19841984: Heavy is the Cost: Heavy is the Cost

FeracoFeraco

SFHP/Myth/Sci-FiSFHP/Myth/Sci-Fi

27 April 200927 April 2009

Let’s look at what it means to live Let’s look at what it means to live in Orwell’s universein Orwell’s universe

Nothing comes for freeNothing comes for free The cost of lovingThe cost of loving The cost of believingThe cost of believing The cost of livingThe cost of living

We’ll tie those costs to issues of We’ll tie those costs to issues of power – since that seems to be one power – since that seems to be one of the book’s focal pointsof the book’s focal points

How many of you would like to hold How many of you would like to hold power at some point in your power at some point in your lifetimes?lifetimes?

Which kinds of power will you Which kinds of power will you pursue?pursue?

External controlsExternal controls Boss Boss Employees Employees Parent Parent Children Children

Why is this type of power Why is this type of power important?important? Protect those you care aboutProtect those you care about Protect yourself (not everyone’s an Protect yourself (not everyone’s an

angel)angel) Perpetuate yourself/your legacyPerpetuate yourself/your legacy

Internal controlsInternal controls Be your own bossBe your own boss Intelligence/Emotion Intelligence/Emotion Control the Control the

direction of your thoughts, direction of your thoughts, independently reach conclusions and independently reach conclusions and make choices, and feel secure with make choices, and feel secure with your own/collective identityyour own/collective identity

Physical Physical Freedom to choose Freedom to choose independent action, establish roles, independent action, establish roles, and provide for immediate security and provide for immediate security

Two QuestionsTwo Questions Why aren’t the internal controls supposed to Why aren’t the internal controls supposed to

be attractive if applied externally? (i.e. Why be attractive if applied externally? (i.e. Why shouldn’t we seek to manipulate others’ shouldn’t we seek to manipulate others’ emotions if we seek to control our own?)emotions if we seek to control our own?)

How do you frame/express what you want? How do you frame/express what you want? Do you express yourself in terms of what you Do you express yourself in terms of what you don’t want vs. what you do?don’t want vs. what you do?

These discrepancies highlight the two These discrepancies highlight the two ways people can sustain power – through ways people can sustain power – through either negative or positive consequences either negative or positive consequences – and the vast differences between the – and the vast differences between the approaches in terms of relationships and approaches in terms of relationships and sustainabilitysustainability

Character Relationships Character Relationships – Type 1– Type 1

Negative ConsequenceNegative Consequence Established in terms of what you Established in terms of what you

don’t want to happendon’t want to happen This can be framed positively This can be framed positively

(“Protect”) or negatively (“Avoid”)(“Protect”) or negatively (“Avoid”) Grants influence and power to Grants influence and power to

elements out of an individual’s control elements out of an individual’s control in order to provide motivationin order to provide motivation

Relationships based on fear, mutual Relationships based on fear, mutual harm, and deficiencyharm, and deficiency

Character Relationships Character Relationships – Type 2– Type 2

Positive ConsequencePositive Consequence Established in terms of what you want Established in terms of what you want

to happento happen This is difficult to frame negativelyThis is difficult to frame negatively Grants influence and power to Grants influence and power to

elements that remain in an elements that remain in an individual’s control in order to provide individual’s control in order to provide motivationmotivation

Relationships based on loyalty, Relationships based on loyalty, respect, and consistencyrespect, and consistency

Here’s a fascinating quirk – you establish truly Here’s a fascinating quirk – you establish truly positive relationships when you have the luxury of positive relationships when you have the luxury of survivalsurvival

If you aren’t “assured” of survival, virtually If you aren’t “assured” of survival, virtually everything you’re doing is a buttress against a fate everything you’re doing is a buttress against a fate you’re trying to avoid (i.e., death)you’re trying to avoid (i.e., death)

It’s the difference between tossing a cupcake to a It’s the difference between tossing a cupcake to a starving man, who eats it without hesitation – starving man, who eats it without hesitation – without thought – because he instinctively avoids without thought – because he instinctively avoids oblivion, and tossing one to someone who’s well-fed oblivion, and tossing one to someone who’s well-fed and therefore can make an intelligent decision and therefore can make an intelligent decision regarding the cupcakeregarding the cupcake

