Freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. In the 21st century, the federal government ensures freedom as a human right, but to an extent. There is a thin line between where freedom ends and breaking the law begins, resulting in consequences from the government. In essence, no one is truly free; the government remains in power and continues to have control over its citizens whether or not it is publicized. The world can be seen spiraling into an Orwellian state as the advancement of technology infringes one’s freedoms and right to privacy. In the novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell the Inner party uses technology as a means to control the masses and remain in power. …show more content…
The telescreen was a propaganda tool implemented by the party to instill fear and control its citizens. “The instrument … could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely (Orwell 4). This emphasizes the amount of power the party possesses; the citizens could never get rid of them. Through the use of invasive technology, individuals were being monitored in private and public areas, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The telescreen is designed to physically observe and detect conversation in order to prevent one from rebelling. “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away … anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide (Orwell 65). The extreme advancement of surveillance equipment in Oceania can detect instances of rebellion from the slightest movement. Citizens do not have the freedom to have diverse thoughts without the party finding out. If one knows that they are being watched by the party, they can be forced into conforming. They must behave in which they are expected to, otherwise, there will be consequences. One is less likely to break the rules (thoughtcrime) or act out when there is no possibility for them to get away with it. The use of surveillance equipment relates to McLuhan’s ideas in The Medium is the Massage. The telescreen is a medium and the message being conveyed is that is individual is observed constantly. McLuhan defines media as “extensions of ourselves” (“Understanding Media”). The technology in a sense becomes an extension of the party as it is able to communicate with the citizens and gives the impression that they are being followed. McLuhan also states, “the content of any medium blinds us to the character of