Vickers

George Orwell's 1984
 * = In the United States  ||=  In other countries  ||
 * = 1. Phone Operators ||= 1. Internet regulations ||
 * = 2. System of Money ||= 2. Slogans ||
 * = 3. Public "Telescreens" ||= 3. Isolation ||
 * = 4. Thought Police? ||= 4. Watching Your Weight ||
 * = 5. Information ||= 5. Freedom of Speech ||
 * = 6. Personal Telescreens ||= 6. Raid in Church ||
 * = 7. Newspeak ||= 7. X-Ray Vision ||
 * = 8. Common Core ||= 8. Food Rations ||
 * = 9. Dad Furious ||= 9. Living Conditions ||
 * = 10. Class System ||= 10. Children Working ||

http://www.dvice.com/archives/2012/06/1984-tech.php
 * 1) 1-7 =

In the US.

1. Telephone Operators Communication companies face no trouble for giving away people's personal information to the Federal Government. This means they can wire tap into your internet, cellphone, text messaging and look at your use of services, even illegally, and if they find information about you that may seem alarming to them (sites visited, usernames, etc.) they can turn you in, and you'd have no rights to sue.

When can/should the federal government require communications to be able to hand over customer's information? Unfortunately, anytime they can hand over information, but should they? This problem roots from anti-terrorist acts put into act by the Bush administration and is still followed by the Obama administration. The government has been involved in endless wiretapping with reason to believe it is connected to terrorist activities. The government is completely in control over what individuals are watched, and doesn't have ANY requirements to end its surveillance activities.

In 1984, citizens of Oceania are constantly kept watch over, and have little to no privacy at all. I think the wiretapping and surveillance that they government is doing may be a small beginning for what is happening in 1984. Sooner or later, the government will use their power to watch anybody's actions and conversations without any discretion to do so. They simply won't need any reason to keep an eye on their citizens just like in Oceania.

2. System of Money


 * In 1984: ** There is no privacy for who purchases what unless you were to go and buy things on the black market. All food and other items were sold in specific rations with specific weights depending on the person. This way of the economy helped them track purchases and barely allowed personal possessions.

Also in today's society there are people who live on welfare and fixed incomes who don't really have much privacy on what they get to purchase.
 * Today: ** How regularly do you see a cash register that isn't a complex computer? Unless you go to a yard sale or are selling something to a friend or family member with cash, there is almost always something keeping track of what you purchase and when you purchased it. All of your purchases will be digitally stored.

3. Public "Telescreens"

In 1984, George described a society where propaganda has been plastered everywhere you turn. This seems very similar to our society today. Almost everywhere you turn, you see some kind of billboard, poster, or electronical device that is constantly plastering advertisements. In Oceania there had also been huge Telescreens plastered all over town center that screened pictures of Big Brother and other propaganda. This is similar to any big city, such as New York's time square.

4. Thought Police? In 1984: There is such a thing as the Thought Police, which was a group of people in charge of catching people who are against Big Brother, or are committing crimes in their thoughts. Most of the time you can catch people doing so by watching their facial reactions when asked something, or interacting with somebody.

Today: Researchers are trying to figure out how to extract what you're thinking inside your brain and play it back for you on a video, and the technology is starting to come together. This technology is considered "mind reading". An MRI watches patterns that show up in people's brains as they are watching movie clips, and match together how those images are identical to what they are watching on the movie. Wit this in mind, a super computer was built to scan and predict the patterns someone's brain is going create while looking at certain images. Placing side-by-side the original image next to the brain image, just shows how it works, and it's somewhat scary. The technology has been invented to look at what people are thinking and there is nothing stopping the power of this technology from being used to take information out of peope's minds.

