Free Essay

Hypocrisy of the Party

In:

Submitted By spacerunner
Words 699
Pages 3
1984
Hypocrisy of the Party The novel 1984, written by George Orwell in 1948, is a prophetic look into the world that was being shaped by rapidly growing superpowers bent on the destruction of their rivals. The world that Orwell depicts is an earth divided into three massive super states, Eastasia, Eurasia, and Oceania, all in a continual state of war and changing alliances. Throughout the novel, the Party, which is the main governing power of Oceania, is constantly falsifying documents and rewriting history to fit past predictions and political promises of the government. These lies and double standards are illustrated by the Party’s three slogans: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength.
The doublethink of War is Peace is exemplified in these words, "The very word 'war', therefore, has become misleading. It would probably be accurate to say that by becoming continuous, war has ceased to exist...War is Peace" (Orwell 164). In the novel Oceania is in a perpetual state of war with ether Eurasia or Eastasia. Whenever a new alliance is made or a new enemy obtained, the Party revises past publications to make it seem that they have always been at war with the same foe. These contradictions go unnoticed by the vast majority of the population, and those who do take note are easily swept up in the frenzy of war.
The Party slogan, Freedom is Slavery; even in itself contains two opposing viewpoints that conflict with each other. This process of doublethink is basically the “power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them” (Orwell 155). The Party enslaves the people of Oceania, not literally, but in every action they perform from their morning “jerks” to walking down the street. They are constantly under the watchful eye of the Party and Big Brother. When the population of a nation becomes enslaved to its government, they no longer possess the means to oppose the government. Consequently the only logical step for the Party is to remove the freedoms of the people of Oceania and inhibit their ability to rise up. Thus the individual is powerless, and the absence of personal freedom weakens the population by making it impossible to do anything of great achievement. Therefore, freedom is slavery.
By keeping the population of Oceania in a state of unawareness, the Party is able to control any information, news, and education given to the people. The result is a society that is so ignorant that they do not question what they are told, so no weaknesses in the government’s plans, policies, or decrees are ever discovered. In effect, it was good to be ignorant of the facts, and bad to be ignorant of the current political spectrum. In the world of 1984, ignorance had become power, whether it existed in Oceania or in its adversaries, it could be used for gain in controlling the population. Ignorance is strength.
Throughout the novel these three dichotomic views continue to be prevalent in the Party’s plans to circumvent any resistance to their control of Oceania. By manipulating and falsifying basic truths of human society through torture and mind control, they create a civilization that is ignorant, enslaved, and willing to support a continual war, without knowledge of the cause. The Party physically, mentally, and spiritually exert their power over the “party members” and the “proles” of Oceania, while allowing “inner party” members many extravagant privileges. Using the hypocritical standpoints: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength, the Party “seeks power entirely for its own sake. ... We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, but it is an end. ... How does one man assert his power over another ... By making him suffer. Obedience is not enough. Unless he is suffering, how can you be sure that he is obeying your will and not his own?” (Orwell 217) These three phrases seem to resound with truth in many ways, but the irony lies in the fact that though they bombard the masses into belief, to no one are the phrases truer than to the government itself.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Frederick Douglass

...of Frederick Douglass What is hypocrisy? It is feigning someone to believe what is or to believe what is not. Basically, an individual who is pretending to be someone he or she is not. All members of society can be a subject to be hypocritical. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the different types of hypocrisies between Frederick Douglass's and modern time. The three main differences are religious, political, and racial hypocrisy. In today's society, religious hypocrisy has withstood the test of time. Many people in the past and in the present time do not attend church on Sunday because of conflict with their hypocritical values, while the true hypocrites proclaim their devotion to God on Sunday, and ironically talk about their neighbor's lives, fight over simple traffic rules refuse to see poverty around them. Almost an outsider, Frederick Douglass witnessed withstanding of religious hypocrisy when it came to the slave holders and non-abolitionist of southern society. "Poor man! such was his disposition, and success at deceiving, I do verily believe that he sometimes deceived himself into the solemn belief, that he was a sincere worshipper of the most high God." (80). Mr. Covey showed that being a slave holder and a Christian is hypocritical to himself, because it is not possible for him to own and direct slaves while remaining faithful to their religion. During the 2008 presidential election, the Democratic party promised on their campaign that...

