In reply to 1984:
A fantastic novel, and such a great overall work that I even tolerated the second the cinematic approach,
that with John Hurt and Richard Burton, circa 1984.
Much can and has been said of this work so I'm just going to add a few cents worth (maybe not two).
An infamous talk by Aldous Huxley (1960 or '61), which can be found everywhere (youtube or archive.org, e.g.),
usually titled 'The Ultimate Revolution,' has H. comparing his work, from app.17 years earlier, to Mr.Blair(Orwell)'s
last work before croaking. As is befit of such-minded people, he figured his scenarios would be more akin to
prognosticating than those who had actually experienced something of the real world (his Down and Out in Paris
and London relays some of these experiences). On that note, not disregarding that 1984 was quite likely more of
a critique of fascist regimes such as were employed in Soviet-land at the time, though Orwell didn't live long enough
to produce a reflective work such as Huxley did in his Brave New World Revisited, Orwell's notions of the fabrication
of history and the ultimate surveillance landscape which allows control of the useless eaters has recently been shown
to be a possible reality, though some who have followed the narrow confines of discrimination have seen the
matter-of-fact'ness of Orwell's interpretations. I believe the previous sentence blew chunks.
That being said, Huxley, in previous regard, merits brownie points for suggesting that a dumbing-down of this
herd--through narcotics, education/indocrination, and whatever control of biological procreation might be possible.
This, clearly, was not Orwell's point, regardless.
Before I trip away into disillusion, I'll just mention one reference I heard recently. Sorta irrelevant but somewhat funny
and related to some recent bullshit that has interested me. Orwell is referenced constantly--hence the 'Orwellian'
terminology--so I will further indulge.
Just yesterday, I listened to a debate between Norman Finkelstein and Alan Dershowitz. Norman pointed out a number
of mistakes that Mr.D had apparently produced in his wonderous work supporting Israel's domination over any
populace that might delay the rapture or, rather ominously, might procure the same. Anywho, one of the mistakes from
Mr.D's book was apparently to comment on the term 'turnthink,' while attributing this term to George Orwell from 1984.
Finkelstein points out that Orwell never used such a goofy term, which was apparently one used by some crazy
Zionist in a previous book which has allegedly been shown to be 'just a bit outside' (holy shit...is the game on?).
I can't remember her name (thank Hendrix) but if Dershowitz believes that Orwell used the term 'turnthink' then
perhaps he is as much of a moron as came out in the rest of said debate. BTW, it was hosted by Amy Goodman--
whateves you think of her--and I found it on youtube.
Fantastic book, whether taken as reflection of the future or just as a work of total fiction.
I need another beer and some baseball.
