The Paradox of Being a Good Person - George Orwell's Warning to the World
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In this video, we explore the life and philosophy of the twentieth century writer George Orwell. How has his worked affected the course of the world, and how have we ignored his warnings about the terrible ways the world might go?
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reconsider the prediction warning idea reframing it to the best ideas books being used as a manual a blueprint i.e. bible
do a video on brave new world pls 🙏😁
I know blinkist is a german app, but can I use your Code also in the German edition?
Hey author, what’s the background music at 5:45?
I liked many of your books Mr. Pantano. Most especially Millions of Little Threads.
Great thoughts man.
In regards to Orwell, I try to point out the very same ironies of his misuse by various
Pro-capitalist thinkers (if they can be termed that) but it generally falls on deaf ears.
Most don't seek out new information or ideals/ideas/theories which might
enlighten them to new ways of thinking, but rather seek that which confirms their
pre-conceived biases.
It's a sad state of affairs.
But I'll not turn this political. Just wanted to say, thanks. You're quite the inspiration
to me man.
have a good one.
Orwell’s dark vision, there was another-slightly older, slightly less well known, equally chilling: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think. “What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.” In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us. - from article "Huxley was Right" re Neil Postman's book “Amusing Ourselves to Death” (1985)
This is truly a great comment. I need to read Brave New World and 1984 again.
@@XTheSpartanX7 *EVERYBODY* needs to read these two books again.
don't forget Fahrenheit 451
@@reinaldomartinez13I have read the former two, this one is on my list to read still
@@reinaldomartinez13 Wasn't that Ray Bradbury?
My sister read “1984” in high school, when I was in elementary. She told me what it was about and it terrified me. Now, here I am living it’s reality, and my sister didn’t get to live long enough to see it happen. At least she’s mercifully resting in peace.
thats so sad man..i hope she rests in peace
I'm living it, too. I'm stunned at those who passively accept this world - as long as it's not them. Their turn is coming.
I dont think we're living in a completely Orwellian world, at least not outside China. I recommend you read the actual book, and "Brave new World". We are living in an analogue to Brave new World, where a near majority, at least in the US, think their lives are those portrayed by the Baristas and waiter of Friends sharing a million dollar Manhattan apart. A large proportion of US Americans think of themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires, as Steinbeck wrote, and just one lucky break away from being rich.
People must understand 1984 is now in 2024 and beyond
Peace and prosperity are at an all time high in human history. Be grateful you weren't born earlier in history.
Am I missing something or is the title totally disconnected from the video? You made no claims that were your own. You don’t delve into a paradox about being a good person at all. This was a brief review of two books and a small biography.
Welcome to youtube
Exactly my thought
Thank you for saving me 18 minutes of my time!
I’m 10 mins in and started reading comments to make sure I wasn’t tripping lol.
the paradox is in the video. in simple terms: a "good person" cannot be good because they pushes their ideologies and what they think is right to a group of people who thinks a little bit diffrent( totalitarianism) . for example right or left wing, they both think that they are right(no pun intended) and try to literally control each other.(you can understand it in the second book in the video 1984) watch the part where he explains his first book animal farm too to understand the view.
"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the party is always right."
More than an author, Orwell was a prophet.
@@Good_Horsey Would love to see who you think this applies to 😐
@@WhaleManMan
Schools are banning sex-ed books.
Several state governments have taken steps to oppress women again.
A presidential candidate stated plainly that they would abolish elections.
People are being harassed for their sexuality because "God" doesn't like it.
Police officers who break the law get paid leave and are armed to the teeth.
Those working in the government get special treatment.
Any drug besides alcohol and tobacco are banned.
Confederate flags are legal.
Swastikas are legal.
Education is a privilege, not a right.
Housing is a privilege, not a right.
Food is a privilege, not a right.
Water is a privilege, not a right.
A lot of people support those problems. Why? Because the party says so.
We ain't there quite yet, but brother we're close.
@@WhaleManManevery country and religion
@somerandomguy6977
Not talking to you
@@WhaleManMan you asked a question and got an answer?
I read 1984 in 85 and it terrorfied me. I thought at the time "this will never happen in America ". Wrong! It's here. People must reject totalitarianism.
too late!
Why
Humanity will first have to reject the option of "being too lazy to think." For THEMSELVES. All else flows from this fatal flaw.
It was “here” in 85, you just didn’t realize it then.
@@Eric-ej3oy Pull your head outta your butt.
The hard part about being a genuine good person is the world doesn’t care. Nothing gets easier, people won’t treat you better. But the world around them is a “better place”. There isn’t a real reward
People overlook “good people”. And you’ll know who’s a genuine good person by how they continue to be good even when they know the world couldn’t care less. But everyone has a breaking point ..
What’s the breaking point? Die of a broken heart, or spirit? Is it even possible? Become numb? For how long.. Snap, and turn into joker, or continue to fight, until reaching another “ breaking point “, and repeat the process, until it all ends…
So, remaining to be genuine, decent, loving, even becoming more loving after facing the “braking point” each time, is - the ultimate win.
What other “alternatives” truly - genuine, good person have.
NONE.
@@SlavicGirl. took the words right out my mouth
Love you
@SlavicGirl. Spirit may go downhill due to n number of reasons but it eventually gets back once a good person always a good person
“Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.”
Ephesians 6:6-8 NIV
The most dangerous thing anyone can say about their home country is “it can’t happen here”.
In Italy we say "it can't happen legally here"
Rep's are showing it can.
I say this same thing to people ALL THE TIME!! And yet I'm constantly waved off, dismissively. That complacency is exactly why IT WILL HAPPEN HERE.
jonathanwright5338. There was an old song about that called “I Came To The City”, recorded by Gale Garnett in the 1960’s.