Words: 610 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Judge Brack By Eilert

...But, her most important manipulation comes over a man named Eilert Lovborg. Eilert is recently know as a very an alcoholic but he is a very unique and intelligent man. Eilert has created a manuscript that is going to make him very famous and wealthy because of the perfection and strong ideas of the writing. Hedda manipulates Eilert knowing his weakness to alcohol and the conflictions him drinking can create and convinces him to drink and partake in a party Judge Brack is throwing. Eilert ends up drinking heavily and results in him losing his manuscript that George Tesman, Hedda’s husband discovers and brings back to show her. At the time of this discovery George discovers the new that one of his loved ones is very sick and he leaves the house. Soon after Eilert shows up to the house and claims that he has ripped the manuscript to a thousand pieces. Hedda, instead of giving the beloved manuscript to Eilert she sends him out of her home with a gun because he claims he has nothing else to live for. As Eilert leaves Hedda retrieves the manuscript and proceeds to burn it. [Throws one of the sheets into the fir and whispers to herself] “Now, I’m burning your child” (Ibsen 699). Hedda refers to the...

Words: 1731 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

The Real Beauty Message

...Introduction Marketing a successful advertising campaign can be a difficult but even more so, risky task. The fact that marketing a product can have a negative or positive impact on consumers is crucial to the overall success of the product. This report will discuss two campaigns: Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty that target women’s outer beauty, instilling self-confidence, versus AXE’s AXE Effect campaign that target young adult males while exploiting young adult women’s perception of beauty unrealistically. Dove and AXE products are owned by the same company Unilever. The report will analyze their complete opposite approach to their target market, and criticisms received from the media and consumers. The report will also offer recommendations to marketers that may lead to having a successful advertising campaign. FINDINGS Findings were made in the following areas: target market and criticisms. Target Market Dove products target women of all ethnicities, age, shape and size in hopes to define the true definition of beauty. Since 2004, Dove has used Campaign for Real Beauty ads along with the vision to “Imagine a World Where Beauty is a Source of Confidence not anxiety” (2014). Dove’s ad campaigns feature real women whose appearances are not the typical norm of how society defines beauty. These real women shown in their underwear are essentially making a statement of how society should perceive real beauty. Figure 1. Dove Real Beauty Campaign (Canada, 2013) ...

Words: 1109 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Ryan's Diminishing Hope

...achievements. However, they quickly became one of the greatest disappointments, and had to be “retired” before they could do more harm. Ryan is the GOP’s golden boy, a bright star in the Republican party’s sky. He’s a cookie cutter replication of the Team Party meets GOP agenda. However, the initial excitement over Paul Ryan has started to wane as more light is shed on the disappointing hypocrisy surrounding his views on government spending. Recently, Ryan Grim of the Huffington Post revealed how Ryan initially supported the economic stimulus as a solid recovery tool when it was proposed by the President George W. Bush. “What we're trying to accomplish today with the passage of this third stimulus package is to create jobs and help the unemployed," Ryan said, in comments unearthed by MSNBC's ‘Up with Chris Hayes’ and provided to HuffPost. "What we're trying to accomplish is to pass the kinds of legislation that when they've passed in the past have grown the economy and gotten people back to work.” And he even goes on to state that “In recessions unemployment lags on well after a recovery has taken place." But after President Obama successfully pushed through an economic stimulus plan, Ryan fell in line with the rest of his party and publicly criticized it, citing the overreach of big government and vowing to fight against increased government spending. However, according to the International Business Times, he had no problem taking some of the federal money from both the Bush...

Words: 695 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Is the Abuse of Power Shown in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' and Shelley's 'Frankenstein'

...story Frankenstein himself, his abuse of power results in his isolation and could serve as a warning to people, telling them not to play with forces that they can not control. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Conrad abuses his power as the author to distance himself from the novella and in a sense absolve himself from any racist criticism the book may induce. The abuse of power is also a key theme in the novella itself. Firstly there is a sense of hypocrisy in the novella where the abuse of power is concerned, Marlow seems to have a slight reluctance to abuse his power over the natives, however he abuses his power before he even gets to the Congo, when he attains the job unfairly through the position held by his aunt in the company. Secondly the idea that the white western men have a superior culture and feel the need to impose their civility on the outrageous and almost in-human savages inhabiting the Congo is the most obvious abuse of power implicated in the short story. Overall the abuse of power in both novels is shown to end badly for the party involved. Marlow sees the abuse of power leave people without their minds, and Shelly’s novel also demonstrates this to some degree, but highlights more clearly the way that the abuse of power can leave you isolated. Conrad abuses his power as the author in his novella ‘Heart of Darkness’, by writing in the form of a framed narrative. This leaves him distanced from the story, and allows him to make rather outlandish comments throughout...

