1984 - Escaping our paradigmatic traps
George Orwell and the fragility of personal freedom
Welcome to By the Books, a newsletter dedicated to capturing and distributing wisdom from works of classic literature.
Each post will take less than 5 minutes to read, and will feature one great book, including:
A brief summary
A distillation of relevant themes
One actionable insight
Live by the best books, one day at a time.
“1984” by George Orwell
Set in the totalitarian superstate of Oceania, "1984" follows the life of Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the ruling Party. Living under the ever-watchful eye of Big Brother, Winston secretly rebels against the oppressive regime by falling in love and seeking truth in forbidden writings. However, his rebellion comes to a swift end when he is arrested by the Thought Police, brutally tortured, and brainwashed into submission, ultimately demonstrating the chilling power of totalitarianism to crush the human spirit.
"1984" persists as a resonant warning against the erosion of fragile personal freedoms. The omnipresent Big Brother and the Party's control over every aspect of citizens' lives exemplify the dangers of absolute power and authoritarian rule. Surveillance and the loss of privacy are central to the novel, with citizens under constant supervision, and enslaved by the tyranny of fear, paranoia, and deception, as those in power alter historical records to maintain their narrative.
"Until they become conscious they will never rebel,
and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious."
Actionable Insight*
The quote above powerfully describes a paradigmatic trap. Is there a way out of it?
The manipulation most of us endure today is an emergent phenomenon of modern economies and cultures. In other words, the trap in which we find ourselves is of no one entity’s making. Rather, it is the sum total of broad and recalcitrant incentive structures. It is difficult for any individual to comprehend the nature of this reality, let alone fight against it.
But there are ways to rebel — subtle, nonviolent means of wresting back our consciousness. We must step away from the very tools of manipulation the socio-cultural machine wields.
Here’s a challenge: Can you spend one whole day away from newsfeeds?
That may be rebellion enough to re-open the eyes of your soul.
*As a lover of literature, I must emphasize that the best way to truly absorb the wisdom of any work of literature is to actually read it, from start to finish, the way the author intended. I hope By the Books will occasionally inspire you to do just that.
Tomorrow I shall refrain from the news. The world better pause so I don’t miss anything
What was it that Julia told Winston? We can never defeat Big Brother, but we can break their rules. (Something like that.) And I see that as good advice for today's totalitarian state...do not participate. Do not comply.