Mantaining Power
The government uses certain tactics to keep control over the everyday lives of citizens. These methods are shown both throughout George Orwell’s 1984 and also are also shown daily in modern society. To keep society under careful control Big Brother and the American government use electronic surveillance, language control, and government corruption. Electronic surveillance reminds the people in 1984, as well as modern day citizens that they are constantly being watched, and should obey the law. In 1984, Big Brother uses telescreens to keep the citizens under careful control. The telescreens are placed all throughout the society, restricting any form of privacy. The telescreens throughout the society greatly affects the citizens and their everyday behavior. The fact that they know they are constantly being watched makes them refrain from acting out against the government. Committing any type of crime will result in being punished; therefore the citizens do as they are told. The society conforms and each citizen acts in a very similar matter. Similar to the tactic used in 1984, the government in modern day society uses electronic surveillance to keep citizens in control. These cameras are used “to catch red light runners and speeders. Washington is setting up hundreds of cameras to monitor streets, federal buildings, subway stations, and other locations. Police used cameras with face recognition technology at last year’s Super Bowl to catch known fugitives” (Volokh). As the government sets up more cameras, they are reducing the amount of crime happening, as well as increasing the amount of people being caught for these crimes. By setting up the cameras, the citizens are forced to follow the rules, otherwise they will be punished. In addition to using electronic surveillance, language control is also used. Another method Big Brother uses to keep constant rule is language control. Throughout the book the idea of “newspeak” is expressed. Newspeak ultimately would
Cited: "25 Bizarre Examples That Show That the U.S. Government Is Absolutely Brimming With Idiots, Incompetents and Incredibly Corrupt Politicians." 25 Bizarre Examples That Show That the U.S. Government Is Absolutely Brimming With Idiots, Incompetents and Incredibly Corrupt Politicians. 12 Mar. 2011. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. . "Censorship in the Media | Handout." Media Awareness Network. 2010. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. . Volokh, Eugene. "The Benefits of Surveillance." The Responsive Community. 2002. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. .