Oh, I heard those words many years ago, while people were still believing in their mantra "Never again". They were so sure about it. Time tells them otherwise. We have to be on our watch, at ALL times!
It's scary that so many people are unaware of how full of lies our reality is. It's won't get any better until people understand how the system really works.
Re: " It won't get any better until people understand how the system really works".
Agreed, but the 'Lumpen' do not want to know how it really works!
@@kenhickford6581 sure, however I feel like it's not their fault. You and me care for a reason. I believe it's our default state to care about the truth, but the prison we live in makes most people too tired and brainwashed to care anymore. At least that's what I want to believe.
They're part of the system. We get the government we work for and support. There is no us and them. "We have met the enemy and he is us."
@@rafadydkiemmacha7543 There is more than grain of truth in your words!
They've gotten used to the 'State'/'System' doing everything for them.
Think of how liars today are so incredibly common, that many people actually feel quite uncomfortable in the presence of an honest person?
Also, most people today not only no remote clue as to what the truth even is re many big topics, nor do they seem to care to know either.
I was not the best student in high school but always had interest in social studies. My humanities teacher assigned us 1984 to read when i was probably 17 and still to this day no book has changed my mindset in such a way and so quickly. I will forever thank Orwell for his insight and for what his writings have instilled in me.
You might like Pawns in the Game by William Guy Carr
So what have you applied from the book?
@@davidayers5173 Also 'Darkness at Noon' by Arthur Koestler is a great book if you liked '1984'.
"I saw, in fact, history being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various 'party lines'."
Yeah, I saw the same thing happen when the histories were written about Vietnam. They bore no resemblance to what I saw.
It makes you think about what we have learned about history and how much of it is actually accurate.
@@BellalisDope History is generally only considered accurate where there are multiple accounts, ideally from people who hated each other. If all agree on an event even though they don't like each other there's a good chance it happened, but the reality is you don't find that all that often. I'm sure you've heard the phrase "history is written by the winners" but it's also often written by people who were not present at the events described, so I'd say there's still a good chance most of it is nonsense.
The probability of good guys winning every historical confrontation is always 100%...
@@memitim171 🎯
I think people should be aware that satire stories, dystopian future settings are not just made as a warning, rather its from the author observation of their society taken to an extreme but still resemble their surroundings. Its already happening on George Orwell times and what we are having now is no more than a repeat rather than a new phenomenon.
Hmm
The common misconception is that Animal Farm and 1984 were only about Germany and Russia. They were about the western Allies as much if not more so. Democracy died in the West during the war because it was not efficient enough to wage the continuous wars that we've seen since.
100% George Orwell having fought in war on the frontlines and seeing political changes firsthand ALLOWED him to write these stories. People forget they are inspired from actual living experience. This is why Western citizens need to read OTHER histories - Russia in the 20th century is a good start.
Well, a repeat with improved implementation. Theyre better at it now.
Its happening, right now.
When you have a president who should have recieved ticker tape parades being ostracized and degraded....its here now.
It's not a repeat, it's a continuation that is getting worse and worse and will culminate in total control of the earth by evil.
That is till Jesus comes back !!
MARANATHA !!!
No person, nary even a close relation has had more impact on my life than Mr. Orwell. I hitchhiked 30,000 miles over 4 years without even leaving my birth nation of Canada as I was in search of the type of common and decent folk Orwell spoke of with great relish in, another favourite, "Down and Out in Paris and London". Finding these decent men and women at every corner I was truly rejuvenated by the oh-so-many who took me into their homes, on the long drives through Canadian wilderness and more than a few who, still with pride, shared with me their deepest emotional burdens. Common decency is all we require.
And who is oppressing these people today? Are they conservatives or leftists?
@@grizzlygrizzle corporations, its not left or right its for profit that orwell warns against.
The mass appeal that totalitarian corporations strive for destroy any sense of personal freedoms the everyday folk may take for granted, he warns where there is only one we lose all.
Indeed. Sadly though I feel it’s deceasing.
@@grizzlygrizzleyou political dunce politics doesn’t belong in everything
This comment gave me hope. Thank you for your efforts, traveler! I hope to have an opportunity like this one day, or in another life. 🙏🏽
Reading george orwell while living in current Bangladesh gives me chills
I STAND WITH YOU 🇧🇩 ❤
We are ALL occupied, my man.
Real mate! But we somehow won against bigsister☠️
Ayo bro- I was getting shivers down my spine while watching the whole video and how much relatable 1984 seems now
@@arminislam6805 same. Just go into r/bangladesh subreddit and look at how many lies people have pointed out. Its honestly shocking and terrifying to what lengths people go for breeding a world of misinformation
"amalgamation of impoverishment and snobbery" - beautifully put together words
Snobbery is dangerous, on the verge of elitism. And elitism is what "justifies" a whole lot of totalitarianism.
isn't this really most humans, if we are honest?
@@danatowne5498not really, no. it's only in post colonial countries where these two opposing words can coexist. I can imagine his upbringing a little bit. there are remnants of the past grandeur, in ethics, wisdom and taste. but no way to actually practice in real life. So you go around, being a little better than everybody intellectually maybe, a little ahead from everyone else and yet your social standards remain that of a common person.
They were both right, in my humble opinion. There were aspects of both lines of thinking that quite simply nailed it as to the current status quo. Orwell in the 70s, 80s, and 1990s, and possibly moreso Huxley in the 00s and on to present day. Very well written and well expressed article if that is an excerpt from one.
I think its clear that his contempt for intellectuals was actually for the elitist academia. Not the state of being an intellectual, but being a part of that exclusive club that looks down on the ordinary man he preferred. The conflating of intellectualism and academia is deliberate.
Agreed, but on whose part and to what end?
