Sales of "1984" rise

[DJofSD]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/sales-of-orwells-1984-up-69-percent-on-amazon-list/article/2531503

[Greyfox]

Orwell was a brilliant man and 1984 was somewhat prophetic.
The article at the Washington Examiner site is wrong though.
It claims that June 6 was the 60 th anniversary of the book.
Not so. 1984 was first published in 1949, which would be 64 years ago.

[ArlJim78]

very prophetic I'd say. The Ministry of Truth, Big Brother, thoughtcrimes, all powerful government, sadly these are already part of our society to one degree or another.
Our country is a combination of 1984 and Idiocracy (brought to you by Carl's Jr)

[Robert Goren]

I read the book in high school. We read because of its literary value, not its predictive value. Its predictive leaves a lot to desired. 1984 came and passed 28 years ago. Almost none of what was written the book was true in 1984 and almost none of it is true today. I know right wingers like to see trends coming now, but most aren't. Left wingers see the same things when a republican is in power and they are just as wrong. We have Lottery(actually several). We have a lot of cameras in public places. But what we don't is anybody smart enough working the government to link them up. With budget cuts the rule, that person, if he exist, is not going to work the government. That only happens on a CBS crime show. We are long way from the technology to what was described in 1984. We can't even get the time of a horse race right yet. In theory most of it is there, to put into practice, we are decades away. Remember our best and brightest are working Goldman Sachs trading credit default swaps, not setting up video networks for the government. Greed will always trump power. Something conspiracy freaks seem to forget.

[DJofSD]

There are the trees and then there is the forest.

[LottaKash]

There are the trees and then there is the forest.

And, there are some that still have eyes to see, but so many others with their eyes "wide-shut"...

This is how it works....Couldn't possibly happen here...

[Robert Goren]

There are the trees and then there is the forest. And then there are pot plants growing in the forest. One allegory begets another. Just when you think you have things figured out along comes some one with a monkey wrench. That is what happened to Orwell and his theories. Capitalism reared its head.

[DJofSD]

Did you purposely leave out the word "ugly?"

[Greyfox]

There are the trees and then there is the forest.

You hit the nail on the head there.
Wow. If Robert doesn't see Orwellian stuff, from both L & R sides of the Government, he must be living under a rock.

[Uncle Salty]

That was probably the last good album that Van Halen made...

[Robert Goren]

You hit the nail on the head there.
Wow. If Robert doesn't see Orwellian stuff, from both L & R sides of the Government, he must be living under a rock.I just don't see any more of it than I did in 1965 whenread the book from the government. If I see it anyplace, it is in companies like Walmart and UPS. And there is this thing called Google ads! They are the ones that are tracking our every move.

[boxcar]

You hit the nail on the head there.
Wow. If Robert doesn't see Orwellian stuff, from both L & R sides of the Government, he must be living under a rock.

Maybe Robert is a reincarnated woodpecker which would explain why he can only see the tree. :D

Boxcar

[FantasticDan]

That was probably the last good album that Van Halen made... :D :ThmbUp:

Altho I don't necessarly agree.. I like me some Van Hagar every now and then ;)

[mostpost]

It has been many years since I read "1984" and my memory may be somewhat spotty. In "1984" there was a camera in every room of your home even your bathroom. Those cameras were monitored continuously. In 2013 there are cameras in many, but by no means all public spaces. Those cameras are monitored sporadically if at all. Only when a crime has occurred in the area are tapes looked at.

In "1984" there was one and only one source for news-Big Brother. In 2013 you can't count the number of sources for news-the sources for accurate news are much more limited, unfortunately.

In "1984" the government controlled, distorted and manipulated the flow of information to serve its own ends. In 2013, that function has been taken over by Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and the like.

In "1984" being insufficiently enthusiastic about the government could result in death. In 2013 you can call the President a murderer, cast doubt on his citizenship, spit on a congressman, make disparaging remarks about any number of Democratic women and receive a standing ovation from the Tea Party.

This is not "1984". It is not even close.

[johnhannibalsmith]

...

This is not "1984". It is not even close.

No, it's more like 1977. But when the book was written, it was more like 1342 BC by comparison back then. That's what makes it good. We've actually moved in the direction of what seemed like a terrifying sci-fi impossibility then, and we love it. Except when we don't. The only glaring difference between the society in 1984 and what we are chasing is that our Big Brother doesn't barge into the room, we invite him and then cuss him out when his presence aggravates us.

I'm sure someone else will come along and argue the rest of your post. I would, but I want to share the fun.

[rastajenk]

It has been many years since I read "1984" and my memory may be somewhat spotty. In "1984" there was a camera in every room of your home even your bathroom. Those cameras were monitored continuously. In 2013 there are cameras in many, but by no means all public spaces. Those cameras are monitored sporadically if at all. Only when a crime has occurred in the area are tapes looked at.
How totally Americentric you are. Just because America today doesn't align literally with 1984 doesn't mean it's not happening now. Think North Korea. Don't say it can't happen here ever.

And that bit about talk-show hosts replacing government spoon-fed propaganda is downright laughable.

[mostpost]

How totally Americentric you are. Just because America today doesn't align literally with 1984 doesn't mean it's not happening now. Think North Korea. Don't say it can't happen here ever.
North Korea? Seriously? I'm supposed to worry about what might happen in America because of what is happening in North Korea? Should I worry about monsoons in Chicago because they have monsoons in India?
And that bit about talk-show hosts replacing government spoon-fed propaganda is downright laughable
Do I need to go back and list the number of times one of you has posted something from one of your beloved right wing web sites and I have totally refuted it? There must be close to a thousand by now.
Let me rephrase what I said so you will, perhaps understand.
In "1984" the government lied. In 2013 most of the lies come from those not in government.

