NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
One of the major prophecies that Orwell outlines in his novel is the idea of the tele screen which can watch anyone at any time this is a reality in today's society. One of the major connections that Orwell makes about the tele screen of 1984 and today's society is that you could spy on people. The tele screen might be the most closely compared to microphones and cameras, but there are also many other devices that can be easily used for spying. Within the area of the tele screen anyone could be watched as well as heard, which closely links to the surveillance of today, except people are a little more naive. "Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so as long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard. There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. " (Orwell, 6) The notion that "Big brother is watching you" from the novel is not that far off. In fact cameras are being installed all over the place for security reasons, but you do not know who is watching you and what kind of personal information you are giving away. "No matter how far our contemporary world may seem to 1984 's Oceania, any suggestion of government surveillance of its citizens -- from the threatened "clipper chip, " which would have allowed government officials to monitor all computer activity, to New York mayor Rudy Guliani's decision to place security cameras in central park -- produces cries of "Big Brother is watching. " (Fitzpatrick 1) The idea that the government would use a computer chip to monitor computer activity is a close comparison to the tele screen.
The tele screen would watch people's every move as they go about their day, and the chip would allow the same capability. The difference is that it would watch your every virtual move: on the internet, every web site you go to, your online banking, credit card numbers would all be at the hands of the government. The fact that the government is putting cameras in public places is not uncommon. Cameras are in schools, restaurants, banks, convenience stores, some people have hidden security cameras in their homes, and now they are even in parks. Almost anywhere you go, except for the security of your own home you are being watched.
These days, people have voice recorders as well, so they could be recording what you are saying without you even noticing this is mainly used for undercover people such as the FBI. Surveillance is not the only worry, which the tele screen provides, it is also a dangerous tool, which can be used for brainwashing as well. The tele screen can also be linked to the idea of the modern day mass media. In the book the tele screen was used as a device to brainwash and produce propaganda, and as well, just to deliver the news. The televisions of today can basically viewed in the same manor. Televisions provide the same services to the people that telescreen's did in 1984. "The voice from the tele screen paused.
A trumpet call, clear and beautiful, floated into the stagnant air. The voice continued ragingly. Attention! Your attention please!
A news flash has this moment arrived from the Malabar front. Our forces in south India have won a glorious victory. " (Orwell, 24) The tele screen is constantly delivering news to the people of Oceania. The facts and figures about business, the news of the war are all things that can be consistently brought to the attention of the people of Oceania. Although the news is not on everywhere you go, the news of each day can be found at any point in the day.
There is accurate and up to date news being presented on several all news stations on the television, or on the radio. The news that the tele screen also delivers capabilities of brainwashing. "At this moment the entire group of people broke into a deep, slow, rhythmical chant of 'B-B! ... B-B! ... B-B!' " (Orwell, 17) The government has a good knowledge of how to use the telescreen's to gain support from the people. The people in the novel are totally entranced enough to make them chant demonstrating a love for the party. The telescreen's serve the purpose of hypnotizing people to develop a new sense of being.
The televisions of today are used in the same method to create hypnotizing effects. "The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly... it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over. " (web) This quote from the Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels indicates the simplicity of brainwashing. After reading this statement, it comes to mind that this is the logic behind many of the television ads today. Many have catchy jingles and or rhythmical chants to stimulate the memory, and entice buyers. There may be different applications for the brainwashing of 1984 and the brainwashing of today, but still it is the same principles.
The telescreen's of 1984 were not only used for mass media, but for personal use as well. The tele screen can also be seen as something of an individual communication device, such as current day telephones or microphones and web cameras, combined into one device. A device of instant communication through seeing and hearing between two people at one time. "The picture had fallen onto the floor, uncovering the tele screen behind it. 'Now they can see us, 's aid Julia. 'Now we can see you, 's aid the voice. " (Orwell, 176) The tele screen can see the movements of everyone, and even talk to people in specific locations, apart from all of the masses. The tele screen could in this instance both see and hear Winston and Julia at the same time, and they as well could be heard by the tele screen.
Although the tele screen is more widely applied to the mass communication, it can still be used in the same manor as a telephone in which both people can communicate back and forth to each other. A new technology, being videophones, have a similar purpose to the telescreen's, in which they can share a regular phone conversation, while being used to view the actions of the person you are communicating with. Many people on the Internet use the convenience of a microphone, to talk back and forth, as well as a web camera to be able to see each other, and hear each other at the same time. The current day variation of the tele screen, the videophone is just being introduced and is not widespread as the tele screen is in the novel. However the telephone and devices on the Internet are quite common. There are many devices, which are along the same path as the tele screen, which are used today.
Within the novel a government regime is illustrated, and is a prophecy Orwell has described from past knowledge and experiences, and is still very valid today. The use of the media through the government outlined in this novel is apparent through the many government agencies, which gather and maintain the facts to present to the public. The media is used as a cover-up, but everyone believes it because it is government controlled, and there is no other to oppose it. This is the same situation as was happening in modern times in Iraq.
The state controls the media to disperse its propaganda. It is quite clear in the novel that the government can make the public believe anything they want. "For example, the ministry of plenty's forecast had estimated the output of boots for the quarter at 145 million pairs. The actual output was given as sixty-two millions. Winston, however, in rewriting the forecast, marked the figure down to seventy-five millions, so as to allow for the usual claim that the quota had been overfilled.
In any case sixty-two millions was no where nearer to the truth than fifty-seven millions, or 145 millions. Very likely no boots had been produced at all. Likelier still, nobody knew how many had been produced, much less cared. All one knew was that every quarter astronomical amounts of boots were produced on paper, while perhaps half the population of Oceania went barefoot. " (Orwell, 36) Since the government controls all known news going to the people of Oceania, they have no room for comparison. The sale of boots became absolutely unreliable. As well, they would have no reason to analyze the given information, since it should be pure as it is straight from the source, and as they would think, a very credible source.
There is evidence that this type of deception is still occurring. "Iraqi Press is Government-Controlled. The Iraqi News Agency (INA) is the public information arm of the Iraqi government and is the only news agency currently function...
Free research essays on topics related to: aid, back and forth, people of oceania, one of the major, tele screen
Research essay sample on People Of Oceania Back And Forth