If you hook yourself up to one of these machines, you could possibly see what you have dreamed during the middle of the night. The scarier thought is thinking about if scientists will someday be actually able to wipe someones memory from using this kind of technology. The researchers commented that the technology is "decades away from allowing users to read others thoughts and intentions." but in a way they are also stating that, yeah, in a couple of decades or less, they will be able to. media type="youtube" key="nsjDnYxJ0bo?rel=0" height="315" width="560"

5. Shared Information

In 1984: Winston spends his time in the Ministry of Truth altering records of the past in order to make the Inner Party and Big Brother correct. He goes so far as to destroy old newspapers, pictures and documents to make the life before seem no different than now.

Today: The major difference between today and the reality in 1984, is that people are not brainwashed and stupid. We have a goo recollection of our past memories and can tell when something doesn't add up or if something is untrue to what really happened in our past. If we did live in a society where people were as dumb as a box of rocks and had absolutely no recollection of our past memories, we could all easily be changing the past records and information. The internet is basically our main source of information. On the internet people are allowed to make and post their own blogs, thoughts, research, and feelings for any body to look at. If someone had no recollection of the past they would so easily believe anything that they read online. (For Example) On wikipedia, it is SO easy to change some information that is displayed on a page, and ANYBODY can do so! How easily could all of our information about people, events, and historical information be altered? So easily, it's a little bit scary. Luckily we do not live in a warped society and know the difference between what is false and what is real.

6. Personal Telescreens In 1984: Telescreens are all over the place. They are in public, and they are even in your home. They are a piece of two sided technology that can show you things, but at the same time enable somebody to be watching you at all times.

Today: Do you have a home PC? Most of the time, do you always just leave it on even when you're not using it? Almost every laptop and computer has a built in webcam, and for those who don't already have access to one go out and buy one. As of right now there hasn't really been any created technology that can spy on you in your home, but reasearchers are very close to doing so. As of right new technology is being built to be able to record and keep track of where your eyes are moving, to see which parts of the screen are most looked at, to try and deliver you a better picture. Microsoft Kinect goes so far as to be able to read your body language to see how you are feeling, and what you are doing. This kind of technology could be very harmful if it go into the wrong hands.

7. Newspeak

In 1984: The Government creates a new dictionary that is composed of a lot fewer words than in the life before Big Brother. The Inner Party believes that if they can just eliminate words, then they could eliminate the whole idea of the word and what the word means. They eliminate words like "bad" and dumb things down a lot. Instead of "bad" they use the word "ungood".

Today: Texting language isn't an essence of completely deleting words out of our vocabulary, but it is used to shorten words and phrases to save us some "work". This is somewhat similar to newspeak in the way that we are beginning to dumb down our language, and it can start to become more like newspeak if we don't keep the importance of good grammar and vocabulary.

8. Common Core (Data Mining) Common Core is a nationalized curriculum standard. In 1984: Young children are trained and educated the be an asset towards the Party and Big Brother. When they are the age of 16, they take a standardized test to see where they best fit. (Inner/ Outer Party, or with the Proles) You are only able to take the test once, and if you do well on the test, they will want to train you and use you to work for them in the future. If you do not, you are dispersed amoung the Proles and given mediocre jobs and not be of importance to them.

Today: Privacy is now something we all compromise. Permission that had to be granted before has changed. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (to release a students’ data) has changed, stating that all information collected by schools, can be shared among federal agencies without any consent. Common Core is basically a bigger plan by the government to be able to track people from being born to their participation in the workforce. In other words, it is a system to collect personal data on a student including their health, religious affiliation, family income, and homework participation/scores. A 44-page Department of Eduction Report was released that stated that the Common Core system would one day be able to monitor childrens facial expressions, create a seat scanner that is able to judge a child's posture to depict how good of a worker they will be when they get older and if they will be an asset when they get older.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/27/indoctrination-and-data-mining-in-common-core-heres-why-americas-schools-may-be-in-more-trouble-than-you-think/

9. Dad is Furious

In 1984: People are led on to know that they are in a constant war, whether with Eurasia or Eastasia. People and children are led to believe that they are basically in constant danger. If you knew you were in danger, what would you be willing to do in order to be living a safe life? In 1984, Big Brother has people brainwashed thinking that "Freedom is Slavery" is okay. They say it's okay to have their rights taken away in order to be "free" or in other words "safe".