It depends by how you define intellectual. If it's the charismatic people who take ideas from the real geniuses of the world and turn them into commodities that can be sold even though the intellectual misunderstands what the original idea was, then he has good reason to dislike them.
@@neilreynolds3858that isn’t an intellectual-they are psychopaths who will hurt anyone who gets in their way.
its not intellectual to be unethical
@@neilreynolds3858I think he refers more to those that have a thirst for knowledge and unending curiosity but aren’t snobbish/ tortured genius about it and don’t capitalize carelessly off it
1984 Is actually one of the most banned books world wide and I do not believe public schools even offer that as an option to students anymore. I work in education and most high schoolers I work with tell me they have never even heard of the book before. It's pretty scary if I am being honest.
You lament schools from offering students the option to do what precisely?
If I were teaching High School English, then regardless of curriculum, I would spend five minutes of each class introducing by students to a different book, and reading a brief passage to aquaint them with it's style.
Even with a bad curriculum, it sounds like teachers are dropping the ball here.
@zaraxis3519
Most banned books? Where? The PRC? I read 1984 as a compulsory text at Melbourne High School. Most depressing read ever :/
@@MalleusDaemonum well that wonderful! I think it may be district to district. A lot of schools ban it because of it's "sexually explicit content" even though kids these days are exposed to far worse.
I graduated in 1975, and I saw the movie sometime after that and had never heard of it either. Of course I live in Texas so....
As a nice person l had to learn the hard way that it is actually good to be mean to abusive people. Your spirit is much more valuable than how they feel.
this is my absolutely favourite video of yours so far. As a BANGLADESHI, this video couldn't be more appropriate for me at this moment. Orwell's philosophy aligns with what I've been thinking about these days. Because of the massacre and destruction going on in my country. the public are being misled by the opposition political parties and the government is a bit arrogant and can only handle this so far. another country is about to be destablized and go to the poor list again from developing, just what the superpowers of the world want.
my greatest wish is that humans will be able to think for themselves regardless how much brainwashed they're tried to be done and for them to work brutally to unlock their own greatness.
good to see another bangladeshi
The superpowers are also destabilizing themselves. They no longer have enough sense to realize that stability in the world is good for everyone.
Wishing you peace!
Sorry for this brother. From Nigeria myself and our nation was destroyed using Same template...Its a predator eat prey world out here. Keep seeking knowledge and being a good person in your heart
@@GisleVanem00 Whose quote is it?
My father told me when I was young to be nice to the nice and mean to the mean. And everything will balance out. And if it doesn't at least you tried. There is no way that I could go through life without being nice to people because it is part of my nature and it makes me feel good but at the same time those people out there who wish to be mean to me I could return the same favor on their terms. Because if that's the way they want it then that's the way they'll get it and if I end up being nice to these people I will lose in the long run because I will lose my dignity and self-esteem. And that's not going to happen. 😁
I enjoyed reading that. Your father was smart.
Never lose your dignity.. Just FIGHT against the mean ones... Sounds dignified...
Being a good person is a sacrifice. No one will treat you better. No one will. You have sacrificed your morals to be a better person to try to change the environment around you.
As a person who finished reading 'Animal Farm' yesterday and '1984' a couple of months ago,
I would say the way in which Orwell depicted the vices, malices lying underneath the superficial human society is totally magnificent. !
loved both the books ❤️
Next Recommendation: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
@@notsure1350 alright i will add it to my list.
Albeit currently i m reading no longer human of osamu dazai.
Read it in 1977, never left me, if ever there was a prophecy.
I would also recommend Yvgeny Zamyatin’s ‘We’, which was written in the early 1920’s and is, I think, a precursor of both ‘1984’ and ‘Brave New World’…and it’s also very good
Animal Farm is a revison of Stalins Bolsheviks
the pigs are the polit bureau and the dogs are the NKVD / police/ army
recently, people are using unlive, instead of kill because instagram blocks "kill", we are on the right path to have big brother soon.
I've noticed several videos here on youtube recently where the subtitles under the video or text on the video will say "unalive"....while the voices speaking the lines still very blatantly say "kill". This also applies to videos where the word is "suicide" "I'm gonna unalive myself" sounds so fucking stupid....and I still remain fully aware of the full implications, too, so the censorship isn't even effective.
Even as someone with MAJOR mental health struggles, I find this absolutely ridiculous. The protections yt had before worked a LOT better. Just display a warning on the video before playing it, and I can decide for myself if my mental health is ok enough to handle the topic and click past that warning (or move to another video, if necessary). This half-arsed censorship does nothing but look really stupid.
@@RyuKnightAlex thats the point, started as warnings on our free speaches, now its cancel culture & it cant even be said
You are wrong. It's already here. What made you think that it's the only example? You have a lot to learn.
yes. I hate reading that as well and when certain words are censored like sex, stupid absolutely stupid
@@Paul-nn9oj Ye. You can´t even say it. I heard Joe Rogan saying "you can´t say it" on NETFLIX...
A few months back, as I was leaving a small shop out in the sticks, an old man was heading towards the door, I held it open for him. He was hunched over, walked with a cane, more of a shuffle than a walk, had to be in his 90's. The shop owner was talking to whomever the old fella was with, seemed like everyone knew each other and old man was there to hang for a bit. He sat down next to the registe, looked at me, knodded, said thanks, his eye brows were up he's just looking around. I said, "hey old-timer, you ever think you'd live long enough to be in an Orwell Novel?" Blank starte for like a min, then a big smile... "you're funny!" The other two look over and asked how I got the old man to laugh. Made both our day.
He probably did think you were "funny". Did he understand what a "knod" was? I suppose he was over 90 and was more preoccupied with his nees. Did they have a nife in the shop? Sometimes when you are old your nuckles get sore and you get a not in kneck... But at least he understood your scholarly attitude and he KKnew the reference to 1984...