[PaceAdvantage]

In 2013 most of the lies come from those not in government.Oh...this is even funnier...keep the hits coming, all-knowing one... :lol: :rolleyes: :bang:

[newtothegame]

What's really sad Pace is Mosty actually believesthat the chosen one never lies. He really believes whatever the messiah and chrissy mathews tells him to believe.

So, of course he thinks the government rarely lies....if ever.

There are NUMEROUS lies told by this government and this administration and this president...DOCUMENTED...but not to worry....Mosty will tell us all it was just mis speaking lol

[mostpost]

What's really sad Pace is Mosty actually believesthat the chosen one never lies. He really believes whatever the messiah and chrissy mathews tells him to believe.

So, of course he thinks the government rarely lies....if ever.

There are NUMEROUS lies told by this government and this administration and this president...DOCUMENTED...but not to worry....Mosty will tell us all it was just mis speaking lol

I did not say the government never lies or rarely lies. The government lies all the time. After all John Boehner is in the government as is Mitch McConnell.
The point, which escaped you as it always does is that government does not have exclusive access to dishonesty.

Your idea of what is a lie and what is documented is laughable.
Obama said he would close Gitmo and he did not. You think that is a lie. You refuse to acknowledge that outside forces made it impossible to keep that campaign promise. Outside forces being a Republican congress that first stalled the necessary legislation, then rejected it all together.

As far as documentation, most of your documentation consists of carefully chosen sound bites and misinterpretations. A classic example of this being the whole Benghazi issue.

[mostpost]

Oh...this is even funnier...keep the hits coming, all-knowing one... :lol: :rolleyes: :bang:
Most being more than half. There are more lies on one Rush Limbaugh show than in a week of Jay Carney White House briefings.

[barn32]

Wasn't 1984 fiction?

[Robert Fischer]

"A world of perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, and public mind control, dictated by a political system euphemistically named English Socialism."
-1984

Totally different. Our political system is euphemistically named Democracy.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Wasn't 1984 fiction?

Isn't everything?

[newtothegame]

I did not say the government never lies or rarely lies. The government lies all the time. After all John Boehner is in the government as is Mitch McConnell.
The point, which escaped you as it always does is that government does not have exclusive access to dishonesty.

Your idea of what is a lie and what is documented is laughable.
Obama said he would close Gitmo and he did not. You think that is a lie. You refuse to acknowledge that outside forces made it impossible to keep that campaign promise. Outside forces being a Republican congress that first stalled the necessary legislation, then rejected it all together.

As far as documentation, most of your documentation consists of carefully chosen sound bites and misinterpretations. A classic example of this being the whole Benghazi issue.

Just as I said he would,,,:lol:

[newtothegame]

And, just for the record Mosty...here is exactly what you said...

"In "1984" the government controlled, distorted and manipulated the flow of information to serve its own ends. In 2013, that function has been taken over by Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and the like."

Seems to me you are saying that the GOVERNMENT controlled and resulting manipulation from the book 1984 is not the same as now and the now is controlled by Beck Rush and the like.
First off, those individuals are NOT in the government.

Next you go on to say that "In "1984" the government lied. In 2013 most of the lies come from those not in government"......

I am not even going to try and compare a radio show, or other form of entertainment and the information disseminated from them to that of information from this government. Then again, at this point, they are both ENTERTAINMENT.

But, information from this government should always be as truthful as possible. This admin has done just the opposite of what Messiah Obama had promised.....remember the whole most transparent comments???

We have Obama telling us he learned about the IRS from the news.....SERIOUSLY???? Then, we find out emails went to DC back in 2010...hmmm quite contradictory from the story this administration fed us about two rogue elements in Cincy dont ya think??

Hopw about how many times we were told this admin was going to work with those on the other side of the aisle.....only to define work as having the IRS target those on the opposite side. Mrs Lerner, and I use that term loosely, claims it was just two little lonely individuals in cincy then proceeds to take the fifth on everything ...lol

Lets not even go to Benghazi and the video which created the firestorm and the ultimate death of 4 americans...or was it a video??? hmmm hard to tell now days.

How about Obama and the story of his parents in Selma...yeah...that wasnt exactly truthful either....

And the list goes on and on.....

Misconceptions...laughable!

[Robert Goren]

If you believe that "1984" already exist in the USA, then there is no need for you to vote in the next election. After all, it has already been decided. Voting the wrong way would just put you the "enemies of the state" list.

[johnhannibalsmith]

If you believe that "1984" already exist in the USA, then there is no need for you to vote in the next election. After all, it has already been decided. Voting the wrong way would just put you the "enemies of the state" list.

If you are a real American and believe what you propose, being on such a list would be a badge of honor.

[rastajenk]

Yeah, it wasn't too long ago we were being told by the anti-Bushies that dissent was the highest form of patriotism. I'm not feeling that so much these days.

[Robert Goren]

If you are a real American and believe what you propose, being on such a list would be a badge of honor.As I remember being on that list in the book led to re-education.

[johnhannibalsmith]

As I remember being on that list in the book led to re-education.

There's one thing 1984 didn't count on. Americans in 2013 can't even be educated the first time, much less re-educated.

[johnhannibalsmith]

... Idiocracy (brought to you by Carl's Jr)

Just rented this and watched it. :lol:

The only thing it got wrong is that I'm skeptical that we'll have to wait 500 years for the future.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Didn't even notice the fact that I made that other post just before the last one. Nice juxtaposition. :D