Tuesday, April 13, 2021

"Nineteen Eighty-Four" TV Series

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture repainted, every statue & street building renamed, every date altered," writes author George Orwell in his prophetic novel "Nineteen Eighty Four",  now being adapted as a five-part limited TV series by Wiip Studio, in a "bold new version" of the original story :

"...as the nation grapples with surveillance, media collusion, government cover-ups, cartel kickbacks, 'racist' slanders and a financially-driven 'Deep State' effortlessly breaking the law, because they are the law, the urgency of Orwell’s masterpiece these days is undeniable..."

First published in 1949, Orwell's novel focuses on 'Oceania', a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the 'Party'.

Life in the Oceanian province of 'Airstrip One' is a world of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance and incessant public mind control, accomplished with a political system,  administered by a privileged 'Inner Party' elite. 

Everyone is subordinate to the totalitarian cult of 'Big Brother', the deified Party leader who rules with a philosophy that decries individuality and reason as 'thoughtcrimes'.

Protagonist 'Winston Smith', is a member of the 'Outer Party', working for the 'Ministry of Truth' responsible for propaganda and historical revisionism, rewriting past newspaper articles so  the historical record is congruent with current party ideology. 

Because of the childhood trauma of the destruction of his family — the disappearances of his parents and sister — Winston Smith secretly hates the Party, and dreams of rebellion against Big Brother.

"Nineteen Eighty-Four" popularized the adjective 'Orwellian', which refers to official deception, secret surveillance and manipulation of the past, in service to a totalitarian, manipulative political agenda. 

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