Is It 1984
How 1984--the Novel--relates to Our World Today
"He used to say that artist use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use them to cover the truth up."
From Rubble to Revival
FROM RUBBLE ...
BUT IS IT WORTH
LOSING YOUR IDENTITY ?
... TO REVIVAL
#727
"i pledge allegiance to the flag
of the united states of..." i rub my eyes
this is all such a drag
we all fall in unison
rules, rules, too many rules
"no this, no that" might as well say wear your hair in a bun
and we just follow them like mindless fools
"here's your student number"
but don't worry about remembering it, we'll just use it for everything
I'm thinking about getting 727 tattooed onto my shoulder
and tell people it stands for something
like our goals
or really because we sold our souls
Ameritopia
1984(Orwell) is becoming real, we’re being watched and thanks to Snowden, we know the plans of the government. What are they looking for with this information, a terrorist group? The chances are one in three hundred million. It seems like a way to snoop on the people of our nation. They are a lot more likely to find billions of cookies, which is what a site leaves in a document in your computer when you visit their site (these include third parties too), of pornographic data than anything else. Well over 2 billion searches in the US alone were for pornography(CovenantEyes) Our government shouldn't be able to search our personal data unless issued a search warrant by a judge. Is the government impeding on our rights?
But, to every argument there is an equal and opposite ideal. The reaction to the presentation of data, by Snowden, by our national security was that they are trying to keep us from threats of terror(Zakaria). This seems like a great idea, and would work, if we didn’t have rights. In George Orwell's, 1984, the surveillance is not meant to torture the people, but to protect the people and to preserve the peace. Isn’t that what the government is supposed to do? Maybe the American government has good intentions behind what it is doing on our computers.
In certain circumstances, internet surveillance may be necessary, but it should not be an on-standing organization. So where might we draw the line? It depends on the person. An average person may not mind if their computer is being patrolled, but someone like a psychiatrist, with sensitive information on their computer, would. What might happen if some personal information slips out while an inspector is on your computer? Are they just out of luck? About fifteen million people are victims of identity theft in the United States every year, are we trying to add to that number?
The fourth amendment, protection from unlawful search and seizures, seems like it would protect us from this trap. It reminds me of the unlawful drug/smuggling checks towards the border between us and Mexico. These checks use dogs to “help them do their job.” But what they really do is give the patrols a probable cause to pull you to the side and check your vehicle. If you refuse the check they will unlawfully detain you. When we let bureaucrat, civil servants, and feds step on our rights, we do ourselves a disservice. We are allowing Big Brother to rise and grow his power and control over us.
How does it feel to be judged and looked at for what you do in private? But, what would it feel like to be judged for what you do in the sanctity of your own home. The end doesn’t justify the means! When you know your rights, you help to slow the raging fire of Big Brother, in which spreads and spreads with ignorance of the people. The negatives out weigh the positives, from my view, this is what I see, but I sit on the right and I might have my hand on the scale. What do you see?(Zakaria)
NEEDTOBREATH--Maybe They're On To Us
I feel their eyes all over me
It’s lookin' like conspiracy
I'm out of friends that I can trust
Maybe they’re on to us
My heart is filled with suspicion
I've got a fearful condition
Its more than just paranoia
Maybe they’re on to us
Maybe they’re on to us
You're not the only one
To sleep through the firing squad
To scream through the night at God
Wake in a pouring sweat you hear the sound
Can't even turn around
Hand reaching from the ground
Who's gonna save us
Who's gonna save us now
I’m looking up in the rear view
Crowds that I can't seem to push through
Strangers and operations
Maybe they’re on to us
My hands are shakin' like a leaf
Can't even see in front of me
I know its just paranoia
Maybe they’re on to us
Maybe they’re on to us
You're not the only one
To sleep through the firing squad
To scream through the night at God
Wake in a pouring sweat you hear the sound
Can't even turn around
Hand reaching from the ground
Who's gonna save us
Who's gonna save us now
Who's gonna save us now
I’m not the only one
The fear is like a flood
It’s movin' on me now
The screams they catch us
The screams they catch us
The fear is like a flood
It’s movin' on me now
The screams they catch us
Who’s gonna save us now
You're not the only one
To sleep through the firing squad
To scream through the night at God
Wake in a pouring sweat you hear the sound
Can't even turn around
Hand reaching from the ground
Who's gonna save us
Who's gonna save us now
(Reinhart)
The song that I chose was “Maybe They’re On To Us” by NEEDTOBREATH. The reason that I chose this song is because it locks onto the way I believe Winston feels in the book, 1984. Winston’s revolt begins a few pages into the book when he begins the diary, and the paranoia follows quick behind. In the following chapter, chapter two, Winston is asked to help his old frail neighbor, Mrs. Parsons. While in the home of the Parsons, his paranoia kicks into overdrive when the spy children yell “traitor! You’re a thought criminal! You’re a Eurasian spy!” (Orwell 23) this relates to the song in verse 1, where it says “I feel their eyes all over me” and in verse 2 where it says, “Maybe they’re on to us”. When Winston and Julia are captured, the lyrics of this song describe the episode, more or less in “The screams they catch us” “the fear is like a flood” “My hands are shakin' like a leaf”(3rd stanza, 5th line). Further into the book when Winston is imprisoned in section 3, and O’Brian betrays him, relates to the line in the song “I’m out of friends that I can trust”. The hopelessness Winston feels nearing the end of the book is depicted in the song when it asks "Who's gonna save us, Who's gonna save us now?"(2nd stanza, 8th line).These lyrics show a sense of being lost and a desire to be helped, much like Winston. I chose the song because I believe this is the most accurate representation of Winston’s struggles through out the book, 1984(Orwell).
Band Merch--The Minitopia
We as Americans idolize singers, rappers, musicians, dancers, and much more. If you don’t believe me, look around and see how many shirts you see with a rapper or band. Band merchandise is becoming more and more popular. If you don’t have a certain shirt, then you aren’t a fan. These ideals are leading to an apocalypse of little minions. But, the idolization doesn’t stop there. We have radicals out there that will do basically anything you tell them; cuts for Bieber, bald for Bieber, tattoos (those things that are engraved into your skin) of your favorite song or band, and much more. Its amazing how subjective we all are, how people that we never have met are our “first love” or how the dislike of a rapper who wasn’t even speaking directly to them will become offended. We have all of their songs; we follow their every move they make. We are stalking these entertainers to the point that some won’t even leave their homes in fear of the media. The public is like the All Seeing Eye, maybe that’s what Sail by Awolnation means; he wants to escape the public eye. We want to be just like them, because they have money and fame and anything we could ever want, but when they make one slip-up they are scrutinized. This is like a dystopia turned on its head, we are Big Brother(Orwell) and the singers and musicians are the controlled. they have to watch what they say and what they do.
The Marshal March
Sunday, Feb 16, 2014, 12:00 AM
16th Street Northwest, Washington, DC, United States
Citation
"Covenant Eyes." Porn Stats. Covenant Eyes, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013
"The Cleveland Memory Project." Mapp v. Ohio. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
Orwell, George. 1984. Barcelona: Ediciones Destino, 1997. Print.
Rinehart, Bear. Maybe They're on to Us. NEEDTOBREATHE. Rec. 20 Sept. 2011. Atlantic Records, 2011. CD
V for Vendetta. Screenplay by Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski. Perf. Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Rupert Graves. Virtual Studios, 2005. Film.
Zakaria, Fareed. "Big Data, Meet Big Brother." Global Public Square RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013