and who knows where it may get banned next? The Government is desperately trying to extend the amount of time it is possible to be locked up without charge in prison. They've promised to keep trying until they get it.

Also it now appears perfectly acceptable for American to use us as a stop off point for their 'torture flights', how long before we start doing the same?

War is Peace - 'The ministyr of 'DEFENCE' - we've attacked Iraq wrongly in the name of defence.

Freedom is Slavery - We are slaves to Freedom, and we are expected to sacrifice Freedom in order to be free!

Ignorence is Strengh - Labour doesn't want us thining too hard, so it is using political correctness to change the way we express ourselves. They claim we are 'ALL THE SAME' and doesn't want us thinking too hard that in fact we are all different. If they got their way too, we would be arrested for thinking and expressing ourslves out loud.

Well that's a start, I hope you guys can think up some good parallels, and correct me where I may be wrong.

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Admin Will - Think for yourself, it hasn't been banned, yet.
Contact me.

ahwell

22 years.

bugsy

the tv in 1984 could not only listen in to what one said, but also saw what one did.....only low whispers and darkness could eveade its ears/eyes...

We now have sky digital boxes which are capable of recording and pass on this information to those who want it.If this is possible, then could it also be possible that they could be listening in to our conversations.Google is apparently working on software which will use pc sound cards to eaves drop in on us.

Bruv

Please bugsy give us some clues as to how Sky are capable of recording information about us ?

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I thought I knew more than this...before I started talking

Sid

Bruv

I have gone mad and got the Sky people coming monday with Sky plus......just wanted bugsy's considered opinion....thats all.

Should I cancel bugsy?

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I thought I knew more than this...before I started talking

Sid

Bruv

And quantity ?..........Im doomed

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I thought I knew more than this...before I started talking

bugsy

if you guys think I am talking crap, then why dont you ask sky???? and see how far you get. Go on I dare you to ask sky.
I doubt you will get an answer. I spoke to an enginner who works for pace ( one of the makes of sky boxes ) and got a 'lil bit of info...but he would not confirm/nor deny.

skinny

Will
The facts of history are there to be seen, it's down to the individual to percieve it in a way that suits them usually, but we all know that people bend it into twisted indoctrinations and the foolish follow by choice but the kids are brainwashed, wether it be right or wrong it is brainwashing and it really jerks me off.


I don't really know what you are asking, just thought i would throw that in, so i will shut up and watch.