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Examples Of Panopticism In 1984 By George Orwell

1186 Words5 Pages

In George Orwell’s 1984 novel, a disturbing depiction of a society that is held under constant surveillance by the government is presented to the reader. The citizens of Oceania are constantly monitored through telescreens and other unwelcome methods which capture everyone’s every move and constantly listen to their conversations. The thought police are also sent out by the government to control people and force loyalty to the party. In the real world, philosophers like Michel Foucault have developed theories on panopticism and its effect on free speech and privacy. The theory of panopticism revolves around how constant surveillance forces compliance. Constant surveillance results in a society that consists of people who are too afraid to express …show more content…

This fear is echoed through the constant surveillance that the citizens of Oceania in 1984 endured. People in the modern day often are hesitant to express their true self or their actual opinions, thanks to the fear of the constant surveillance and the culture and judgment that come along with it. The ACLU did a study that uncovered the fact that the simple idea of surveillance by the government causes a barrier in most people's lives as they stray away from their use of free speech and cause people to even avoid talking at all to hide from government surveillance. The frightening effect that constant surveillance has on free speech is almost identical to the fear and censorship that can be seen in 1984. In both the dystopian novel and in the modern day, unwanted surveillance can put a dampener on someone’s freedoms and stop them from expressing their inner selves. Manipulation via the government and large corporations in modern society holds an extremely close resemblance to the Party and its hold over the people of Oceania in

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