1984

[treeduck]

QUOTE (Slime @ Aug 17 2006, 10:00 AM)

"We are the dead"

That bastard O'Brien has them now!!!

 

[Dweezil]

They had some other lame books for us to read in HS English.

 

Missed out on Day of the Triffids and 1984

 

I recall a lot of Shakespeare from HS ......

[Midway Hawker]

QUOTE (barney_rebel @ Aug 13 2006, 05:33 AM)

Gonna read "Brave New World" by Huxley next.

I thought that was an Iron Maiden album?

 

 

[steelcaressed]

QUOTE (madra sneachta @ Aug 13 2006, 09:28 AM)

QUOTE (barney_rebel @ Aug 13 2006, 01:33 PM) Just finished the book before my trip - Lots of good documentaries out there which parallel Orwell's paradigms based on issues today. Gonna read "Brave New World" by Huxley next. Good choice Barney - IMO, Brave New World is better than 1984.   In the 80's, I read quite a few dystopic novels, influenced by my first 1984. Ironically. I just Finished BNW.   It is better than Orwell's "1984" only in the sense that it is far more frightening, and a bit more closer to reality (which is mind-numbing.) Genetic engineering, forced socialization, marginalized societies w/ devout religious beliefs, "civilized" secular societies that drug themselves into apathy, a well established, state supported caste system, mandatory state sponsored education w/ a social agenda ...seems like there are an amazing amount of parallels between BNW and reality. The details might be different, but some of the outcomes are astoundingly similar.   The primary difference in the philosophies between the two is that BNW is modeled as an example of how to keep a society happy and productive w/o the citizens even realizing it. The leaders rule w/ a benign love for the populace, or so it appears. In 1984, the characters are aware that they serve the state first. They know they are slaves.   In BNW, everybody seems happy. Nobody (excepting the savage) stops to ponder what Socrates found so frightening..."The unexamined life is not worth living." Or...if they do...they drug their uncertainties away.   In 1984....many stop to ponder that...and because of it paranoia and fear rule supreme.   Orwell's nightmare seems based more on the communist/totalitarian model than BNW...and may actually resonate more w/ people who have lived under a system like that. I remember reading it in 1983...and thinking Orwell's vision was a joke...way too far from reality. I reread it a couple of years ago, and found that I appreciated more then. (Of course...I didn't have to read it the second time...I wanted to.)   yes...to me, Brave New World not only seems possible, but the transformation is already under way.

[Jack Aubrey]

This thread is starting to get political. Let's watch it.

 

[steelcaressed]

OK big brother.

[I Get High On You]

I read 1984 last year in my Journalism class...it's now one of my favorite books of all-time. I had an awesome teacher who really helped awaken me to media and government brainwashing tactics (some might say he turned me into a radical pinko commie).

 

This book is totally the story of the Starman. This thread really is perfect for a forum revolving around Rush.

 

Personally, I find the book quite tragic. I also enjoyed Brave New World, but the ending of 1984 sealed the deal...much more profoundly numbing than in Brave New World. There, the ending just kind of trailed off, leaving me somewhat apathetic about the whole thing.

[steelcaressed]

QUOTE (I Get High On You @ Sep 15 2006, 11:49 PM)

I read 1984 last year in my Journalism class...it's now one of my favorite books of all-time. I had an awesome teacher who really helped awaken me to media and government brainwashing tactics (some might say he turned me into a radical pinko commie). This book is totally the story of the Starman. This thread really is perfect for a forum revolving around Rush. Personally, I find the book quite tragic. I also enjoyed Brave New World, but the ending of 1984 sealed the deal...much more profoundly numbing than in Brave New World. There, the ending just kind of trailed off, leaving me somewhat apathetic about the whole thing.

Your perception of the endings is very interesting.

 

In my opinion, the trailing ending is in 1984, where the lead character is just a shell of himself waiting for an unexplained end.

 

To me, the suicide of the savage at the end is a much more dramatic statement in BNW.

 

All in all, I sure am glad to see there are still some young folks out there still getting a good read out of some fine literature. Keep it up, it's great practice for honing your analytical skills.

