I subscribe to an internet forum called "Quora" where members submit questions and other members answer them. Sometimes the questions/answers are quite technical, particularly in the areas of math and physics.

The following question caught my eye, and I chuckled at the answer. And then I thought about it a bit more...

Which nation has most closely matched the dystopian future of George Orwell's 1984?

Alex Elderfield answered as follows:

It would have to be a country that:

…Constantly monitors its citizens communications and actions.

…Has 24/7 dumbed down, always-on TV.

…Uses language to sanitise / legitimise the way we think about actions "collateral damage".

…Has an economy that relies heavily upon militarisation.

…Is constantly at war with a hated "enemy" but that enemy changes frequently.

…Justifies restrictions on its citizens and distracts them from internal issues based upon fighting the "enemy".


No, I cannot think of one.




tanstaafl.

It's an odd blend of aspects of both Orwell and Huxley's view of the future.

We lack the book banning/burning aspect of Orwell's vision. Instead slipping more towards Huxley's view of people not wanting to read them due to too many other options. Hundreds upon hundreds of 24/7 TV channels, and now the wide open internet of near infinite "channels".

We have so much information at our fingertips, "truth (is) drowned in a sea of irrelevance" as Postman summarized.

And who knew that so much of that monitoring Orwell feared would be something people voluntarily, and eagerly joined? Just the other day Samsung offered to give me one of their droid things for free, as long as I allowed them to monitor and capture everything I do with it for 6 months. All with a nice friendly blue "I want to participate!" button beckoning to be clicked.

Woah... How do I get in on that sort of deal? I'd totally do that. Mind you, I have the patience to let it sit doing next to nothing for the required contractual period.

In the same vein...