Words: 1626 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Public Distrust In Law Enforcement

...to the idea of community policing, procedural justice, and their effects on building positive civilian relations. Tyler (2005) found that specific “procedural attributes” are more strongly related to public satisfaction than crime-control and prevention. These attributes include: friendliness, politeness, concern, helpfulness, fairness, honesty, and professionalism (Tyler, 2005). This alludes to the premise that how public officials are perceived can impact legitimacy and trust. Several factors are emphasized in improving legitimacy and trust. As mentioned earlier, police accountability plays an immense role in trust (Goldsmith, 2005). Efforts should be made to limit the hypocrisy and “rules don’t apply” mentality of law enforcement by increasing the presence of third party accountability systems. A third party will eliminate the likelihood of bias, and force law enforcement entities to be held accountable for any wrong doing. The perception on accountability is important because the people cannot perceive the police entity as legitimate if they are viewed as corrupt and law-breaking. In his writing, Goldsmith (2005) also mentions that limiting the use of force as being “fundamental to changing public attitudes.” He contends that use of force in policing is highly visible in disadvantaged communities, and conveys that a need for further training and the reduction of use of force is necessary in building positive relations. In conclusion, it is evident that legitimacy and trust...

Words: 1326 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Rhetorical Critique

...Kimberly Huerta Frey English 102-167 January 25, 2012 A Rhetorical Critique of David Brooks “People Like Us” In David Brooks’ “People Like Us” passage on the issue of diversity, Brooks takes a personally emotional perspective of the way in which Americans don’t appreciate how diverse our nation is while “relatively homogeneous” (Brooks 136). His argument is weakened, however, through a bias and hypocrisy that his diction conveys. He claims that grouping ourselves with those who we are most alike is in our nature to, and in doing so, we separate ourselves from those who are different. Using certain statistics as evidence, Brooks points out that the social segmentation created by society will always exist. He argues that no matter where we go, we cannot find a neighborhood that is diverse in which no one is alike. Brooks utilizes the idea of human nature as support to his claim, by stating that those who come to America are naturally driven to live near those who they have the similarities as they do, whether it’d be their race, beliefs or educational level. Reasons such as racism or “psychological comfort” can aspect in this occurrence, however Brooks argues that we act this way subconsciously (Brooks 133). Brooks makes the point that we connect diversity with racial integration and that we are happiest when surrounded by the people we have most in common with. The majority of Brooks’ claim is reinforced by his utilization of his researched statistics. For instance, as...

Words: 1179 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Hawthorne

...Estep 1 Chastidy Estep Mr. Horn Eng. 241 14 February 2013 It can be concluded that the consequences of sin is the theme of Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne explored this theme by four distinctive levels of sin. Although each level was equally displayed throughout the novel, the communal sin of man's inhumanity to man outranked all else. The primary characters are each guilty of one or more of the following levels of sin; the sin of vengeance, the sin of hypocrisy, and the sin of adultery. In the beginning of the novel, it is revealed that Hester Prynne is guilty of adultery. One of the consequences for her sin is a prison term. Secondly, she had a child, a baby who was conceived from lust rather than love. Hester named this child Pearl, meaning of great value. Thirdly, Hester was condemned to wear the scarlet letter, upon her bosom, for all to recognize her as one who has met with the black man in the forest. Fourth, she was made to stand in public ignominy as the townsmen mocked her.(Bercovitch, S, 1991) Although the magistrates tried to make Hester Prynne reveal her accomplice, she kept his name unknown. As one may have guessed, from the hints given throughout the novel, Arthur Dimmesdale was also guilty of adultery. However, he did not confess his sin until it was too late. Dimmesdale continued his ministry in the church, as a hypocrite, concealing his sin. Nevertheless, his guilty conscience drove him to a manic-depressive state of mind. Dimmesdale...

Words: 1290 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Politics and Politicians

...paint them all with the same brush. The lament of Aristotle and Plato has become pointless in modern soci­ety, despite the advance of civilisation and the remarkable progress of educa­tion and general enlightenment. Politics and politicians have not only grown amazingly, but have also prospered without let or hindrance. This may indeed be described as the age of politics; politicians are supreme everywhere. The gates of politics are wide open; anyone (preferably people with some means and a mastery of rhetoric but there is no bar on others who can, and do, acquire wealth as the years pass) can join the vast society of politicians, learn their devious ways, especially their oratory, deceitful tactics and hypocrisy and thus become prosperous. Politics and hypocrisy have become inalienable from lies, change of colour like...

Words: 1365 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Son Of The Revolution Analysis

...What Liang Heng’s mother experienced is an epitome of Hundreds Flowers Campaign. She was urge to voice criticism to government. Suddenly in 1957, the Anti- Rightest Campaign erupts. She was committed to crime because of her different voice and sent to the countryside to reform through labor. Her experience exposed the hypocrisy of this campaign. As a result, no one dared to express different opinions from the government mouthpiece. The destruction of family relations is embedded in the ruthlessness and cold-bloodedness of Liangheng’s father. “ Father believed in this party with his whole heart, believed that this party could never make a mistake”. He denounced his wife and later divorced her in order to get rid of the rightest taint. What he did is a result of brainwashing and the propaganda campaign let him was not able to have the correct personal values. In this case, Liang Heng’s family was collapsed under the special historical background. During that age, love between young boys and girls were forbidden or you will be considered as petty bourgeois. Government advocated the pure relationships of workerpeasant alliance, which means that only the marriage between people in the same...

