I have heard several times before of our culture and society called "orwellian". This is mainly because in 1984 the main character Winston feels as if he cannot make a sudden move or facial expression without being punished by his dictating government. in regards to our current society, I dont believe we feel this way too often, but there is always this gleaming sense of being watched by the government. In 1984 Big Brother is the one who controls all of society in a socialist dictatorship. Nothing can be published for the public unless Big Brother and his party members approve that it is along party guidelines.
In todays world I would consider big brother our massive corporations and even the government. You cannot go anywhere in present day America without a bilboard looking down on you or an advertisement on the side of your Facebook. We still have our privacy as everyday Americans, not to mention there are civil liberties in place that restrict government from tapping our phone lines. But whose to say they dont do it anyway without our knowing?
As Americans i dont think we will ever give up our freedoms like those in the novel. We are too strong willed and stand by our freedoms, considering they are the building blocks for our government and nation. People should not be forced to give ANYTHING up in order to feel "safe". Safety is interpreted specifically by each person. If you ask me safety is knowing that there is not a power bigger than me i.e. (government and corporations) watching over me and studying me in the case of demographics. Until we know the truth of what happens behind those closed doors at the white house no one can ever be sure that they are safe.
I have to say i dont know what I would do if i would get punished by making a wrong face because I seem to make faces at everything. I agree that we will never be "safe". Pictures can leak that you never meant to or even look at wiki leaks. Those documents that got out put peoples lives in danger
ReplyDeleteI like how you defined safety. It really can mean different things to different people. Its interesting that you mentioned how billboards are always watching us. I know I will think of that every time I pass a billboard from now on.
ReplyDeleteI think in a way American’s have given up allot of privacy and safety in technology. We have grown in the technical world super fast and there have been may things for instance identity theft happening beside of modern day technology. We’ve had to change our laws and regulations state and federals because of technology. Can you see the book showing that “big brother” the dictator taking over Oceania is technology it has taken over, it might not kill us.. or can it. Who knows? Makes you think on all other levels. Being at a different part of my life verse most of our fellow classmates I know that the novels have had me think and actually make some changes in life. One little old class and a few novels later …
ReplyDelete"We are too strong willed and stand by our freedoms, considering they are the building blocks for our government and nation."
ReplyDeleteDo we really always have our "guaranteed" freedoms? The Monday night football opener, Hank Williams, was pulled off the show because he compared Obama to Hitler...Was his freedom of speech taken away? The Dixie chicks had a similar experience when they bashed Bush in England (I think)... There have been big rallies about our right to bear arms; people are saying that right is being violated...So, are we really too strong willed and yes, these are the building blocks of our nation; however, are they being compromised? Could the government go further and take other rights away?
I also liked how you defined safety. There really are different ways to look at that word. What you said about corporations makes me think that those are a Big Brother possibility. Even taking it a step farther and saying that billboards are a possibility was a good thing to put in mind.
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