 

 

[I Get High On You]

QUOTE (steelcaressed @ Sep 19 2006, 09:27 AM)

QUOTE (I Get High On You @ Sep 15 2006, 11:49 PM) I read 1984 last year in my Journalism class...it's now one of my favorite books of all-time. I had an awesome teacher who really helped awaken me to media and government brainwashing tactics (some might say he turned me into a radical pinko commie). This book is totally the story of the Starman. This thread really is perfect for a forum revolving around Rush. Personally, I find the book quite tragic. I also enjoyed Brave New World, but the ending of 1984 sealed the deal...much more profoundly numbing than in Brave New World. There, the ending just kind of trailed off, leaving me somewhat apathetic about the whole thing. Your perception of the endings is very interesting.   In my opinion, the trailing ending is in 1984, where the lead character is just a shell of himself waiting for an unexplained end.   To me, the suicide of the savage at the end is a much more dramatic statement in BNW.   All in all, I sure am glad to see there are still some young folks out there still getting a good read out of some fine literature. Keep it up, it's great practice for honing your analytical skills. **SPOILER WARNING! **   Thanks for your take - I've heard people say exactly what you said. I think what affected me so much in 1984 was that Winston wasn't able to make any kind of stand at all, succumbing completely to the power of Big Brother. This made me think..."Holy crap, I've just found something even worse than death." I was just shocked and amazed that it ended that way.

[goose]

QUOTE (barney_rebel @ Aug 13 2006, 07:33 AM)

Just finished the book before my trip - Lots of good documentaries out there which parallel Orwell's paradigms based on issues today. Gonna read "Brave New World" by Huxley next.

BNW is the book that has most come to fruition. In the U.S. consumer culture we are more easily enslaved by entertainment than we ever would allow through the use of force.

 

If you enjoy the themes of BNW, try reading a non-fiction work from the 80's called "Amusing Ourselves to Death". I can't recall theauthor, but it's a great indictment of the visual medium as a means of communication.

[Ru5h F@n]

I loved that book. George Orwell sure knows how to write them. Animal Farm was also good too. 1984 was about the way of the future would be and how he predicted it would turn out. Well he was right. It turned out just the same way he wrote about it. It was amazing how close he was to predicting the future. The movie wasn't as good though.

[Slacker]

We we're told about this book before it was written.

 

I read it, and it's not really surprising to me or anybody else that

grow up back then. It's nothing new!

 

 

 

A great read none the less.

 

 

So was a War of the Worlds.

[Schmoo]

In my opinion, 1984 is the most poignant and important book of the 20th century. As poignant today as it was in 1949.

[Weakly Criminal]

What an absolutely AWESOME thread!!!

 

Good to see there are some who's views of reality aren't entirely dictated by newspeak and doublethink. There's no doubt Orwells' vision is coming to pass before our very eyes, he was just a little early in his prediction.

 

If you want the non fiction version of just how this is being accomplished, get Carroll Quigleys' 'Tragedy and Hope', if you can find it. Copies are fast disappearing down the memory hole. Quigley was one of Bill Clintons' professors, and an amazingly frank supporter of Big Brother.

 

From the opposite point of view, read 'The Secrets of the Federal Reserve' and anything else you can find by Eustace Mullins. Mullins is a former employee of the Library of Congress, and one of the most amazing researchers of our time. Now that I think of it, some of his stuff is old enough to be found on the internet for free.

Edited December 14, 2006 by Weakly Criminal

[steelcaressed]

QUOTE

From the opposite point of view, read 'The Secrets of the Federal Reserve' and anything else you can find by Eustace Mullins. Mullins is a former employee of the Library of Congress, and one of the most amazing researchers of our time. Now that I think of it, some of his stuff is old enough to be found on the internet for free.

 

If this topic interests you, check out "The creature from Jekyll Island" by G. Edward Griffin. He's a gold standard purist, and he definitely has an agenda (It might even be selling his own gold certificates.) It is an amazingly enlightening read however. He actually recounts a tale of someone mailing a five spot to the federal reserve asking to redeem his promised five dollars. Their response is surprising to say the least.

 

According to him, money is all about flexibility.

 

Enjoy.

[Weakly Criminal]

QUOTE (steelcaressed @ Dec 13 2006, 10:45 PM)

QUOTE From the opposite point of view, read 'The Secrets of the Federal Reserve' and anything else you can find by Eustace Mullins. Mullins is a former employee of the Library of Congress, and one of the most amazing researchers of our time. Now that I think of it, some of his stuff is old enough to be found on the internet for free.   If this topic interests you, check out "The creature from Jekyll Island" by G. Edward Griffin. He's a gold standard purist, and he definitely has an agenda (It might even be selling his own gold certificates.) It is an amazingly enlightening read however. He actually recounts a tale of someone mailing a five spot to the federal reserve asking to redeem his promised five dollars. Their response is surprising to say the least.   According to him, money is all about flexibility.   Enjoy. Ah, yes! I know it well, though it's been many years, and it's probably time for another read. You may be interested to know that Mullins has all but admitted that he ghost wrote TCFJI for Griffin for a considerable fee.   1913.... It was a very bad year....

[TheMeek]

The lyrics to 2112 always remind me of 1984.