Esta es una de mis publicaciones viejas, escrita a finales de 2021.

"Sanity is not statistical."

—George Orwell, 1984

Introduction

Does 1984 even need an introduction?

The year is 1984. Three totalitarian super-states have divided the world among themselves. Oceania, the Western super-state, includes the war-torn city of London, home to Winston Smith. As a member of the Ministry of Truth, he alters historical records to coincide with whatever the Party desires. To the outside world, he is just another obedient pawn. On the inside, however, Winston doubts. In a society omnipresent with telescreens and the mighty Big Brother, Winston knows he's doomed.

Thoughts

A classic I have waited far too long to read, 1984 does not disappoint. Though it presents an all-around outstanding plot, it is the real-life context behind the novel which I find more fascinating. The hopelessness of the war and post-war eras is clearly presented in the general unwillingness of the characters to think deeply about complex matters, but that does not mean Orwell meant for 1984 to be a direct prediction of where this trajectory would lead us, much less another cautionary tale on communism, contrary to what many took it for. After all, Orwell himself, as a democratic socialist, was pretty left-leaning. In reality, while the novel was in some senses inspired by the atrocities of Stalin, its primary political focus is to discuss the phenomenon of power. Orwell knew that what once was valid criticism against the inequalities and atrocities of capitalism had become a cheap tactic for politicians to prey on the misery and desperation of the masses so as to gain popularity and, ultimately, power. Hitler did it, Stalin did it, and Oceania does it. 1984 is merely an exaggeration of this form of manipulation applied on a global scale and projected into the future, meant to relate Orwell's concerns to the world. That, at least in part, is a timeless message, and relates a concern we should still be on the lookout for even today.

Unfortunately, I can't really talk about my favorite part of the novel without spoiling the plot, but once you get to this part, you'll realize this too: the plot doesn't even really matter. Even now, as most people know at least the general details of the story of 1984 perhaps without having read it, the book is still worth a read. The real horror of 1984 is found in the way Orwell toys with your perception of the inner machinations of the Party. The fact that he doesn't spend too much time presenting the Party actually works in favor of 1984, as the lack of information preys on the reader's fears and ideas about how ruthlessly totalitarian a government would have to be to reach the level of power the Party has reached. Is the Party fallible? We may never determine it with certainty, but a good place to start would be the first few pages of the novel, if you know what I mean. Al chile ni yo me acuerdo por qué jajajaj.

What I can talk about, at least generally, is Winston Smith. The story is told mostly through his own thoughts, not dialogue, which, again, actually works in favor of the novel. The narrative style feels remarkably intimate and personal, completely removed from the orthodoxy of his environment and, at times, even of his own actions. I think we can all relate to a moment in our lives in which we took a hard look at a particular well-accepted attitude of our society, perhaps a crowd-pleasing fad or an out-of-date tradition, and said "This isn't right," but decided that looking like the odd one out would be too much of a hassle, so we just quietly acted as would be expected from us. Winston's life is this moment constantly in repeat, his actions betraying his own thoughts over and over again for the sake of safety. This is most apparent in his conversation with his friend Syme, who Winston recognizes is smarter than the rest and, though he never finds direct evidence, knows about Winston's heterodox thoughts. It creates a tension that makes you wonder whether or not Winston will ever become rebellious enough to falter when dissimulating, thus making his facade visible to the rest, including the dreaded Thought Police, a situation perhaps allegorical to our ever more close-minded world.

1984 has proved to be timelessly relevant. You may find the lying "Ministry of Truth" and the torturous "Ministry of Love" silly, but I know you know about the vulnerabilities kept secret by the "National Security Agency" and the suppression at Tiananmen at the hands of the "People's Liberation Army." There have always been and perhaps will always be people who will take us all for fools and try to use us to gain and remain in power. We won't prevent their success by keeping our concerns to ourselves and hoping for things to change, as Winston Smith did. If we truly wish to live in a free society, we must realize that no politician or public figure can save us, even those we believe most in. We can't expect the government or corporations or Oceania or the Brotherhood to place our best interests atop their priority list. In reality, it is and will forever be only up to us to save ourselves.

Who I recommend this to

Readers interested in politics: 1984 is a must read for anyone who wishes to truly understand contemporary politics. Hopefully it'll also put into perspective what real totalitarianism looks like and will prompt you to defend yourself against it at its first sight.

Readers interested in modern classics: You've probably read this already if you identify with this description, but to those who haven't, I trust you will not be disappointed. You will certainly get to see a lot 20th-century influences on the story and background of 1984.