Learning How to Smile: An Learning How to Smile: An Introduction to Introduction to 19841984

FeracoFeracoMyth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

1 February 20101 February 2010

……And Away We Go!And Away We Go!

• 19841984 is: is: – A richly detailed storyA richly detailed story– A complicated blend of themes and A complicated blend of themes and

philosophical concernsphilosophical concerns– An easy way to flesh out the concepts we’re An easy way to flesh out the concepts we’re

going to explore all semestergoing to explore all semester– One of the best 100 novels ever writtenOne of the best 100 novels ever written– A cultural touchstoneA cultural touchstone– It’s also It’s also terrifyingterrifying!!

A Relic of the Past?A Relic of the Past?

• True, we can consider all the ways in True, we can consider all the ways in which the novel is datedwhich the novel is dated– Socialism never swept over Europe in the Socialism never swept over Europe in the

manner Orwell fearedmanner Orwell feared– 1984 came and went, and we’re still standing 1984 came and went, and we’re still standing – The Internet kinda caught on a little decades The Internet kinda caught on a little decades

after the book’s publication after the book’s publication

• But there’s no denying its incredible But there’s no denying its incredible impact on our worldimpact on our world

Its Continuing InfluenceIts Continuing Influence

• Many of Orwell’s most memorable phrases have Many of Orwell’s most memorable phrases have entered popular languageentered popular language– Everything from “doublethink” to “Big Brother”Everything from “doublethink” to “Big Brother”

• ““Orwellian” has even taken on its own meaningOrwellian” has even taken on its own meaning– Not necessarily one the author would have wanted Not necessarily one the author would have wanted

• The nightmare vision it presents of society gone The nightmare vision it presents of society gone horribly, horribly wrong lingers in the imagination years horribly, horribly wrong lingers in the imagination years after one finishes the bookafter one finishes the book– This is one of the reasons the book gets better every time you This is one of the reasons the book gets better every time you

read itread it– Once the shock of how the story turns out wears off, you begin Once the shock of how the story turns out wears off, you begin

to appreciate the complexity of the world Orwell creates hereto appreciate the complexity of the world Orwell creates here

The Same Old FearsThe Same Old Fears

• The reason the book has endured is in large The reason the book has endured is in large part because the concerns it explores are very part because the concerns it explores are very real and very much alive today real and very much alive today

• There’s something almost universal about the There’s something almost universal about the human desire for security, stability, privacy, human desire for security, stability, privacy, and autonomyand autonomy

• We react violently when these things are We react violently when these things are harmed or threatenedharmed or threatened– We also tend to do things during times of uncertainty We also tend to do things during times of uncertainty

that we later regretthat we later regret• The book may be “old,” but the fears are still all The book may be “old,” but the fears are still all

too realtoo real

The Catch-AllThe Catch-All

• Moreover, that uncertainty attaches itself to Moreover, that uncertainty attaches itself to different issues for different generations, which different issues for different generations, which makes Orwell’s book something of a catch-all makes Orwell’s book something of a catch-all for various generational anxietiesfor various generational anxieties– Expanded federal powerExpanded federal power– The rise of violent nationalismThe rise of violent nationalism– A technologically-dependent lifestyle A technologically-dependent lifestyle – The world’s dwindling resourcesThe world’s dwindling resources

• As I said, the book’s a catch-allAs I said, the book’s a catch-all

Would Kim Kardashian or Tila Tequila Would Kim Kardashian or Tila Tequila Fear the Telescreen?Fear the Telescreen?

• Let’s use the fear of technological overreach as Let’s use the fear of technological overreach as an examplean example– Many members of Orwell’s generation feared the Many members of Orwell’s generation feared the

voyeuristic eye of the telescreenvoyeuristic eye of the telescreen– It represented a brutal, dehumanizing invasion of It represented a brutal, dehumanizing invasion of

privacyprivacy

• The “eye’s” ability to force unpleasant, ignorant The “eye’s” ability to force unpleasant, ignorant conformity on those it viewed deeply concerned conformity on those it viewed deeply concerned readers whose lives were about to be readers whose lives were about to be dominated by an ideological war between dominated by an ideological war between hyper-powershyper-powers