In this sense, the things our characters convince In this sense, the things our characters convince themselves they need tend to influence negative, themselves they need tend to influence negative, powerless approaches to existence rather than powerless approaches to existence rather than positive, proactive ones; they stunt their own growthpositive, proactive ones; they stunt their own growth

You’ll find that both are important over the You’ll find that both are important over the course of your lifetime – and that some of your course of your lifetime – and that some of your relationships are harder to classifyrelationships are harder to classify

Let’s say negative-consequence relationships Let’s say negative-consequence relationships belong more to the province of “macro” belong more to the province of “macro” relationships – bonds between nations, between relationships – bonds between nations, between companies, between people who compete for companies, between people who compete for leadership positions, and so on – while positive-leadership positions, and so on – while positive-consequence relationships will tend to be the consequence relationships will tend to be the friendships you pursue consciouslyfriendships you pursue consciously

The key, then, is to prevent your friendships The key, then, is to prevent your friendships from becoming negative ones – I hang out with from becoming negative ones – I hang out with Person X because it’s easy vs. I hang out with Person X because it’s easy vs. I hang out with Person X because I don’t want to face the Person X because I don’t want to face the consequences of consequences of notnot being with them being with them

Winston, interestingly, seems to have hybrid Winston, interestingly, seems to have hybrid relationships!relationships! You can say that he’s loyal to Julia because he loves You can say that he’s loyal to Julia because he loves

her, but he never states ither, but he never states it You can say that he “wants Julia to happen” because You can say that he “wants Julia to happen” because

he desires her physicallyhe desires her physically But it’s also easy to see how Winston treats Julia like But it’s also easy to see how Winston treats Julia like

the starving man treats the cupcakethe starving man treats the cupcake She gives him a reason to live, implying that without She gives him a reason to live, implying that without

her, he’d go back to the slightly suicidal pattern of her, he’d go back to the slightly suicidal pattern of behavior he’d established earlier in the bookbehavior he’d established earlier in the book

Does Winston keep spending time with Julia Does Winston keep spending time with Julia because he loves her, or because he can’t bear because he loves her, or because he can’t bear the thought of being alone again after he’s had the thought of being alone again after he’s had a taste of “the good life” as it’s defined in a taste of “the good life” as it’s defined in Orwell’s universe – i.e., life as an actual human Orwell’s universe – i.e., life as an actual human being?being?

The fact that we even consider this The fact that we even consider this question is a testament to how badly question is a testament to how badly the Party warps human beingsthe Party warps human beings

The Party operates based on a series of The Party operates based on a series of negative consequences obsessively negative consequences obsessively repurposed as positives – to the point repurposed as positives – to the point that history must be changed to justify that history must be changed to justify the lies the Party tellsthe lies the Party tells (We’ll wonder about whether Orwell argues (We’ll wonder about whether Orwell argues

that positive-consequence or negative-that positive-consequence or negative-consequence relationships last longer at the consequence relationships last longer at the end of this section)end of this section)

Orwell then goes on to make a Orwell then goes on to make a comparison between approaches to comparison between approaches to maintaining power – since that maintaining power – since that seems to be the Party’s endgame, seems to be the Party’s endgame, regardless of whether it’s a regardless of whether it’s a fundamentally positive or negative fundamentally positive or negative one – from different periods of one – from different periods of human historyhuman history

Party vs. Inquisition vs. Party vs. Inquisition vs. TotalitariansTotalitarians

InquisitionInquisition Created martyrsCreated martyrs Thou shalt notThou shalt not Actions – NoActions – No Thoughts – NoThoughts – No Building a Better WorldBuilding a Better World

TotalitariansTotalitarians Avoided creating martyrs (except Avoided creating martyrs (except

when doing so served a greater when doing so served a greater purpose)purpose)

Thou shaltThou shalt Actions – YesActions – Yes Thoughts – NoThoughts – No Building a Better WorldBuilding a Better World

PartyParty Avoids creating martyrs (except when Avoids creating martyrs (except when

doing so serves a greater purpose)doing so serves a greater purpose) Thou artThou art Actions – YesActions – Yes Thoughts – YesThoughts – Yes Pulling Heaven DownPulling Heaven Down