Words: 538 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

A Pattern Stylistic Analysis of the Story the Escape by W.S.Maugham

...Maugham W.S. Maugham’s stories make exciting reading and give food for reflection The writer is a great master of ironic style. By using a biased 1st person narrator the author pretends to praise and justify what in fact he exposes and condemns. Thus the writer forces the reader to see through this pretence and make his/her own conclusions as to the purport of the work. The story "The Escape" is a fair example of Maugham's ironic style. The basic theme of the story is marriage in bourgeois society, relations between men and women in connection with problems of marriage. The author tackles a typical phenomenon of modem society - a marriage of convenience. He looks at the variant of a marriage of convenience when a woman is the interested party. The plot centers around a love affair between Ruth Barlow, twice a widow, and Roger Charing, a no longer young man with plenty of money. The story of their relationship is told by the 1st person narrator, a convinced bachelor. He is apt to treat the subject-matter of marriage lightly and is inclined to admire Roger for his acumen in getting rid of Ruth. At a cursory reading this compositional device leads the reader astray, making him/her mistake the story for a humorous one and side with the narrator and his protagonist. Only after some reflection on the peculiarities in the development of the plot, and the means of characterization used to bring out some essential features in the characters of Ruth and Roger does the reader fully comprehend...

Words: 1039 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Mlk Jr Wiki

...nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity. In a real sense, Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation."[8]:135–6 African American civil rights activist Bayard Rustin had studied Gandhi's teachings.[26] Rustin counseled King to dedicate himself to the principles of non-violence,[27] served as King's main advisor and mentor throughout his early activism,[28] and was the main organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.[29] Rustin's open homosexuality, support of democratic socialism, and his former ties to the Communist Party USA caused many white and...

Words: 811 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Handbook of Od

...5 Four General Strategies for Changing Human Systems ROBERT E. QUINN SCOTT SONENSHEIN I n this chapter we articulate a new general strategy for effecting change in human systems. To do this, we return to the fundamental assumptions of organization development (OD). In examining the early arguments in the field, we identify an essential strategy that has never been made explicit. By developing this strategy, we open avenues for research and provide an action framework that will increase the effectiveness of change agents. FOUNDATIONS OF OD We begin with a review of the seminal paper published in 1969 by Chin and Benne, “General Strategies for Effecting Changes in Human Systems.” In the paper, Chin and Benne outline three general strategies for changing human systems: empirical–rational, power–coercive, and normative–reeducative. The empirical–rational strategy considers people to be rationally self-interested. An organization member adopts a proposed change if the following two conditions are met: The proposed change is rationally justified, and the change agent demonstrates the benefits of the change to the change target. In short, the rational–empirical approach emphasizes that if the target has a justifiable reason to change (i.e., if it is in his or her self-interest), change comes from simply telling the target about the change. Chin and Benne call their second strategy power–coercive. This approach focuses on change efforts in which a more powerful person imposes...

Words: 5570 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Tom Buchanan In 'The Rise Of The Colored Empires'

...Tom Buchanan fulfills all the qualities of an arrogant and dishonest man because he never contemplates on trying to perceive the moral standard he demands from those around him. He believes that everyone should ultimately follow his commands, in chapter one he tries to persuade others in reading the book “The Rise of the Colored Empires.”The book essentially goes over the racist, white and supremacist philosophy that Buchanan seems to find convincing. Additionally, he’s even presumptuous enough to break Myrtle's nose because she decided she was entitled to say what she wanted. This exhibits Buchanan’s hypocrisy and absences of restraint, he feels no guilt in betraying Daisy with Myrtle, however, feels the need to keep Myrtle in her place.“His...

Words: 273 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Honesty

...deceptions can promote ill-will and erode openness, especially when there is an expectation of frankness. Candor is the forthright offering of unrequested information. It is necessary according to the gravity of the situation and the nature of the relationships. Candor is required when a reasonable person would feel betrayed if the information were withheld. In some circumstances, silence is dishonest; yet in other circumstances, disclosing information would be wrong and perhaps unlawful. Integrity Being faithful to one’s convictions is part of integrity. Following principles, acting with honor, maintaining independent judgment, and performing duties with impartiality help to maintain integrity and avoid conflicts of interest and hypocrisy. “Do what’s right legally and morally”, these are the words that the Army uses to describe integrity. The word integrity means to be honest and forthcoming about yourself and the things you do. To be a soldier you must have impeccable integrity, nobody should be able to question it. If your integrity is questioned you should be able to prove that you were being as honest as possible. Honesty and integrity are co related terms. Honesty means the act of...

Words: 1155 - Pages: 5