The War on Privacy (Views: The War on Privacy (Views: 97,879,499)97,879,499)

• But members of contemporary generations lack this But members of contemporary generations lack this fear of technological invasionfear of technological invasion

• Rather than fear its spread, we incorporate it ever more Rather than fear its spread, we incorporate it ever more frequently into our livesfrequently into our lives

• Rather than avoid the telescreen’s eye, some try to Rather than avoid the telescreen’s eye, some try to make themselves as completely visible on as many make themselves as completely visible on as many screens (usually via YouTube or MySpace) as possiblescreens (usually via YouTube or MySpace) as possible

• We track our social status through pageview counters We track our social status through pageview counters and friend numbersand friend numbers

• Orwell would have found our desire to watch reality TV Orwell would have found our desire to watch reality TV – especially a show called “Big Brother” – either odd or – especially a show called “Big Brother” – either odd or deeply disturbingdeeply disturbing

Fear the FutureFear the Future• In a lot of less sinister ways, the sort of In a lot of less sinister ways, the sort of

hyperconnected, hypertechnological society that Orwell hyperconnected, hypertechnological society that Orwell feared would extinguish independent thought has come feared would extinguish independent thought has come to passto pass– In a time of deep global uncertainty, no less In a time of deep global uncertainty, no less

• Try going a day without using technology – without Try going a day without using technology – without pushing a key or lifting a phonepushing a key or lifting a phone– It’s It’s hardhard

• In fact, a careful examination of a lot of aspects of In fact, a careful examination of a lot of aspects of American society – everything from the influence of American society – everything from the influence of technology to a technology to a lotlot of mainstream political discourse to of mainstream political discourse to our rationale for our actions as a nation – reveals our rationale for our actions as a nation – reveals similarities to Orwell’s nightmare universesimilarities to Orwell’s nightmare universe

• Have we already unconsciously sown the seeds of Have we already unconsciously sown the seeds of dystopia?dystopia?

Down the RoadDown the Road

• Yet for whatever reason, we haven’t gone down Yet for whatever reason, we haven’t gone down the road Orwell feared we were about to travel the road Orwell feared we were about to travel – Even if you argue that we’ve started to do that – one Even if you argue that we’ve started to do that – one

way or the other – we certainly haven’t gone all the way or the other – we certainly haven’t gone all the way down way down

• That’s one of the most commonly That’s one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of misunderstood aspects of 19841984– It isn’t meant to be a prediction of what It isn’t meant to be a prediction of what will will be so be so

much as it’s intended to be a warning about what much as it’s intended to be a warning about what couldcould be be

– Not so much a declaration that someone will cripple Not so much a declaration that someone will cripple our potential and humanity as much as a hint that our potential and humanity as much as a hint that such a thing might not be so hard to dosuch a thing might not be so hard to do

The Road AheadThe Road Ahead

• There are a lot of wonderful, fascinating There are a lot of wonderful, fascinating things to explore while reading this bookthings to explore while reading this book

• That star diagram we introduced last That star diagram we introduced last week will get much more of a workout week will get much more of a workout here here

Areas of InterestAreas of Interest

• After exploring the details, subtext, & After exploring the details, subtext, & symbolism…symbolism…

• After studying the terrifyingly fragile nature of After studying the terrifyingly fragile nature of human companionship and the depths to which human companionship and the depths to which we’ll sink in the name of survival and safety…we’ll sink in the name of survival and safety…

• After looking into the ways in which the After looking into the ways in which the language I teach can be twisted and perverted language I teach can be twisted and perverted into prison bars…into prison bars…

• One enduring lesson is that for all of the light in One enduring lesson is that for all of the light in the world, darkness is never as far away as the world, darkness is never as far away as we’d like it to bewe’d like it to be

The First QuestionThe First Question

• That leads to our first questionThat leads to our first question• In a chaotic world, a threatening world, a In a chaotic world, a threatening world, a

world that demands order…world that demands order…why why haven’thaven’t we gone down this routewe gone down this route? ?

• What’s stopping a Party (with a capital P What’s stopping a Party (with a capital P a la Orwell) from gaining power here?a la Orwell) from gaining power here?