@@barryUFF I didnt get it why would he be in an Orwell novel?
@@GrimNoire0Mr Charrington from the antique shop that Winston liked to frequent.
'I write [ ] because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.' The best motivation to write at all, I would say.
And the sad thing is that on platforms like this one a person might write to expose a lie or draw attention to some fact...and what the person has written will instantly vanish upon being posted in the comments for "wrong think". In this way TH-cam wants to insure that each and every viewer of content follows the Party Doctrine.
@@swlc5555 🎯🎯
Yes - precisely what real Journalists should be doing
Shallow. I write because this is How I am.
Just a small correction: Orwell didn't come from anywhere near impoverishment. The middle class in the UK is financially well-off, and the upper middle class is very close to the aristocracy. Orwell was saying he was in the lower echelons of the upper middle class.
Yes, well said. Their wealth granted them a degree of comfort and leisure. That was the reason the British 'upper middle class' produced great writers, philosophers and scientists'. Even as late as 1970s, an English friend said of another Englishman, 'He does not have to buy his house or his furniture. He inherits them'!!! But many of them were great intellectuals with ample empathy for humanity. One could not accuse the majority of this class as being lazy and unproductive.
His father was a civil servant and his mother was upper class. Maybe there was more snobbery than a lack of money and comfort by her mother's side of the family.
It's all relative. Like the bankers bemoaning that they don't get bonuses just ebcause their bank had to be saved from bankrupcy by the tax payer and now they have to live off halfa million per year. In New York! Impossible!!!
@@krisi7562 You ever heard of the Vime's theory of boots?
Ad skipper 0:13
Lord's work, my friend
It’s so important for Americans to see this Our language is being attacked so fervently without this context it’s almost impossible to see the bigger picture
"Misinformation." That's what the establishment's name for truth is.
Our language is being attacked. How about our entire ways of life, liberty & protected rights that continue to dwindle away my friend? 🤔 Just saying...
exactly. what is a woman? men can be pregnant! its so obvious what the left is doing
@@216Numbskull helppp i need context
what's up with the united states???
How is it being attacked? And by whom?
You should be dead proud of the quality of this video. The animation and choice of b-roll content; the clarity of thought in the monologue; the sound design. Keep up the good work.
Yes, it is top notch.
Thank you. It fills me with a sense of hope, that people still take this very seriously.
One of the first real writers i found in the 90's that educated me then and still educating others now ❤
Intellect is not wisdom
Most modern intellect is the ability to memorize information
Intellects worship access to information rather than the application of the lessons
Without execution, information is useless. It turns information into wisdom others can learn from
How do you define "execution"? Communication of ideas? Communication assumes a common understanding of words, which Socratic "Dialogues" showed to be extremely difficult. Can we become "wise" without intellect? What is intellect? I consider memorization dangerous. I may acquire a concept that is flawed, even wrong. I need to understand. So, I inquire. I got expelled in 4th, 5th, and 8th grades for asking questions that exposed the. teacher's contradictions. I learned "public ed" was public indoctrination, but most were crippled by it. See: "The Most Dangerous Superstition" by Larken Rose.
This was one of the reasons the AF wasn't fond of me. Never been impressed with rank, degrees on the wall, etc. i envy those with better memory than me, but impressed by how it's used. Some can recite pages 17 & 83, but can they see a connection & come up with a new vision? Thanky. 😁🤠
Well done! As someone who has studied Orwell in depth I can honestly say you have come to the same conclusions as I have and presented them appropriately. Regarding 1984 he was not writing about a possible dystopia future he was writing about the inevitable future which would arise if we didn't see his warnings verily and take the necessary steps to stop it.
I never finished 1984 because of how dark the ending was. I never imagined then, that it was a potential version of the future we were heading towards.
This was almost a decade ago, and now it's apparent that of all of the aspects of "Orwellian Society" is coming to light. What a terrifying thought.
I was curious about that book so I got it in like 2016. Unfortunately, before I could finish it, we studied it in English literature and watched the movie, so I got spoiled and kinda Traumatized. I was so disappointed that I dropped it.
But I've always had it on my gut, I wanted to finish it, so I picked it up again, this year, at 26.
And I don't know if it's because I'm older or because the world itself is going insane, but reading it gives me such an anxiety, it's almost unbearable, because I can find a lot of what's in that book in my everyday life.
I am typing this on a device that has a microphone and a camera which may or may not be always on, which is no different from a telescreen whatsoever. Everything's I say or type can be recorded and tracked, and it IS recorded and tracked, albeit for commercial purposes (as in: the Big Brother is watching me and suggesting stuff I may want to buy).
But I'm privileged enough to live in Italy, where more or less everyone has their basic needs met. But what will happen when those needs will no longer be met? Leaders will have to shorten the leash, and how long will it be until the Big Brother will also be interested in other stuff rather than my Amazon wishlist?
It's already happening with cancel colture and propaganda in general, where informations and opinions are distorted in order to make something or someone much more dangerous and evil than what they actually are, sometimes resulting in bans. And again, how long until the ban from the Facebook group becomes the ban from the world of living?
Not to sound pessimistic, but I believe we'll all end up like the boiled frog, meaning that by the time we can't handle it all anymore and decide it's time to act, it's too late.
@@JustAWildSkullKid lmao. what cancel culture? every other day a male celebrity or "influencer" gets outed as a pedo/racist/misogynist or whatever and their career continues just fine
@@JustAWildSkullKidThe movie seems to assume the audience has read the book. The movie has lots of mumbling and gaps in the story, and underdeveloped characters. I’d recommend finishing the book. It’s not overly long.
