George Orwell Influence On 1984

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell was extremely insightful for its time. The novel, published in 1948, touched on technological, social, and political issues way before its time. The dystopian setting of 1984 mirrors what Orwell saw happening around him during the time of Nazi Germany and communist Russia, both totalitarian governments. The book’s purpose is to warn society of what could come if the two parties were not stopped. Although technological, social, and political issues continue to change, the predictions Orwell made nearly seven decades ago still stand true in both Western, and modern totalitarian societies today. Along with his accurate predictions, Orwell has made an impact lasting way beyond 1984 by influencing popular culture

with other dystopian novels, movies, television shows.
The most profound technological prediction in 1984 was the telescreen.

Described as an “oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror” the telescreen simultaneously received and transmitted sounds as well as images with no way of knowing if you were being watched at any given moment (Orwell 4). The lack of privacy given by the telescreen can be compared to cell phones and computers under the USA Patriot Act today. The Patriot Act was put into effect a month after the September 11th attacks as a way to prevent future terrorist attacks. Though it had ample support when it was put into effect, some people now claim that it violates their privacy. The act gives the government the ability to search telephone calls, emails, financial matters, and even medical records for people who are “suspected” of endangering the country (Denvil 2). This means that virtually all United States citizens can be watched at any given place, at any given minute, with no way of knowing, much like the telescreens in 1984. Although the motives behind the telescreen and the Patriot Act today appear to be different, Orwell was eerily accurate with technology being able to watch, see, and track your every

move.
Orwell also accurately predicted some social issues that occur today. Today’s media has a direct impact on its citizens lives and their way of thinking, much like The Party’s rhetoric and Departments did in 1984. This most recent presidential election, for example, shows many similarities. In many instances, different news programs spew out variations of facts and opinions that can shape how a person thinks or views the world. An example of this is the major conservative news outlet, FOX, and Donald Trump’s campaign. The misconstrued facts and rhetoric that Trump campaigned on was spread by FOX and other forms of media which molded many minds both consciously and subconsciously. With the aid of the media, the constant fear tactical messages that were spread helped shape this year's’ election. Although this differs from the extreme censorship and brainwashing of the citizens of Oceania, hateful rhetoric and constant bombardment of biased, baseless facts has a direct impact on people's minds and hearts.
Another social prediction that was proven to be truthful was the notion of perpetual war.

Thankfully unlike Oceania, the United States does not wage war to instill a sense of comfort or to brainwash its citizens to believe that “War is Peace”, but America is always in a state of continuous conflict much like in the novel. Orwell writes “Winston could not definitely remember a time when his country had not been at war…” (35). Today, in many cases such as my own, young people cannot remember a time where America was not involved in a military conflict. Since the terror attacks on September 11th, America has seamlessly jumped from war with Iraq to Afghanistan and now onto Syria and Libya. Yes, the war on terror differs from the wars between Eastasia and Eurasia, but the similarities between the two cases is

neverending.
While reading the novel, the first parallel that could be drawn from a society like Oceania is present day North Korea. We know little about day to day life in the country because of the strict laws prohibiting people to enter or exit easily; however, we do have some insight into the country thanks to rare documentaries and articles about life inside the borders. Known as the Dear Leader, Kim Jong Un II is a replica of Big Brother. Their faces are both plastered on billboards and posters, made into monuments, and spread propaganda throughout their country. People are watched and listened to constantly and citizens who speak out or go against what the Dear Leader says are executed are put into camps. The entire novel of 1984 is a mirror image of North Korea technologically, socially, and politically.
Orwell’s impact has lasted way beyond the novel. His work had an immediate impact on the world around him by showing how terrible oppressive regimes could be so that people were aware and moved to ensure that that type of life would not happen. Today, his work has influenced popular culture by inspiring many works of literature with a dystopian setting, movies, and shows.