1984 George Orwell Essay

Orwell’s Vision Realized Technology surrounds society in many aspects of daily living, to a point where privacy and security are often sacrificed for surveillance. George Orwell’s 1984 is a frightening insight into a totalitarian society where technological control is extensive, freedoms are taken away, and the truth is manipulated. Modern day society resembles that of 1984 due to the technological control of citizens. Surveillance is a common foundation of Orwell’s nightmare, and now this is an outstanding feature of many modern societies. China’s extensive use of facial recognition technology and its social credit system, which monitors and scores citizens based on individual behavior and activities, is a scary reminder of Orwell’s vision.

“BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it runs” (Orwell 3). The party uses the image of Big Brother to put fear into its citizens, reminding them that they are constantly being watched. North Korea embodies the extreme level of technological control that mirrors Orwell’s 1984. The North Korean government uses excessive tactics to spy on its citizens and monitor their every move. “Phone calls and internet activity are monitored by ‘Bureau 27’ in North Korea’s State Security Department. The unit specializes in covert intelligence, and uses sophisticated equipment to detect mobile phone frequencies. The repercussions for citizens found to be making attempts at international phone calls are harsh.” (Amnesty International, 2018). These practices are strikingly similar to those of 1984, where technology is not only used to watch citizens but also to control their behavior and access information. “At this moment the telescreen let out a piercing whistle. It was the signal to return to work.” (Orwell 80). The telescreen is watching for every last thing an individual

"Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past. "(Orwell 44)" The party is aware that citizens have a very short memory, and will believe anything the party feeds them. They purposely alter information. Similar to the party's control over truth, modern misinformation and state propaganda change the face of reality for many. In North Korea, they use many tactics to block off what their citizens can see. For example, the government tells its citizens blatant lies, brainwashing them, as well as strictly monitoring what they can and can't see. “To protect the power of its propaganda and ideology, the regime attempts to isolate the North Korean people from the outside world.” (Liberty In North Korea). Just as the party in 1984, the North Korean government isolated its people from what was going on, taking any measures necessary to censor information and the outside world as one. In conclusion, in today’s modern society, the technological control which is currently expanding has a direct correlation with the dystopian society of 1984. Countries such as North Korea, have all input forms of surveillance which produce a totalitarian atmosphere, and erases the concept of