You've left out some important information that elucidates Orwell's views on Socialism. 1984's INGSOC is Newspeak for 'English Socialism', a term that Orwell first introduced in an essay called "The Lion & The Unicorn". The essay highlights the inherent failures of the capitalist aristocracy to resist National Socialist aggression, and outlines a hypothetical framework for implementing a type of democratic or "English" socialism as a response. The point of the essay is that the war brought about the conditions by which socialism and patriotism could be seen as complementary ideals. Under normal conditions, socialism had been considered revolutionary, and as such it was necessarily antagonistic to British patriotism and the preservation of the entrenched aristocracy. The Nazi threat supplanted the need for a socialist revolution, and provided the incentive foe the aristocracy to adopt socialist ideals or risk being destroyed completely, which they did soon after the essay was published.
The reason Orwell made 1984's totalitarian state an advanced form of English Socialism was because, in the aftermath of the war, he recognized that the British government had merely co-opted socialist ideals rather than truly embracing them. By applying labels such as "democratic" and "socialist" to itself, the aristocracy had duped the public into thinking the balance of power had shifted in their favor. In reality, the aristocracy was as powerful as they'd ever been - more so, in fact, since they now had the support of many self-professed "social democrats" that failed to see the deception that had occurred. This is underscored by INGSOC's use of language to control the minds of the working class. By changing the meaning of words, or applying them incorrectly, the ruling classes are able to give people the impression that political change has occurred when it has not; the same people wield the same power, except now they claim to do so on behalf of the people.
We see this tactic being used in most western nations today; regimes claim they are "protecting democracy" and "defending individual liberties" by passing legislation that centralizes power and expands governmental authority. Because people seem to be more concerned with the definition of words than their application (as is the case here), they are deceived into supporting initiatives that are contrary to their own goals and beliefs.
Exactly!!
I dont believe Orwell said that about Democratic Socialism and Capitalism.
There is no form of socialism that doesn't have its own elite/aristocracy...whatever & however one chooses to describe it.
that's like saying NATSOC (NAZI) was a primarily socialist doctrine.
@@lmlimpoism It was. It wasn't Marxist, but it was socialism nonetheless. The Nazi Party in Germany was the highest authority (akin to what Fascists in Italy called The State). It controlled every facet of the economy, either directly, or through party influence, for the benefit of the German people (as Hitler narrowly defined them).
The reason you don't think the Nazis were Socialist is because you've been given false definitions of 'left' and 'right'. These terms have nothing to do with equality or egalitarianism. They refer to the level of authority that rests with central government. The further left you move on the political spectrum, the more authority the government has. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Stalinist Russia, Maoist China, and every other authoritarian regime of the modern era have been leftist regimes. Right wing authoritarianism cannot and has never existed, since the furthest right-wing position is total individual autonomy, i.e. Anarchism.
This is what I mean (and what Orwell meant) about the way that language is manipulated for political purposes. By redefining various terms, it's possible to drastically change people's understanding of history. This has happened, and is happening right now in the United States.
alphahistory.com/nazigermany/hitler-nazi-form-of-socialism-1932/
What a thorough and insightful exploration of Orwell’s life and legacy! I was particularly moved by the line:
"Orwell realized... that tyranny was always possible and can occur even in a society in which the intentions are noble or in a society in which the conditions appear prosperous and democratic."
This observation is both profound and chilling, reminding us of how easily freedoms can slip away when we're not vigilant. Just look at the state of politics in America, we're close to having a one-party state. This trajectory is pretty clear for those with their eyes open - iykyk
Your detailed breakdown of Orwell’s critique of totalitarianism across all political spectrums is an important reminder that these dangers lurk everywhere.
One of the few books that made me so terrified that I couldn't sleep that night. I was young and though how horrible would be living in this world... Oh well
@@Baiano29 we still don't live in those worlds yet. And even if we're close to it, there's still a chance to defend against it.
@@thatbachus lol
@@thatbachus lol
@@steelearmstrong9616 It's funny, because you live in NK?
We live in "1984" right now.
Absolutely gripping. Whom ever wrote the script for the narrator went off! What prose, brilliant
I believe it's a one man show. The guy who runs the channel has written some books. Really recommend them!
With so many mediocre TH-camrs looking for likes , this is 1 that deserves my time .
to whom are you writing? Whoever wrote this post should learn more grammar :)
Thou art erudite.... Orwell might even present thee with a gold star in writer´s heaven...
This video offers such an insightful analysis of Orwell's warnings about truth and power! It really makes you reflect on the relevance of his works in today’s world.
He never applied his 'common decency' claim to himself. As evidenced in Anna Fuldders (?) book "Wifedom". He never had the common decency to give credit to his first wife Aileen O'Shaunessy (sp?) who was co-creator of 'Animal Farm'. Orwell intended to write a long essay on Stalin but on the urgings of Aileen changed his mind to write (along with Aileen) 'Animal Farm'. Aileen, no house frau like Nora Barnacle -James Joyce's wife. Aileen was a University educated graduate in English literature. She loved parables, fables, allegories and convinced Orwell to write 'Animal Farm'. They sat in bed together (the only way to keep warm) and together wrote "Animal Farm'. Orwell took all the credit and basked in his sudden fame, never once crediting Aileen contribution. Critics said Orwell's writing had reached another, higher level. Again thanks to Aileen. There are other examples of Orwell's hypocrisy on his urgings for 'common decency'.
"ministry of peace" totally doesnt sound like "department of defense" at ALL
department of justice, federal drug administration, the list can go on
Lester B Pearson coined the term peacekeepers to call a emergency force to assist in conflicts between countries. At that time it was military forces to help the English and the French in Egypt.