The Party’s behavior suggests a extremely The Party’s behavior suggests a extremely cynical view of humanity – that while we cynical view of humanity – that while we profess to be positive and outwardly-profess to be positive and outwardly-focused beings, at our core we’re willing focused beings, at our core we’re willing to surrender everything just to stay safe…to surrender everything just to stay safe…or even just to surviveor even just to survive

Moreover, we can’t bring ourselves to Moreover, we can’t bring ourselves to recognize this independently because we recognize this independently because we prefer to think of ourselves differentlyprefer to think of ourselves differently

Therefore, the Party frames things in Therefore, the Party frames things in language that expresses itself in terms of language that expresses itself in terms of what we what we want to wantwant to want – positive things – – positive things – while reducing us to our basest desire while reducing us to our basest desire (self-perpetuation, even in the negative (self-perpetuation, even in the negative abstract) and sparing nothing elseabstract) and sparing nothing else

It’s interesting that the desire for self-It’s interesting that the desire for self-perpetuation – so powerfully independent – perpetuation – so powerfully independent – is nurtured and used to sustain the Party is nurtured and used to sustain the Party rather than eliminatedrather than eliminated

But this points back to a realization But this points back to a realization Winston reaches about the Party’s attitude Winston reaches about the Party’s attitude towards the things it can’t killtowards the things it can’t kill It can’t kill human sexuality – so it makes it It can’t kill human sexuality – so it makes it

toxictoxic It can’t kill the desire for family life and family It can’t kill the desire for family life and family

structure – so it subverts its original purpose structure – so it subverts its original purpose and turns it against itselfand turns it against itself

In this same fashion, it can’t kill the human In this same fashion, it can’t kill the human desire to survive – so what does it do?desire to survive – so what does it do? It reshapes itIt reshapes it

O’Brien describes relationships between O’Brien describes relationships between people and bodies (think the Brotherhood people and bodies (think the Brotherhood or the Party) in terms of cells and organsor the Party) in terms of cells and organs

This gets down to the foundation of This gets down to the foundation of individualism, for a cell doesn’t desire individualism, for a cell doesn’t desire existence over the organ – and that existence over the organ – and that attitude has to be conditioned into a attitude has to be conditioned into a human beinghuman being

If it can convince you that the Party is If it can convince you that the Party is more important than the individual – that more important than the individual – that life is impermanent and the Party is life is impermanent and the Party is immortal – then it winsimmortal – then it wins

What the Party ends up doing is What the Party ends up doing is removing the conscious desire for removing the conscious desire for survival by shoving it into the survival by shoving it into the unconscious/subconscious/instinctive unconscious/subconscious/instinctive part of the brainpart of the brain

This means that, in essence, the Party This means that, in essence, the Party can can nevernever kill it because it’s now out of kill it because it’s now out of reachreach

Simultaneously, the Party replaces the Simultaneously, the Party replaces the conscious desire for self-perpetuation in conscious desire for self-perpetuation in people like Parsons with the conscious people like Parsons with the conscious desire for the desire for the PartyParty’s self-perpetuation’s self-perpetuation

You convince yourself a) that sacrifice You convince yourself a) that sacrifice is noble, b) that you’re making a is noble, b) that you’re making a sacrifice voluntarily for the good of the sacrifice voluntarily for the good of the whole, and that c) this therefore whole, and that c) this therefore confers individual nobility upon yourselfconfers individual nobility upon yourself

In actuality, the Party has made you In actuality, the Party has made you into a being whose every action into a being whose every action somehow perpetuates the organ while somehow perpetuates the organ while starving the cell – repurposing the starving the cell – repurposing the survival instinct to fuel itself rather survival instinct to fuel itself rather than its populationthan its population

It’s not a flattering picture of It’s not a flattering picture of humanity, and many people resist humanity, and many people resist the idea that they’d react in the the idea that they’d react in the same waysame way

One wonders if these things Orwell One wonders if these things Orwell writes about are really at the core writes about are really at the core of who we are – if the Party’s of who we are – if the Party’s behavior is accurate – or if human behavior is accurate – or if human beings are fundamentally better, beings are fundamentally better, or at least more complicatedor at least more complicated

For this, we have to look at what For this, we have to look at what threatens the Partythreatens the Party

Compassion seems to be a threat Compassion seems to be a threat to them, as indicated by Winston’s to them, as indicated by Winston’s experiences in the Ministry of Love experiences in the Ministry of Love – and while love and sex are – and while love and sex are obvious threats for the reasons obvious threats for the reasons Julia describes, compassion is Julia describes, compassion is somewhat trickiersomewhat trickier

Why kill compassion if it helps Why kill compassion if it helps perpetuate the workforce?perpetuate the workforce?

