Chapters 5-7
I'm not really sure why Big Brother wants to turn all these people into, basically pawns. What good do they do him, honestly? If he keeps them all dumb and happy, I mean I guess they're not going to start a rebellion or an uproar. I just don't really get why he would want to rule a bunch on ignorant people, it honestly seems like an inconvenience to me. I mean they are sucking up all these resources and not really giving any in return. It makes e think that either Big Brother has some childhood issues -- like his parents wouldn't let him have a dog and now he has people as his pets -- or more practically he has a craving for power, and if keeping the people dumb keeps him in power then let it be so.
It just really fascinates me that in the book Big Brother really did not take over power that long ago, and he already has the whole country right under his thumb. I know they did a great purging of the people, to get rid of any that might question his methods, but even the people that were left just submitted to his absurd way of life. They probably didn't have much of a choice, but it seems like it really did not take much for Big Brother to take over society as they knew it. It actually kind of worries me in a way, what if this really happened? I would like to think I wouldn't become a brainwashed imbecile, but I really don't know what would happen. I think that Big Brother would have had to make the people trust him, before he could start brainwashing them. I don't believe that a person who doesn't trust you could be manipulated as easy. I mean some people can be, but I would like to think I would not be one. He would have had to come into power in a reasonable way, because I don't think this could be possible if he didn't. But who knows, the history on that was probably rewritten and changed multiple times anyways. Nothing of the old world exists in this book and to me it makes it kind of unnerving.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Journal #2
Chapters 1-4
Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with this book. So many different thoughts are going through my head it's hard to just pick one to talk about. I think where I will start is with the children and how they are depicted in this book. I find it really disturbing to read about how a little kid want's to go to the town's square to watch a hanging. The fact that he's upset he can't go doesn't help either. I do get that way, way back in the day it was a public thing to hang someone, but I never really thought the people would let their children participate in the event. It's creepy to me that when violent actions happen the people in this book treat it like a trip to the comedy club! It's not funny to see someone get hung, or blown up in a shower of blood and guts! It's deterring! I think that's why this book is so great though; it make a person think about what if that was normal. What if people found violent outrageously funny and entreating. When I think about it ancient Greece come to my mind. They used to watch people beat each other to the death as a regular form of entertainment. To them it might as well have been a party. It just shows how much society impacts our own views.
Another aspect of the book I wanted to hit was, how fragile I think this type of a society this really is. Winston has the job of rewriting history constantly, and it is so hard to go along with that from a readers point of view. I would think someone would notice that the past keeps changing to conform to the present, but the people are kept to dumb to notice! It's aggravating to me that no one can do anything to stop them. Then it makes me think, just how fragile is this network of craziness? I would like to believe that if someone wanted to, and know how to, they could overturn all these finely tuned lies. But, it would be near impossible with constant surveillance, and the people being keep stupid. I would like to think somehow their entire system could be unhinged with the filk of a switch... But, that would be entirely too easy.
Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with this book. So many different thoughts are going through my head it's hard to just pick one to talk about. I think where I will start is with the children and how they are depicted in this book. I find it really disturbing to read about how a little kid want's to go to the town's square to watch a hanging. The fact that he's upset he can't go doesn't help either. I do get that way, way back in the day it was a public thing to hang someone, but I never really thought the people would let their children participate in the event. It's creepy to me that when violent actions happen the people in this book treat it like a trip to the comedy club! It's not funny to see someone get hung, or blown up in a shower of blood and guts! It's deterring! I think that's why this book is so great though; it make a person think about what if that was normal. What if people found violent outrageously funny and entreating. When I think about it ancient Greece come to my mind. They used to watch people beat each other to the death as a regular form of entertainment. To them it might as well have been a party. It just shows how much society impacts our own views.
Another aspect of the book I wanted to hit was, how fragile I think this type of a society this really is. Winston has the job of rewriting history constantly, and it is so hard to go along with that from a readers point of view. I would think someone would notice that the past keeps changing to conform to the present, but the people are kept to dumb to notice! It's aggravating to me that no one can do anything to stop them. Then it makes me think, just how fragile is this network of craziness? I would like to believe that if someone wanted to, and know how to, they could overturn all these finely tuned lies. But, it would be near impossible with constant surveillance, and the people being keep stupid. I would like to think somehow their entire system could be unhinged with the filk of a switch... But, that would be entirely too easy.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Journal #1
Q. Can citizens learn to worship or love a tyrant or only to fear him or her? Why?
A. I think it all really depends on how, said tyrant, tries to establish his or her power. If they make their power known through forceful and hostile events, then they will probably rule through fear. On the other hand, if they come in acting like the only reason they are doing what they are doing is to help make this world better; than that can have a much different effect on people. Why would they not follow someone who is making this world "better." That would probably be the reasoning for most. If he or she gave a rational reason as to why they do the things they do, people would be more willing to follow. If you take Hitler as an example, he was not doing pleasant things in the world while a ruler. But, because he presented it in such a way that made the his people feel enlightened they would listen and they would follow. If like in the book 1984, a ruler were to keep their people happy and ignorant it would make there job a lot easier. It's easier to control people who believe in their rulers, then ones who do not.
A. I think it all really depends on how, said tyrant, tries to establish his or her power. If they make their power known through forceful and hostile events, then they will probably rule through fear. On the other hand, if they come in acting like the only reason they are doing what they are doing is to help make this world better; than that can have a much different effect on people. Why would they not follow someone who is making this world "better." That would probably be the reasoning for most. If he or she gave a rational reason as to why they do the things they do, people would be more willing to follow. If you take Hitler as an example, he was not doing pleasant things in the world while a ruler. But, because he presented it in such a way that made the his people feel enlightened they would listen and they would follow. If like in the book 1984, a ruler were to keep their people happy and ignorant it would make there job a lot easier. It's easier to control people who believe in their rulers, then ones who do not.
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