@@reinaldomartinez13nsa and cia when snowden does anything
I was thinking the same thing. There is a book called Doublespeak by William Lutz which shows a lot of examples of doublespeak from our majestic leaders.
LMAO!!!😂🤣🤣
I remember reading the book "1984" in the actual year 1984. I was just 12 years old but I really loved the book and learned a lot!
Learned too much about orwel and not enough about the paradox of being good.
@SplittingCheese I beg to differ. The ones most likely to turn our barely democratic societies into full fledged dictatorships today are the far right parties (in the USA, Europe, ect.).
So unless you would consider people like Trump, Putin, Bolsonaro, Orban, Lepen, etc. good, i'd say we are more likely to see a "bad" person become a dictator than a "good" one.
we are all only human, and we make mistakes, its the intentions that are important
Orwell*
The comments in praise of Orwell are well taken. Here's are a few things to consider:
- Both Animal Farm and 1984 should be read by everyone.
- Orwell also wrote many essays, there are two volumes of these, up to 1945 and after 1945. These are very, very important.
- Timothy Snyder (Prof. of History) is an expert on Eastern Europe History and Fascism. Much of his work overlaps with the work of Orwell. He has a new book coming out called, "On Freedom" and his previous book, "The Road To Unfreedom" is extremely relevant to our political situation today. He has written extensively on the war in Ukraine and these articles can be found on his substack blog called, "Thinking about..." These are very much worth everyone's time and attention.
Tks for the great tip 👍!!!
That's a great recommendation, thank you. Very interesting blog!
Did not know about his essays. Going to download right know. Thank you.❤
When I was 13 we were forced to read Animal Farm at school.. It is still on the school syllabus.
They forced you to read it like in 1984... The horror...
Just searched, he's a nazi liar. I support Russia.
that was one of the best youtube videos ive ever seen im excited to get into George Orwell
Without an objective truth humanity drifts with every day further and further away from peace and love and draws closer to the very lie which Orwell warned against.
Before the 20th Century most of the world was illiterate... Still bad now, but getting better... Pity social media has muddied the waters... People are so free to spout nonsense that nobody can tell light from darkness anymore. However, this freedom to post, write, comment, correspond etc is so profuse and it is exactly the OPPOSITE of what Orwell predicted.
The Blacksmith and the Artist, reflected in their art, forged their creativity
Closer to the Heart
I won't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend
Well stated... they better stand up. Become republicans... etc.
Such a fascinating exploration of the paradox of being a good person! Orwell's insights really make you think about the complexities of morality in today’s world.
Read Orwell many times.. the fact that 1984 is so accurate, I'm sure TPTB are using it as a blueprint, rather than the warning it actually was.
Fun fact: when Mexican President Felipe Calderón visited the Queen, she gifted him a first edition of 1984.
Ah, blueprints... Albert Pike predicted 3 world wars before he even knew what a world war was ! He had access to the script...
He wrote that book because he thought people were smart...but they are not, so he actually handed them the cheat codes.
Can you refer as to which part of the video are you relating to?
Pursuit of wonder never fails to rip my limb apart one by one as I scream in excrutiating pain and agony meanwhile my consciousness slowly fades away
Felt
Understood
Crikey
I’m a big Kurt Vonnegut fan myself, After I read jailbird, I had to read everything he had. He is such a master at the written word. Nothing long and drawn out however with a 10 word sentence, he could compell you to think for a solid month about whatever he had written.
Harrison Bergeron is a favorite of mine. A lot of professors would say "no no not that one!" because they were pinko rats and cowards
This makes me want to read more of George Orwell, and think that these books should be taught in schools.
Thank you!
That would go against the new order…
i read Animal Farm in school.
You miss the point !
no, read anne frank, it is rEaL
They were taught at my school when I was 13....
My friends´ kids are reading Orwell at school right now...
I've read 1884 twice as well as Animal Farm; I see similarities in 2024. Canada, as well as other Western societies.
Ye. The way the thought police strap cages to peoples´ faces with rats inside... Just like in Canada.
Terrible how the west won´t let people post and write and talk and comment all day long..
I even saw Joe Rogan telling millions of people "THEY WON`T LET ME SAY THIS" on Netlfix.. Millions of people saw it and laughed... The censorship is outrageous.
This video is amazing. I remember reading Orwell's Animal Farm in Highschool. His name left my mind but his message stuck with me forever.
Just read Why Orwell Matters, by Hitchens. I bought 1984 and two other of his books.
Hitchens the Zionist actor on TV.
I love watching this channel when I’m coming down from a trip
This, my friend, is an excellent audibly spoken video with actually catching imagery, this is my first timemaking a comment like this either in 7 years or ever.
To say that human beings are fallible, that none of us can grasp the fullness of reality, that even the wisest of us have blinders and limitations, and that humility is always necessary is one thing.
To say that objective truth does not exist is quite another --- and something that utterly contradicts Orwell's life work.
It seems to pass everyone's heads as I perceive it by reading the comments.
He's saying Orwell was a woke progressive. (No objective truth)..
Life is not fair, never has been and never will be. Once I accepted that fact. I have been able to live a much happier life.
My uncle accepted that life is not fair and he jumped off a bridge...
@@barryUFF No he didn't. He might have had the affect, but he clearly did not believe it.
Hey PursuitofWonder,
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this video, and your channel in general. Always very stimulating! Please keep up the great content!
we are literally living in it today, if george owell is alive he'd blush
orwell: 😳😳
youre right
Straight up.
Who is Owell ?? Are you literally living 1984??
Me too. My aunt Mimi is putting on a school play of 1984 and she has literally made a cage with rats in it and is making me strap it to my face.. I have already lost an eye in this literal staging of 1984...
How are you literally living 1984??? Have you been sent to room 101 for re-education in your school play?
