1984 Rewrite PDF

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Campos 1 Diana Campos Peterson Expos 31 May 2016 1984 Every second of every day we are under surveillance of some sort. We may not realize because it may not be so evident but we are constantly being watched whether it be through surveillance cameras or even by each other. In the book “1984” by George Orwell, the people of Oceania are having their every move monitored by several types of surveillance and even by each other. They do this in order to prevent any sort of crime that could go against Big Brother. However, what defines a crime is much different than what we consider a crime in our own society today. In relation to the use of the types of surveillance technology used in 1984, the society that we live in today is in many ways similar. It may not be tomorrow that we turn into a world of Big Brother but due to the similarities in surveillance technology used between the Oceania and our own society, we do have the potential to become like it. One of the most prominent ways that Big Brother is able to closely watch its citizens is through the telescreen. “Inside the flat a fruity voice was reading out a list of figures which had something to do with the production of pig iron. The voice came from an oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror which formed part of the surface of the right hand wall. Winston turned a switch and the voice sank somewhat, though the words were still distinguishable. The instrument (the telescreen, it was called) could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely” (Orwell 4). Through the telescreen, Big Brother is able to keep track of everyone's moves, tune in to their conversations, and can even see if people are committing thoughtcrime by

Campos 2 the type of facial expression they make at the telescreen. However, to the citizens watching the telescreen, it is just a nonstop showing of propaganda. This relates to our own society because we do have a similar type of surveillance everywhere we go and at almost all times. Today’s security cameras for example, can be seen as a comparison to the telescreens because they are in many ways similar. They are almost everywhere we go when we leave our home and just like the telescreens, they people behind them cause watch and hear us but we cannot see them. In the article “Long Beach police use 400 cameras citywide to fight crime” by Richard Winton, it is stated that in doing so “It will help [us] to respond to crimes better and prevent other crimes” (McDonnell). Although the use of these cameras is in order to record crimes if one were to happen and to try and minimize the amount of crimes committed that is exactly what the telescreens in 1984 are used for. In addition to the telescreens, the own people in Oceania are one of the biggest types of surveillance used to keep a close eye on each other’s actions. The thought police are an example of a group of people who make sure no one is committing a crime that would go against Big Brother. If one were to do, say, or even think something that contradicts Big Brother, they would turn them in and be “vaporized”. In their society, they have their own people going against each other. In today’s society we have a similar type of surveillance that includes citizens watching and turning in their own citizens as well. Law enforcement such as police could be seen as having many similarities to the thought police. Our local police that we have today are put out to watch the people if they were to commit an illegal crime, small or large. Another way we are constantly being watched in today’s society is through our everyday devices. This includes anything with a camera, a microphone, or just plane GPS. In the article “That’s No Phone. That’s My Tracker” by Peter Maass and Megha Rajagopalan, they state that

Campos 3 “these devices are also taking note of what we buy, where and when we buy it, how much money we have in the bank, whom we text and email, what Web sites we visit, how and where we travel, what time we go to sleep and wake up — and more.” In the article is it also stated that recently “cellphone carriers responded 1.3 million times last year to law enforcement requests for call data” (Maass and Rajagopalan). Through our devices we are also now capable of sharing our location wether this being through Facebook, Instagram, of even when searching up a local restaurant our device will notify us that whatever site you're on “would like to use your current location”. This makes it almost too easy for anyone to locate you. This is another step of becoming into a society ruled by Big Brother because anyone can easily track you and what you are doing, buying, and even who you're contacting throughout the day. If Big Brother could really be watching us, we could only become successful in overthrowing it by everyone working together to do so. We can’t do anything alone even if we wanted to, we need to all stick together. “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is a progress; working together is success” (Ford). One could argue that all the types of surveillance that are in place today are being used for the sole purpose of protecting the people by trying to keep crime to a minimum, that is exactly what it is being used for as well in the society of 1984. Although the crimes and punishment are to a different extent, the similarities are evident and there....