HOW DOES ORWELL’S 1984 SOCIETY FIND RELEVANCE IN THE MODERN DAY?
2024 or 1984?
What do we know about Orwell’s 1984 society? We are introduced to four ministries, which are the foundations of governance. They are all positively labelled to serve society with core values. However, in reality, they function to control liberty and independent thinking.
01 - Ministry of Truth
Controls the media, news, entertainment, and education.
02 - Ministry of Peace
Manages and decides upon all matters relating to war.
03 - Ministry of Love
Responsible for law and order. Focusing on "nonconformist."
04 - Ministry of Plenty
In charge of all economic affairs and distribution of resources.
The Ministry of Truth is responsible for all information given to the public. This includes forms of education, art, news, and entertainment. Information is valuable in every society. Modern accessibility has evolved our understanding of opinions as technology has advanced. It made it very difficult to be fully controlled by the mainstream. As a result, we individually are becoming more experienced with identifying propaganda.
The Ministry of Peace is responsible for national security and warfare. The name may be "Peace," and the purpose revolves around the never-ending obsession with war and conflict. In Orwell’s novel, Oceania is always at war with Eurasia or Eastasia. These three represent the superpowers within Orwell’s 1984 novel.
The Ministry of Love is responsible for maintaining public loyalty to the authoritarian regime (Big Brother). Using techniques that coerce the public’s cooperation and implementing a system of oppression. Law and order by extreme methods. Such as: torture, grief, confusion, and suffering, which are employed excessively.
The Ministry of Plenty is responsible for the economic interests, development, and control of resources. Despite the name, there is not an abundance of resources that are allocated for distribution. Society uses a rationing system to further control the public, and the generosity is non-existent. Thus, creating a never-ending state of dependence towards the regime that is restricting collective prosperity.
The administration decides what is acceptable for the wider discussions in society. (This signals the end of society.)
Authorities should not punish morality and reward criminality. The purpose of every government is to serve the public, especially those where officials have been elected to represent their constituents. Even the most authoritarian regimes in history have ended. Imprisonment of thoughts and movement is directly against human nature. Human nature demands expression. We are not machines. (Despite the fact some are very good at acting as machines.)
The success of society depends on public involvement and interaction. Officials deciding what is acceptable or not is irrelevant. They do not determine whether society flourishes or declines. especially when they serve the interests of themselves and other nations. Acting with morality is vital to ensure a positive society. Without the correct social environment, an imbalance becomes inevitable. Over a long period, it shifts society towards extremes. Extreme environments are not suitable for social stability. Therefore, the likelihood of society collapsing becomes unavoidable.
