Criticism of George Orwell's 1984

[Communal concils]

1984 was a book created in June 8, 1949. 4 years after the second world war. George Orwell wrote the book in a time in which the cold war started, and when the memories of Fascism are recent.

The book takes place in a society controlled by three super states. each competing for the earth's resources.The main character( Winston), is a middle class member of the social hierarchy of Oceania. He hates his nation, and wants the proles to break the chains.

Spoilers, he has a weak mind and gives up everything for his big daddy ( Big Brother).

The book is praise from across the political spectrum. It's praise by conservatives, liberals and all the communist and anarchist that say "Not real Socialism". Due to it's history of "anti-stalinism', the book was force into the minds of school students, and is mention in pop culture than more unique dystopias. In fact, it seems hard to find even a little bit of criticism. There is just a cult of personality of Eric Blair, everything he says is right. Everything about his book is perfection to many people. You will find that people will compare the most simplistic things to 1984. "like pink haired SJW is like 1984". People just use the book as an excuse for their own beliefs. George Orwell is a "Socialist", those reformist types. So the conservatives are just happy to use it because it shows the evils of "commies". The anarchist and Left-communist worship the book more. Honestly, they are pissed that Eric Blair's precious anarchist Catalonia(which totally didn't do anything wrong) failed in a few years.

Now,does anyone have any criticism of the book, and do anyone think that the book's influences are bad or stupid ? Also, I want meaningful opposition. I don't want mindless zealotry for their Daddy Blair.

[Sanctum and Ultima]

tbh the worldbuilding of 1984 is, forgive my Newspeak, trash.

[Kannap]

I tried reading it once, couldn't get through it - it's an incredibly boring book and only serves the purpose of putting one to sleep.

[Communal concils]

tbh the worldbuilding of 1984 is, forgive my Newspeak, trash.

we literally have no ideal of what' going on out side London! The only "think" that there is a war out side of airstrip one.

[Marxist Germany]

Book doubleplusgood unlove 1984 plusungood you will unlive.

[Communal concils]

I tried reading it once, couldn't get through it - it's an incredibly boring book and only serves the purpose of putting one to sleep.

I read it, and I am not convince by anything. It's doesn't even look like the regimes that the books were tying to criticize.

[Washington Resistance Army]

1984 isn't even a good dystopia. iirc even just mid level people can largely disengage from all the doublethink propaganda stuff.

[Azlaake]

My one piece of criticism is that I feel the history of the book and newspeak aren't explained that well

[Marxist Germany]

My one piece of criticism is that I feel the history of the book and newspeak aren't explained that well

Agreed

[Communal concils]

1984 isn't even a good dystopia. iirc even just mid level people can largely disengage from all the doublethink propaganda stuff.

I don't get how removing words prevent people from rebelling. They can make new words, they can use art and other expressions. Ungood has the same meaning as bad, and you can say that the regime is ungood.

[Togeria]

Like a couple of the peeps here I agree the Worldbuilding is rather light and leaves you wishing for something more. Like how only party members are seriously monitored, proles basically left less guarded than higher ranking members, I believe in the book it’s insinuated that the regime fell too.

It does the job in giving the feeling and vibe of what Orwell was conveying but the actual world could be better imo.

[Azlaake]

1984 isn't even a good dystopia. iirc even just mid level people can largely disengage from all the doublethink propaganda stuff.

I don't get how removing words prevent people from rebelling. They can make new words, they can use art and other expressions. Ungood has the same meaning as bad, and you can say that the regime is ungood.

If you remove words like free, or revolt, or liberty, than people may never know that feeling

[Sanctum and Ultima]

1984 should be an introduction to dystopias for kids aged below 10.

[Togeria]

Like the Proles because they’re proles aren’t watched over that highly imo at least not in the way the protagonist and his colleagues were.

I believe that’s stupid, not all revolutions start at the grassroots but it’s success depends on it. Plus in terms of a authoritarian regime the proles could’ve been utilized better.

[Azlaake]

1984 should be an introduction to dystopias for kids aged below 10.

What about the sex parts? Most people don't know what that is until at least 10, maybe older

[Valrifell]

1984 isn't even a good dystopia. iirc even just mid level people can largely disengage from all the doublethink propaganda stuff.

Outer-Party members (the middle class that Winston is in) can't, actually. They're the ones most aggressively targeted by the propaganda and surveillance machines, actually. The Proles are left to be disinterested and pacified through circes et panem, and the Inner Party members buy into the IngSoc wholesale anyway (as far as we know).

[Togeria]

I don't get how removing words prevent people from rebelling. They can make new words, they can use art and other expressions. Ungood has the same meaning as bad, and you can say that the regime is ungood.

If you remove words like free, or revolt, or liberty, than people may never know that feeling

They’ll know the feeling it’s a human emotion and desire. I’ll agree they won’t have the words to properly describe and categorize it but they can make new words.

[Communal concils]

Like a couple of the peeps here I agree the Worldbuilding is rather light and leaves you wishing for something more. Like how only party members are seriously monitored, proles basically left less guarded than higher ranking members, I believe in the book it’s insinuated that the regime fell too.

It does the job in giving the feeling and vibe of what Orwell was conveying but the actual world could be better imo.

usually when regimes don't improve conditions or doesn't give enough Bread and circuses, then that regime falls. That's political logic 101. The proles are magically docile. apparently, they are that stupid. That was never the case for Stalin or Mao. They had to give the people lot's of things to makeup for all their errors and disaster. Maybe, the reason Blair did this was because he is representing the troskyite view. The view that the people in the soviet union were magically docile. They just need that "forced slap in the face" to be free.

[Sanctum and Ultima]

1984 should be an introduction to dystopias for kids aged below 10.

What about the sex parts? Most people don't know what that is until at least 10, maybe older

Uh... idk now.

[New Excalibus]

1984 should be an introduction to dystopias for kids aged below 10.

"Heeey kids! Today, we're going to learn about..."
Authoritarian regimes.

[Gigaverse]

People, you're missing the point. 1984 is intentionally over the top; George Orwell knew it was unrealistic. It was just an over-exaggeration/parody of Nazi Germany and the USSR under Stalin.

It doesn't excuse the light worldbuilding - which I'm under the impression that few authors back in those days were committed to anyhow, but it does line up with the author's intentions.

[Valrifell]

1984 should be an introduction to dystopias for kids aged below 10.

I know when I was 10 I was reading books with heavy themes of sexual liberation and Proletarian revolution.

[Communal concils]

What about the sex parts? Most people don't know what that is until at least 10, maybe older

Uh... idk now.

Just censor and remove, to "clear their Minds".

[Sanctum and Ultima]

1984 should be an introduction to dystopias for kids aged below 10.

"Heeey kids! Today, we're going to learn about..."
Authoritarian regimes.

Sounds like something that I knew about in 3rd/4th grade. I'm still in middle school but I'm having some kind of midlife crisis. I don't know why.

[Valrifell]

It doesn't excuse the light worldbuilding - which I'm under the impression that few authors back in those days were committed to anyhow, but it does line up with the author's intentions.

I'd rather a sleek and engaging narrative over something that gets slogged down in it's own worldbuilding, which is what apparently some of you want.