Today: A dad living in Florida found a paper in his 4th grade son's backpack with writing that says "I am willing to give up some of my constitutional rights in order to be safer or more secure" after having a lesson about our Constitution. After having an attorney come in and teach the class, the teacher MADE the students get out a piece of paper and had them copy it down as a part of their class. Most people want a fair and unbiased education system, but little do they know that most of the time that's not what they receive. Just like in 1984, children are beginning to be taught that it is "better" to have less rights for the sake of safety.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/12/dad-furious-after-finding-this-crayon-written-paper-in-florida-4th-graders-backpack-i-am-willing-to-give-up-some-of-my-constitutional-rights/

10. Class System In 1984: The population was organized in a class system with three main classes; The inner party, the outer party, and the proles. The inner party holds the most power, are more wealthier and attain more benefits. The outer party isn't exactly wealthy. but in an essense of trust they are wealthier than the proles. The outer party members do a lot of the work for the inner party, and don't get much credit or compensation. The Proles are the not so wealthy people with not so important jobs.

Today: theUnited states is organized with a class system as well with three main classes; High, middle, and low. The High class is the most wealthy and powerful with more ncie things and better jobs. The middle class seems to be the working class that works a lot, but has a lot of their money taken away from them. even though they do a lot of work, they don't get a lot of compensation kind of like the outer party members. The low class is like the proles being that they are the poorer people with not so great jobs (if any).

In Other Countries

1. Internet Regulation in Cuba In 1984: Personal relationships were heavily frowned upon because if one were to have a relationship with someone else, the party viewed them as having another loyalty to someone other than Big Brother. Other loyalties were bad and viewed as being a traitor basically.

Today: In Cuba, the government has severely limited its citizens abilitys to be able to communicate with each other and the rest of the world. Any social media websites and personal blogs are blocked. Even access to any internet is highly restricted. Many native Cubans resort to dressing as tourists and speaking in foreign languages just to be able to get into local internet cafes.

2. Slogans

in 1984: Propoganda and slogans are plastered on posters everywhere you turn. The party's slogans are "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH", "FREEDOM IS SLAVERY", and "WAR IS PEACE". These slogans are all over the place and are embedded into every citizens brain.

Today: Mike Chinoy, a writer for CNN, wrote that when he stepped into North Korea, the first thing he saw were large posters with "OUR GENERAL IS NUMBER ONE", "SUNSHINE OF THE 21ST CENTURY", and "OPPOSE AMERICA". These slogans are very strongly worded and powerful to the citizens of North Korea just as the slogans of Oceania are very powerful to them. []

3. Isolation in 1984: Citizens of Oceania are led on to believe that they are and always have been in a constant war. The information is constantly changing around them, but they have to believe what they are told. They are not allowed to communicate with anyone from other territories, and aren't allowed to be told any information that does not come from Big Brother and the party.

Today: In North Korea, Kim Jong wants to keep his spot as leader and will do anything to his power to do so. He let's no information from the outside world inside his borders. Little to no television shows, radio broadcasts, or magazine articles are allowed that are not regulated by the government.

[]

4. Big Brother Watches Your Weight In 1984: During the day the telescreens are watching your every move and at a certain time the telescreens tell you it's time for the daily exercises. Physical jerks make you exercise so you are kept healty and not overweight.

Today: In switzerland, a Gps logger that was once used as a system to track down American troops, is now used to make overweight people of Switzerland exercise. The logger is a system that you wear and it is used to track your every movement. Doctors use is on overweight people to be able to find out what they do during the day, how much energy they produce, and what types of exercises they need to do in order to start losing weight.

