The world of 1984 is a cold, alienating prison. Today, people don’t normally think of themselves as oppressed, but it is impossible not to draw parallels between the tyranny in Oceania and the time of unrest in the modern world. While we might not be living in a world where a single thought can mean an early grave, but we still face the invasion of privacy, violation of rights, and loss of qualities, like sympathy and empathy, that make us human. Problems that make our world seem eerily similar to the dystopia ruled by the Party. One of the glaring examples of our notsoprivate society is that we are constantly being watched. Security cameras are our ever present audience, monitoring us while we eat, drive, shop, etc. Smart TVs have cameras …show more content…
Is it unrealistic and, perhaps, narcissistic to think that someone is on the other end of the screen? It’s hard to believe that anyone would be interested in the daily routines of normal citizens. We aren’t yet performing a careful ritual to hide an unorthodoxy, but it’s a common occurrence to straighten up when someone sees their reflection in a security camera. In the United States, we believe people have certain unalienable rights that the government cannot infringe on. However, after 9/11, the patriot act was passed. This can suspend any rights necessary in the interest of national security. But there is no clear definition of when this act applies. This is very reminiscent of the tyrannical arrests by the thought police. Also, the Bill of Rights does not clearly define the right to privacy. We know we have the right to bear arms, due process, freedom of religion, and many other rights, but we seem to be missing a right to privacy. The murky waters of privacy rights are always changing and that makes us vulnerable to the type of treatment that was rampant in 1984 . A significant theme in the book is the loss of human qualities. Most people consider themselves a good person, not perfect, but certainly not cruel. However,