Plausibility

Is the world envisioned in 1984 really possible? Do you think that organization at that scale is possible, and that it is possible to effectively control that many people?

You bet your bottom dollar it can happen. Depends on who you ask if it is happening today. The government doing the wire taps sound familiar???? Like the thought police???????

The THought Police analogy brings up the question of "IF the FBI/NSA had the manpower would they listen to every phone call made in the US??? PErsonally I think they would but I know nothing of FBI and NSA inner workings.

deathdonut wrote:

Is the world envisioned in 1984 really possible? Do you think that organization at that scale is possible, and that it is possible to effectively control that many people?

This could probably happen, because now technology is very advance, and it can do many things. Controlling all the people in one nation would be hard, but it could happen, they could video tape the people 24/7 and then check if someone has not followed the rules.

At that scale, no. To that extent no. But it's getting close, llok at North Korea right now. To own a radio or television you need get it registered by the government and get it altered so there's no way to recieve non-government related news. Every channel is sponsered by their government and they're constantly advertising their war efforts. Constantly spending money on new weapons and larger armies. Huge sums of money that go to nuclear testing could be going to economic issues, something that actually needs the money. There are parallels relating to our society as well. Instead of proles we have prosicuted minorities who are also thought of as "animals". Instead of Eurasia or Eastasia, we have Iraq and afghanistan. The telescreens are all the video cameras everywhere. I don't believe that we will ever have a complete 1984 society but I believe that we can get close

snowchic101 wrote:

At that scale, no. To that extent no. But it's getting close, llok at North Korea right now. To own a radio or television you need get it registered by the government and get it altered so there's no way to recieve non-government related news. Every channel is sponsered by their government and they're constantly advertising their war efforts. Constantly spending money on new weapons and larger armies. Huge sums of money that go to nuclear testing could be going to economic issues, something that actually needs the money. There are parallels relating to our society as well. Instead of proles we have prosicuted minorities who are also thought of as "animals". Instead of Eurasia or Eastasia, we have Iraq and afghanistan. The telescreens are all the video cameras everywhere. I don't believe that we will ever have a complete 1984 society but I believe that we can get close

I almost agree but I think that in a country like the US or most european countries the populous wouldnt allow it, there would be a revolution if it got even close to the scale thats in the book the things that are happening in the US like wire taps and getting book records are like what happens in 1984 but are not even close to the scale in the book those kind of things are right on the edge of being good.

Well first off I suppose I should say that I have never read 1984 nor did I go to see the play, so I have almost no knowledge about this subject. But from what I have been told about 1984 and the Totalitarian government in the book, I believe that this is entirely possible in real life. I think that Orwell probably took different ideals from previous Totalitarian governments and regimes like the Nazis to mesh together the government in 1984. Also I believe that 1984's government has been portrayed in video games. I don't know if anyone here has played the game Half Life 2, but it is centered around an alien invasion in which the aliens control earth and the humans on it. Quite a fun game actually, and it may have some meaning and allusions to 1984.

I don't think that this is possible right now because there are so many people in the world. But, i guess eventually it could happen. It would be very easy to do so because of all the modern day technology all they need to do is put cameras that tape your evey move on your cell phone. It is possible but probually very hard to acheive.

I think that if the government truly had the desire to crate a world like the one crated in 1984 they could do it. We certianly don't have the technology now, but sometime in the near future it could be done.

Yes, i do believe we could control people at that level. Hitler had such strong control over Germany, he convinced the people jews wern't human.

I think it would be entirely possible to have that much control over people, but i do not think that it is probable becuase there are so many other things that would seem outrageous to george orwell is he were alive right now. I do not think that it would have been possible for the world to gain that in such a short period of time after he died.

I agree with snowchic101 on this topic when s/he said that "we can get close" to the 1984 way of life. I think that this would be made possible if the government exploited our weaknesses, such as the fear of terrorists attacking again, to gain control over us because they know that we will go to great lengths to avoid whatever makes us scared. In this way, it is definitely possible for one man or one system to have complete control over so many people because they created the people, they know what makes them tick, and they have the ability to break them. Also, the people don't know any better because they were so afraid that they will believe whatever the government tells them. I don't think that we will reach the led life in 1984 because it's so radical, but never say never right?

I think that at the respective scale of the government having total control over its people is somewhat impossible. i think that the government having the power to "brainwash" its people so that they believe what the government wants is happening in some parts of the world already. this is also very true with parents and their children to an extence. when children are still too young to dictate themselves, parents have the power to dictate what their children do and what they cant do. this is sort of what big brother does to the citizens that dont do or believe what he wants.

I truly doubt that one day a country will become a Big Brother society. I think that we can get very close to becoming a society with no privacy, but as long as people continue to think for themselves and speak out against something they disagree with, our society will be fine. I think one of the issues we are dealing with today is how far will we let the government invade our privacy for security. I believe that the only way that any country would become like Big Brother is if the citizens of the country let the government listen to our phone calls or search through our belongings for Security reasons. How will our society balance the amout of safety needed while still letting people have some privacy?

I honestly think that the world envisioned in 1984 is possible, especially with the technology we have now. I just don't think that the people that have this power are really that organized and manipulative.

I think that it is possible, maybe not quite to the scale in 1984, but it is possible. It has happened before. We've learned about how Octavian used propaganda, also Hitler's Nazi Regime is another example. It is probably happening somewhere right now. I honestly don't believe that the US is becoming one, even with the wire taps and the patriot act, because i just think it can't happen. But actually, it's not too hard to do, what with all the propaganda outlets and the power structure and...oh god, no!!!!

God NO

There is not wayt that could ever happen thanks to people like you and Fred Friendly. He stood up to the Government and completely turned this country around. The basis of the 1984 story was based on changing moral values. They changed peoples loyalties to the government and made it so that ytou loyalties were never questioned.

This type of situation could never happen the way our government is laid out. Checks and balences.... They make it so that no one opinion nor any one person can make their voice overbaring.

For those of you who argue that it has already happened because of wiretaps.... you are paranoid.

That is an anti-terrorist invention, no matter how important you think your life is, i am sure the government will not pick you to listen to. They target certian people who have specific connections. It is for the benefit of all Americans that this happens. With out the precautions, we will most definately die. We will have no rights then

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This really connects back into the other question of the post 9/11 world. So if you want more, go look there.

I think it is actually possible because in a time of war and potential valnuarbilty any smart person can take control by offering peace and change people are so maliable that they will believe anything that they hear. If they figured out what is going on by that time it would be to late and that government couldnt lose control. Its kind of like how hitler took control of germany nobody liked it after awhile but when they figured out what happened it was to late to change anything.

In america, i don't think that any president/leader could pull it off. America is one of the craziest countries out there in the consideration of "freedom".
Maybe in a european country that has a background of dictatorship or hierarchy, though.
I mean, look at Mid East countries.
The women have to wear certain things. People are watched for "moral thinking" or whatever.
That's pretty close to 1984.
In fact,
I think that the plot in 1984 is very possible in today's times, just not our country. Thank God