[]

5. Freedom of Speech in 1984: People are not allowed to have their own opinions and thoughts and they definitely aren't allowed to speak how they feel or what they think. They are supposed to believe what Big Brother tells you, and that is final. Having your own thoughts can get you into serious trouble and you can face years in a labor camp or prison.

Today: In China, an internet writer was sentenced to 12 years in prison for "subversion of state power" for writing their feelings and supporting a movement by people who have been exiled to hold free elections.He wrote what he felt, and got in major trouble for doing so.

[]

6. Raid in Church in 1984: Religion is frowned upon because Big Brother wants all of your devotion, obediance, and allegiance.

Today: In China, Chinese missionaries and Chinese Christians were arrested and detained after a raid in their church. They had been interrogated, tortured, drugged, had other abuses practiced on them all because of their religious beliefs.

[]

7. X-Ray Vision

in 1984: Telescreens are used to actively watch over the citizens, everywhere even in the privacy of their own home.

Today: In Canada, a team of researchers are working on a radar system that can see through walls. They say its been created to track hidden enemies or to find victims of an avalanche. Canada, Britain, and Europe are all on the race to finish revolutionizing 3D technology that can detail a room's layout, find a hidden land mine, and create images of an idividual. If they perfect this technology, spying on people in their own home will be easier than ever.

[]

8. Food Rations

in 1984: It was very easy to keep control over their citizens by keeping rations on every item from food to razorblades. They rationed people's properties because they wanted to keep their personal belongings (freedoms) to a bare minimum. Rations of items also makes people become greedy which is what the party wanted.

Today: In Cuba, similar things are happening. Cubans are only able to have certain rations of food which helps with their shortage of food, and to keep control over its citizens weight.

[] []

9. Awful Living Conditions

in 1984: Citizens of Oceania don't have any nice property. Their apartments are discusting with dirt floors and dust all over, and their clothes are uniforms that are bland and nothing special. They aren't really able to own anything nice because of how poor they are. The only money they get from their jobs are enough to only pay for their necessities. Their lives are like their property, less than average.

Today: in Ethiopia the living conditions are about the same if not worse than in Oceania. Housiung units are very close together and aren't very sanitary. The floors are dirt and they don't own a lot of nice things like the people of Oceania.

[]

10. Children Working

in 1984: The children of Oceania are taken in by Big Brother and braisnwashed early on in their lives. They are taught that they are to be dedicated workers for Big Brother and that they can be a big asset to the Inner Party when they grow up. Their whole lives are basically dedicated to working, training, working undercover, and little play. The only "enjoyment" they can get are from watching people be hung.

Today: In India, children are being taught and forced to begin working early on in their lives to help their economy stay alive and grow. Most of the time they don't have a choice of where they are put or what they do for a job.

[]

Works Cited:

Reuters. "Chinese Internet Writer Sentenced to 12 Years - CNET News." //CNET News//. CBS Interactive, 06 May 2006. Web. 15 Apr. 2013

"CHILD Protection & Child Rights » Vulnerable Children » Children's Issues » Child Labour." //Child Labour in India//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013

"Countries and Their Cultures." //Culture of Ethiopia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013 //CNN//. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.

Morgenstern, Madeleine. "Dad Furious After Finding This Crayon-Written Paper in Florida 4th-Grader’s Backpack: ‘I Am Willing to Give Up Some of My Constitutional Rights…to Be Safer’." //The Blaze//. N.p., 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2013

Gabbay, Tiffany. "Indoctrination and Data Mining in Common Core: Here’s Why America’s Schools May Be in More Trouble Than You Think." //The Blaze//. N.p.,27 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2013

Rappaport, Hal. "Why 2012 Is Starting to Look like 1984." //Digital Trends//. N.p., 28 June 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.

"US Christians Detained Briefly after China Raid." //- Taipei Times//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.

"Frequently Asked Questions." //North Korea Now RSS//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.

Knapp, Louise. "Big Brother Watches Your Weight." //Wired.com//. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.