George Orwell - 1984 (1)

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George Orwell's 

1984 (1949)

DILEMMAS

Vote with your gut:

fast and without thinking about it too much

Being happy is better than being right.

Agree

Disagree

Democracy is just the dictatorship
of the 51 %.

Agree

Disagree

In the future, countries on Earth will become...

More and more democratic

More and more dictatorial

Fear and punishment work better to influence people's behavior than happiness and rewards.

Agree

Disagree

I'd rather have principles and no friends,
than have friends but lie to them about what I really believe.

Agree

Disagree

If the government passes a new law with which I vehemently disagree, it is still my duty as a citizen to try to follow that law.

Agree

Disagree

Strong belief in any one political system means not thinking

Agree

Disagree

Have you read George Orwell's 1984?

1. Yes
2. No

George Orwell's 1984

- Written in 1948, published in 1949

- Chilling dystopian future

- Warning against totalitarianism of the 1910s-1940s

- One of the most relevant political sci-fi novels ever written

- Let's have a look at what motivated Orwell to write it

01:41

Why would people be puzzled by Orwell warning of the dangers of collectivism?

02:26

True or false?
Writing in the 1940s, Orwell thought that it was only a matter of time before the entire world turned collectivist.

1. True
2. False

03:05

Do you think that democratic rights and freedoms would be harder or easier to maintain and defend in a socialist centrally planned economy with a very strong government? If yes, why? If no, why not?

04:36

People who only want pleasure and comfort in life can very easily be manipulated into fearful subservience under a strong national government.

1. That's what Orwell said
2. That's not what Orwell said

05:39

Who's right?
Orwell: totalitarianism works best with an angry government and a fearful populace
Huxley: totalitarianism works best with a distracted, fulfilled and drugged populace

Orwell

Huxley