If you ever listen to anything while reading comments, let it be this - go to borlest and read the book whispers of manifestation, then come back and thank me
I didn't find it. Doesn't exist.
almost 900 likes but no comments. Talk about bot take over.
that was such a wild internet journey.
I've come back from the other side and I thank you
Don’t look up the book. It’s just gay porn for hippies.
Thanks.
Animal Farm was the first English book I have ever read in my college days in 1974 including his short essay as well as 1984. In 2008 I made a trip in Burma (Myanmar) with ‘ Burmese Days’. Thank you!
Down and out in London and Paris. Brilliant
Orwell didnt travel through time, and die young for nothing.
He did it to warn us.
Ive been trying to say it for years, and why i have some of the oldest videos on my channel talking about it.
Hey, I thought HG Wells travelled through time !!
Or maybe Orwell used HG Wells´ time machine.. Is that what you are saying?
Why don´t you just say it, instead of "trying" to say it? Is somebody stopping you??
Millions of people say it every day. Why do you only try? Maybe you are just shy ! Be brave, say it !!
And yet here we are. Lettings it happen all over again.
we are so fucked...
"1984" gave me an existential crisis when I read it last year, both that book and "Animal Farm" made me view the world in completely different perspectives.
History is being rewritten in front of my eyes right now.
Ye. When I was 13 we had to read it at school. I loved it...
Everything was clear when I was 13 and the book confirmed it all.
We also had to read "Lord of the Flies" the same year...
@@barryUFF Yea same, that book horrified me. We watched the movie right after
Excellent content. Beautiful production. Very relevant to today’s cacophony. Time for me to go back and re-read Animal Farm and 1984.
This was a terrific biography, thank you. One of Orwell's most thoughtful and entertaining books, "Down and Out in Paris and London" was omitted. I highly recommend to it all Orwell fans. They will love it.
Make 1984 fiction again.
Dear god let Trump win
@paco trump IS making 1984 reality
*cough cough* project 2025
nice
@capo45 bro trump plans on making 1984 real. You know about project 2025
(Comment was deleted by the ministry of maga)
@@Capo.45 How would that make it fictional? Project 2025 is exactly that, just with companies.
One of my favorite writers, can’t imagine a worse dystopia to live in that the portrayed in 1984
Musk´s 996 work a day world might be it... Coming to a town near you :)
The US is living this nightmare right now. And it will spread.
1984 ->>>>>> 2024 (the election of Donald Trump by a majority of American voters
@@omelborpon3159 and hes gonna abolish department of education.. wild
Orwell was a prophet.
wow. I thought he was a writer !
I dont know what to think anymore. Im so lost. I want to fight for a better world for a better tomorrow for all. But its such an uphill battle.
Scale back. Don't worry about saving the world, save your neighborhood. You're a person, not a government, you are not tasked with issues larger than yourself. Make something better for yourself or a neighbor and see if that makes you feel better. Vote for justice and inclusion. Die knowing that your part of the world is better for your having been there.
It won't save the world, but if everyone did it... Good luck!
@@NWPaul72 you're right. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
It all takes one step.
That's where I used to be for a long time. Learn from nature and from the depths of who you are. Balance and harmony are the keys. Heal from the system of duality which forces us to see either one side or the other of things. I can recommend a metaphysician whose talks may help us unravel from this corrupt system if you want.
I've learned that saving a world is too much for one human being. All we can do is take care of our own community and spread the message.
My youngest son said something recently about this. He said, “all people have something they do that’s wrong, the ones you see doing bad things, are openly bad. It makes me wonder what the “good” people are hiding? If they’re not showing the world what’s wrong with them, they must be hiding something really bad”. I would love to argue that point but history has taught me that even “saints” have lots of evil they keep hidden from the public.
I just remembered that my parents showed me the animated version of Animal Farm when I was a child, maybe mistaking it with some whatever cartoon. No wonder I turned out to be super sceptic and critical of any kind of power and change of language.
Same here
That cartoon deeply traumatized me. There was a particular scene of excruciating injustice. I cried for days. Sometimes, I'll wake from dreaming about it and cry again. I'm 54.
We had to read it at school and watch the animated version.
I’ve experienced some attacks on my freedom of speech where I work. I’ve had people harass me based on my appearance, I ignore them but they’ve actually become more aggressive. I’m not looking for advice, this is an outlet for me to express myself. Hopefully someone will see this and know they are not alone.
Generally, there is no freedom of speech in the workplace.
Rupert Murdoch took 1984 to it's natural end while perfecting and streamlining the final results. Good job Mr. Murdoch!
Great video. Brilliant man. One question that comes up for me after watching is regarding his thoughts on capitalism vs democratic socialism. I'd genuinely love to know how he thought a society could prevent democratic socialism from sliding toward a concentration of power in government that gradually leads toward totalitarianism in some form. I don't know if he ever spoke or wrote on this, but would love to know where to find it if he did.
Technically speaking his favourite anarchists don´t have a government per se and most decisions were supposed be made on local level by direct democracy with elected leaders not having that much freedom to act on their own, but just having to represent already decided opinions of people who voted for them and as such they could lost their mandate at any time.
I love George Orwell's books, and I'm so thankful that we, here in the UK, heeded his warnings.
For now, but, alas, Huxley's did not, if you swap pharmacological for technological :(
@@henrybarnes2678 not to mention the babies being grown in bell jars.. When will this lawless government stop it?
I think I understand Orwell's admiration of ordinary people and disdain of the ambitious. I have lived over half a century, and the ambitious and powerful are the most corrupt and immoral people. I'd tell my kids that getting rich or getting power means sacrificing your values, because of what you have to do to get there.
i remember that book from 7th grade. It was an amazing book
Was made read it at school when I was 13...
