The vision of the future that Orwell presents in 1984 has not become antiquated and invalid in the real world of 2000. In fact, the society of Oceania has the possibility of existing in todays world. There are many parallel similarities between the community described in 1984 and the community of 2000.
These parallels prove the likelihood of an Oceanic society existing today. Some of these major similarities include the desire for all people to blend in, the strong socialistic tendencies in world governments, and the control the media have on people. Probably the most noticeable similarity between 1984 and 2000 that shows the conditions are right for an Oceanic society to exist today is the desire for all people to blend into a generic image.
In 1984, a single quote sums up the importance of a generic society, The two aims of the Party are to conquer the whole surface of the earth and to extinguish once and for all the possibility of independent thought. By the Party eliminating independent thought, it abolishes the possibility for people to do anything different or anything in variation from the rest of the population. Without independent thought, the Party rids the problem of individualism from the root.
A comparison to the creation of a generic society in terms of 2000 is the enforcement of dress code policies in schools. Dress codes are just another way to eliminate individualism and extinguish the possibility of students deviating from the rules and the desired behavior of the administration.
Another example that shows the potential of Oceania existing in the real world of 2000 is the presence of strong socialistic tendencies in the governments of the world. In 1984, the government controlled all aspects of life. The elaborate government was divided into four individual Ministries: Truth, Peace, Love, and Plenty. Each was responsible for a specific area of government affairs from the media to medicine or even the military. In 2000, socialistic ideas exist in modern-day America. Presidential candidate Al Gore has expressed several socialistic thoughts similar to the ideas of Oceania.
One of these is the idea of governmental controls on health care, whereby the government is the sole provider of health services. Another socialistic ideal present in America is the desire for the government to control the expansion of corporations. This is exemplified by the American government ordering the breakup of the computer corporation Microsoft. This action strengthens the American governments hold on companies, limits expansion and minimizes entrepreneurship.
Lastly, what may be considered the most frightening, the media in both 1984 and 2000 are central in the lives of millions of people around the world. As predicted in 1984, telescreens, or televisions, have become the chief forms of communication to mass audiences. A form of the telescreen from 1984 which receives and transmits simultaneously is used today, but not to such an extreme extent.
In today s society the Nielson Rating System uses a receiver/transmitter to monitor exactly what a person is watching, but the Nielson System is not mandatory as in 1984. Another control the media has on the lives of the citizens of 1984 and 2000 is the media s ability to proliferate propaganda.
Whether newspapers, like 1984, or televisions, like 2000, the government has an ability to use media to spread its ideas and propaganda. In 1984, Winston worked in the Ministry of Truth, where his entire job was to hide in the flaws in the past to make the present what the government wants it to be.
In 2000, governments continue to hide events of the past from the media to make the present seem better. An example is the Russian government censoring the true facts of the nuclear submarine accident. Original reports provided by the Russian government stated that nothing was wrong, while in reality there was an explosion aboard the submarine and dozens of people were killed.
This was only done to hide the past from the media and make Russia seem better than its actual conditions, just like Oceania in 1984. Because of the control the media has on people, the strong socialistic tendencies of world governments, and the desire for all people to blend-in, Oceania has the possibility of existing in today s society. Based on the many similarities between 1984 and 2000, not only is it possible for Oceania to exist today, but also somewhat likely. This proves that Orwells vision of the future has not become antiquated and invalid.