Perhaps the Party’s attitude Perhaps the Party’s attitude reflects a belief that compassion is reflects a belief that compassion is fundamentally ingrained in human fundamentally ingrained in human beings, just as the aforementioned beings, just as the aforementioned desires for love and sex are – but desires for love and sex are – but while the other two can be while the other two can be repurposed to serve the party repurposed to serve the party instead of killedinstead of killed

In this sense, the Party reverts to Inquisition-In this sense, the Party reverts to Inquisition-level tactics – Thou shalt not – which level tactics – Thou shalt not – which indicates that this truly is one of its weak indicates that this truly is one of its weak spotsspots

It’s the secret to why the proles need to be It’s the secret to why the proles need to be kept as stupid drones – because they feel, kept as stupid drones – because they feel, and the Party lacks the power to kill feeling and the Party lacks the power to kill feeling on that large a scaleon that large a scale

It can only use ignorance as a stop-gap It can only use ignorance as a stop-gap measuremeasure

As long as the proles are willing to be stupid As long as the proles are willing to be stupid – it – it isis easier in the short term – the Party is easier in the short term – the Party is safesafe

Ironically, the thing that would inspire the Ironically, the thing that would inspire the proles to rise up is if they proles to rise up is if they feltfelt aggrieved – is aggrieved – is if they realized what was being done to all if they realized what was being done to all of them, and reactedof them, and reacted

As a result, the Party’s minimal As a result, the Party’s minimal interventions in the lives of the proles serve interventions in the lives of the proles serve a dual purposea dual purpose They remove dangerous individuals in a precise They remove dangerous individuals in a precise

and surgical way, which allows the Party to avoid and surgical way, which allows the Party to avoid over-extending itself (relative to its resources)over-extending itself (relative to its resources)

They don’t seem to be a big part of the proles’ They don’t seem to be a big part of the proles’ lives, and therefore avoid the anger that the lives, and therefore avoid the anger that the commoners re-direct at each othercommoners re-direct at each other

Ultimately, arguments about human beings Ultimately, arguments about human beings as “fundamentally bad” run into the gray as “fundamentally bad” run into the gray areas of instincts that run the gamut from areas of instincts that run the gamut from base to noblebase to noble ““Caring is a reflex. Someone slips, your arm Caring is a reflex. Someone slips, your arm

goes out. A car is in the ditch, you join the goes out. A car is in the ditch, you join the others and push...You live, you help.” – Ram others and push...You live, you help.” – Ram DassDass

Even in the Ministry of Love – when Even in the Ministry of Love – when humans are reduced to the lowest of the humans are reduced to the lowest of the low – it takes a long time to break low – it takes a long time to break compassion; prisoners even instinctively compassion; prisoners even instinctively seek it in their captorsseek it in their captors

So perhaps we’re better than the Party So perhaps we’re better than the Party gives us credit for – which is why it has to gives us credit for – which is why it has to try to ruin us in order to stay in powertry to ruin us in order to stay in power

Since the Party can’t fully ruin human Since the Party can’t fully ruin human beings, it seems content to force them beings, it seems content to force them into a fundamentally awful choice – into a fundamentally awful choice – obliterate yourself as yourself, or obliterate yourself as yourself, or survive as something unlike yousurvive as something unlike you Intelligence and EmotionIntelligence and Emotion Survival vs. OblivionSurvival vs. Oblivion

ParsonsParsons WinstonWinston

Is it worthwhile for Winston to keep Is it worthwhile for Winston to keep breathing once he’s sustaining a body breathing once he’s sustaining a body instead of a soul?instead of a soul?