Any discussion of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' and '1984' should mention Yevgeny Zamyatin's 'We' and Nikolai Kostomarov's 'Animal Riot,' both of which Orwell 'borrowed' from without giving proper credit.
Hmmm, that's good to know! Sounds like Orwell might have dabbled in plagiarism.
Is Animal Riot similar?
There's no evidence that Orwell had ever read "Animal riot", it was never published in English and aside from being a story about farm animals revolting there's noting much in common, in fact Kostyomarovs story is very pro marx/communist.
All writers are 'inspired' by writers before them. Orwell admits to being inspired by Zamyatin. Zamyatin himself was inspired by H.G.Wells. It like the question is any piece of art (music, literature, science) truly unique and original? Probably not. Human minds are a sponge absorbing media throughout our lives.
well done! now 77, I read these books in high school and was deeply influenced in my developing way of seeing the world. I decided to spend a year in an Israeli kibbutz, which I thought must be the closest way of living twards social justice, the best way I could contribute to a better world.
Alas...what I learned ws that the movement was never ideal, often not truely "fair", nor did it last.
American history has had many similar examiples, too. Apparently, many of us humans can not help but aspire to the ideal, but our basic instincts too often .... Mess things up for most. 😞 Yet, there remains the drive---however illogical--to keep hopeing, and hopefully, working towards...a better world.
2:00 love the stache
This book should be called.. this is how you know you have narcissistic tendencies. He writing about his family, has created a wide world of change.
Can we all just agree to stop the overuse of the word narcissist and all its derivations? I know you like saying it but its so overused its losing its meaning.
@@nychris2258 i know it!
Ye. I saw "how to spot a narcissist" on TH-cam. I watched it... Now I think my mom and dad are narcissists... Hey, Trump is one too, right? Jordan Peterson says he isn´t, but I think he is. Maybe Orwell was one because he wanted to be a "famous" writer.. Hey, fame and narcissism are like a pea in a pod. If you write about your family it must mean narcissistic tendencies. What else could it mean? I love how everyone, even really stupid people, know what a narcissist is nowadays.. It is a great way to describe people.. Everybody uses the word all the time and it "literally" means we are all literal narcissists. I ltierally love learning new words, like it´s awesome...
I remember when I was much younger, in the UK, I told an English man my name and he asked gleefully, "Oh, like George Orwell?" I replied, "No, not really, just Allwell, like All-is-well," not knowing who George Orwell was. As a Nigerian National, I'm glad I learned about George Orwell, and that such a man lived and marked his presence on the sands of time. His books are an eye-opener on the dark reality of political propaganda and mainstream media messaging that people are starting to open their eyes to and observe.
Maybe I missed it, but where did George Orwell talk about The Paradox of Being a Good Person?
"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson.
For me Orwell is not only the greatest writer of all time but also one of the greatest thinkers that ever lived.
I remember reading animal farm in school as well as Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
I’m so old that I read them just for fun, as a sci fi fan at 11.
I thought this was a good book report. However, I do not like the misleading title. I think you failed in that part because your book report does not address the main premise based on the title. I think the proper thing to do is to change the title to reflect the work. The actual book report is very thought provoking and a great topic for discussion.
I agree!
its ironic that the video uploader chose such a title since he is stuck by the paradox paramters because of how he chooses to be a good person for "ad friendly" revenue
❣️"he had won the victory over himself, he loved big brother."
The Terminator was the greatest philosopher of all and he wasn't even human which permitted him to see this truth about humans "it's in your nature to destroy yourselves"
YE. Nobody knew anything about human nature until Terminator came out.
Even better philosophy was in Back to the Future... You are my density....
Started strong then fell off a cliff with the concept of "no objective truth". There is objective truth with limited detail; if that weren't the case I could simply flap my arms and fly because gravity is subjective.
Simply flapping my arms 🤔
In 1984 O' Brien actually says to Winston that he could float like a bubble because if he believes it and Winston believes it then it happens. The death of objective truth right there.
I would take my audiobook version of animal farm when we'd go on vacation. Our kids learned it and were ready in college as required reading. I always say "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others"
in order to be a good person, bad people need to exist, but can a good person who tolerates bad people really exist?
You cannot be good unless you're able to tolerate the other side, otherwise, being 'good' becomes nothing more than opposition by contrast of being bad........which isn't really being 'good'.
“There is no objective truth.” Proposed as an objective truth.
I don't think Orwell would have agreed that there is no objective truth. Some truths are harder to find than others, but saying they don't exist is to lose the battle for wisdom and understanding by default.
@@matthewgoggins2234 Objective truth is the base of understanding and pursuit of knowledge.
Lol! The limitation of human brain i suppose.
This channel is the epitome of sophism materialized
They have admitted in their videos that they are hard believers in subjective truths
Subjective being the opposite of objective
which means that you won't get the knowledge you wanted when clicking on these videos
If the truth was based on our feelings or moods then it's no longer the truth, in that case it's nothing but delusions of conjecture formed by our subjective beliefs which are distorted truths, falsehood formed due to our distorted perception of truths, having no formal objective basis in our vision or reasoning: this will crumble our world apart due to the lack of basis or pillars of objectivity;
We fall into the void of fantasy and nothingness towards a path of dysphoria, our utopian ideals might exist but if utopian beliefs are merely based on subjective truths, they'll never see the day in the real world because it's devoid of naïve beliefs of falsehood
"Your thoughts are nothing without them leading to actions taken"
Does that mean every time I think I need to take action ??
Phew. I am already tired !!!
And when I think that I should punch Mr. Jennings in the mouth, I really should? Hmm,,, would it not be better to be polite and say hello.. I think Mr.Jennings has a really bad back problem and that is why he is so grumpy !