WHAT IF WE LIVED A MODERN DAY VERSION OF '1984' & YOU WERE WINSTON SMITH?
Would you believe the leaders of Oceania?
If you were Winston Smith, the character in George Orwell’s novel ‘1984‘ and considering what you know of their deceptions, would you believe what you were told by the elites of Oceania?
In case you have not read ‘1984‘ yet (and I recommend you do as soon as possible) here is a short overview from Wikipedia:
‘The story takes place in an imagined future, the year 1984, when much of the world has fallen victim to perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance and propaganda. Great Britain, known as Airstrip One, has become a province of a totalitarian superstate named Oceania that is ruled by The Party who employ the Thought Police to persecute individuality and independent thinking.’ (Wikipedia)
In ‘1984‘ the enemy of Oceania is at first Eurasia but later switches to Eastasia.
‘...the general hatred of Eurasia had boiled up into such delirium that if the crowd could have got their hands on the two thousand Eurasian war criminals who were to be publicly hanged on the last day of the proceedings, they would unquestionably have torn them to pieces—at just this moment it had been announced that Oceania was not after all at war with Eurasia. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Eurasia was an ally.’
I wonder if any of this makes you think of the present geopolitical situation and the situation those who wish to think independently find themselves in?
We are told that Russia is the great enemy of the USA and UK. A version of the thought police described in ‘1984‘ castigate anyone who thinks differently as a ‘useful idiot’, and even worse, voices their thoughts in contradiction, in which case they are described as an ‘enemy agent’.
Even the switching of enemies has some resonance currently as Russia appears to be diminishing as the primary enemy as China rises.
But we arguably have even more concrete reasons to distrust the assertions of the USA and UK (generally lumped together with Europe as the West) than Winston Smith. In ‘1984‘ he sees daily how facts are distorted in 'The Ministry of Truth’. History is rewritten to conform to the required narrative. People are erased from photographs, texts are edited to take out inconvenient facts, a whole army of people are involved in making sure the population of Oceania constantly only hears and reads one version of reality.
I am sure this too will resonate with you regarding the way western mainstream news media deal with stories regarding geopolitical issues, particularly in relation to Russia and China.
What are those concrete reasons to mistrust the assertions of western leaders I mention in the last paragraph, those reasons that mirror those of Oceania in the novel?
There have been so many lies told by the leaders of the West it is difficult to know where to start.
The biggest lie of recent times was that concerning Iraq’s non-existent weapons of mass destruction. There was an entire nest of lies within the campaign to attack and invade Iraq. The lies about the seeking of yellowcake uranium from Africa, the lies about mobile chemical weapon labs, the lies about Iraqi soldiers taking babies out of incubators and dashing their heads on the floor, the lies about a non-existent heroic operation involving Jessica Lynch.
Each war the USA wishes to instigate, expand or prolong has its lies.
The Tonking Incident where a non-existent attack by North Vietnam was used to justify a massive expansion and escalation of the U.S. war against that country.
The lies about an imminent massacre by the Libyan army against rebels retreating to Benghazi.
The lies about the coup which took place instigated by the CIA in Iran in 1954.
Involving Latin America there is a veritable litany of lies across decade after decade as the training, financing and arming of terrorists, death squads and guerilla groups, various coups and assassinations shows when compared to the official statements made.
In Syria too the lies have been legion. The entire war has seen the USA, UK and their allies in Europe and the Middle East telling nothing but lies. They again trained, financed and armed anti-government insurgents then slapped a ‘moderate rebel’ tag on them. No matter how slick the propaganda is or how many useful idiots of the USA, UK or others repeat them, they are still lies.
Ultimately what are we looking at here?
What are you when you believe liars?
You are at least gullible, most likely a fool and quite possibly very near brain dead.
Or you are a mindless loyalist to the cause, a knowing conspirator intent on deceiving your fellow citizens into forwarding war, death and destruction for the sake of western national interests.
It’s a stark choice. But I know who I would rather be.
Winston Smith over some government dupe or member of the thought police, any day.