Let’s look at some necessary conditions Let’s look at some necessary conditions for survivalfor survival Ability to thinkAbility to think Ability to feelAbility to feel SustenanceSustenance AirAir What else?What else?

Watch as the Party strips these away, Watch as the Party strips these away, one by oneone by one We’re not left with survival (meaningful We’re not left with survival (meaningful

existence), but existence), but survivalsurvival (self-perpetuation of (self-perpetuation of cells and organs) cells and organs)

Ultimately, we’re confronted with our Ultimately, we’re confronted with our three concerns from the beginning – three concerns from the beginning – the costs of living, believing, and the costs of living, believing, and lovingloving

We see that they’re deeply We see that they’re deeply interrelated, and that each of them interrelated, and that each of them comes back to issues of internal comes back to issues of internal power vs. external controls (i.e., how power vs. external controls (i.e., how much control you’re willing to much control you’re willing to surrender in order to get what you surrender in order to get what you want)want)

The cost of loving – here – may be The cost of loving – here – may be survival or controlsurvival or control Are the benefits worth the sacrifice?Are the benefits worth the sacrifice?

The cost of believing – here – is The cost of believing – here – is control and philosophycontrol and philosophy Are these the components of the Are these the components of the

human soul?human soul? The cost of living – here – is control The cost of living – here – is control

and beliefand belief Are the benefits worth the sacrifice?Are the benefits worth the sacrifice?

It’s hard to tell how Orwell It’s hard to tell how Orwell wantswants us to thinkus to think

That’s probably best, for it’s time That’s probably best, for it’s time we looked at other conditions for we looked at other conditions for survivalsurvival Certainty?Certainty? Truth?Truth? Is it more important for things to be Is it more important for things to be

true, or for us to believe they are?true, or for us to believe they are?

Pyrrho was an ancient philosopher, Pyrrho was an ancient philosopher, one of the forefathers of modern one of the forefathers of modern skepticismskepticism He avoided stating that anything was He avoided stating that anything was

inherently true, consistently advocating inherently true, consistently advocating contrary positions as an intellectual contrary positions as an intellectual exerciseexercise

He saw “both sides” – more realistically, He saw “both sides” – more realistically, multiple sides – of everythingmultiple sides – of everything

In other words, he avoided the concept of In other words, he avoided the concept of truth entirely – except, perhaps, to state truth entirely – except, perhaps, to state that the only truth in the universe is that that the only truth in the universe is that nothing is black-and-white truenothing is black-and-white true

Is he crazy? How can a person lead Is he crazy? How can a person lead such a skeptical existence without such a skeptical existence without exhausting himself?exhausting himself?

There’s a certain certainty in a There’s a certain certainty in a system predicated on chaossystem predicated on chaos

After all, is Pyrrho far from the After all, is Pyrrho far from the truth by proclaiming there is none truth by proclaiming there is none – or has he found the only thing we – or has he found the only thing we can count on?can count on?

Orwell isn’t necessarily following the Orwell isn’t necessarily following the Pyrrhonic tradition any more than I doPyrrhonic tradition any more than I do

At the end of a day spent urging you At the end of a day spent urging you to consider all sides before making an to consider all sides before making an ultimate judgment – itself a violation ultimate judgment – itself a violation of Pyrrhonic thought – I usually pick a of Pyrrhonic thought – I usually pick a position I like best, although I often position I like best, although I often try to make sure I understand the try to make sure I understand the opposing position(s) thoroughlyopposing position(s) thoroughly Orwell’s writing follows the same patternOrwell’s writing follows the same pattern

Perhaps there’s another condition Perhaps there’s another condition necessary for survivalnecessary for survival

MemoryMemory A great fear – the loss of memory A great fear – the loss of memory the the

loss of selfloss of self Does the past exist?Does the past exist? Can we have anything without the Can we have anything without the

power to think, learn, remember, and power to think, learn, remember, and grow?grow?

Is the freedom to think, then, the Is the freedom to think, then, the highest of all human freedoms?highest of all human freedoms?

You must surrender those You must surrender those freedoms in order to survive in freedoms in order to survive in Oceania Oceania

It’s a truly evil bargain, and there’s It’s a truly evil bargain, and there’s not an easy choicenot an easy choice

Either way…the cost is heavyEither way…the cost is heavy