2008 Woodie Awards
It's 1984 all over again
Stephan R. Hausmann Features Editor
Issue date: 12/5/06 Section: Opinion
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"He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future."
George Orwell wrote this line - a truth the likes of which rarely since or prior has been uttered - in his unbearably dystopian novel, 1984. For those who have not read it, the general plot is that London (and indeed, much of the world) has fallen under the rule of a totalitarian regime that has complete, dominant and perpetual control over… everything. By modifying the truth, law and the media, nothing escapes "Big Brother."
The ironically named Ministry of Truth controls all the lies told by Big Brother, allowing only "truthful" (i.e. those in tune with Big Brother's ideas) stories to go to print. Good thing 1984 is just a story, right? Right?!
"The U.S. Defense Department has set up a new unit to better promote its message across 24-hour rolling news outlets, and particularly on the internet. The Pentagon said the move would boost its ability to counter 'inaccurate' news stories and exploit new media," BBC News reported on Oct. 31 of this year.
Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, speaking on behalf of the newly created unit, said his main concern is that U.S. "enemies" (that ever so vague specter) will "manipulate the media."
"That's the one thing that keeps me up at night," he said.
Back to 1984 once again. Part of Big Brother's manner of control is through a perpetual war - either with "Eurasia" or "Eastasia", one of whom is always and interchangeably cast as the "enemy." Through fear of their success (they being a foreign, unknowable and generally unseeable enemy…Al-Qaeda, anyone?) Big Brother is able to suspend any and all civil liberties, including - that's right - freedom of speech. "If you speak out against Big Brother, the enemy wins!"
An easy mantra to buy into if thinking is a little too much work and you care not about the Constitution.
"Fear will keep the star systems in line, fear of this battle station," Grand Moff Tarkin claimed in Star Wars. The "Tarkin Doctrine," as my fellow nerds will recognize, was to rule through fear of a weapon of mass destruction, the Death Star. Sound familiar?
George Orwell wrote this line - a truth the likes of which rarely since or prior has been uttered - in his unbearably dystopian novel, 1984. For those who have not read it, the general plot is that London (and indeed, much of the world) has fallen under the rule of a totalitarian regime that has complete, dominant and perpetual control over… everything. By modifying the truth, law and the media, nothing escapes "Big Brother."
The ironically named Ministry of Truth controls all the lies told by Big Brother, allowing only "truthful" (i.e. those in tune with Big Brother's ideas) stories to go to print. Good thing 1984 is just a story, right? Right?!
"The U.S. Defense Department has set up a new unit to better promote its message across 24-hour rolling news outlets, and particularly on the internet. The Pentagon said the move would boost its ability to counter 'inaccurate' news stories and exploit new media," BBC News reported on Oct. 31 of this year.
Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, speaking on behalf of the newly created unit, said his main concern is that U.S. "enemies" (that ever so vague specter) will "manipulate the media."
"That's the one thing that keeps me up at night," he said.
Back to 1984 once again. Part of Big Brother's manner of control is through a perpetual war - either with "Eurasia" or "Eastasia", one of whom is always and interchangeably cast as the "enemy." Through fear of their success (they being a foreign, unknowable and generally unseeable enemy…Al-Qaeda, anyone?) Big Brother is able to suspend any and all civil liberties, including - that's right - freedom of speech. "If you speak out against Big Brother, the enemy wins!"
An easy mantra to buy into if thinking is a little too much work and you care not about the Constitution.
"Fear will keep the star systems in line, fear of this battle station," Grand Moff Tarkin claimed in Star Wars. The "Tarkin Doctrine," as my fellow nerds will recognize, was to rule through fear of a weapon of mass destruction, the Death Star. Sound familiar?
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Gordon Smith
posted 12/06/06 @ 9:04 AM EST
How ridiculous! What part of the Constitution has been violated?
The Pentagon will put out their version of a story, and the public can read it or ignore it, like I ignore Air America and NPR. (Continued…)
John Doe
posted 12/19/06 @ 6:07 PM EST
I am with Mr. Smith, 1984 all over again? You can't be serious. Go have a beer and take it easy Senator McCarthy.
Tamerlane
Tamerlane
posted 12/21/06 @ 12:59 PM EST
I think we are losing Constitutional rights, but not the way Orwell was writing about in 1984. North Korea is an example of a "Big Brother" society. We are no where near that. (Continued…)
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