Is George Orwell's Novel relevant anymore?

[s2art]

As someone who was a voracious reader as a youngster. I enjoyed George Orwell's 1984 book. And as a consequence have been super keen to see if the idea could be extrapolated in contemporary television. Needles to say I have always been disappointed; with the Australian version anyway. But it now occurs to me that there are potential viewers who have no idea of the book or its ideas and therefore don't even get what the show could be about.

 

[Kingston]

I haven’t read the book but have the themes in the book ever had that much of a relation to the show?

 

[sav0001]

I haven’t read the book but have the themes in the book ever had that much of a relation to the show?

The original premise of the show and the book are the same: That a mysterious entity is always watching.

 

[Brekkie]

Probably more relevant to reality than reality TV nowadays.

 

[oddjob]

Maybe closer to The Handmaid's Tale.

 

[s2art]

The original premise of the show and the book are the same: That a mysterious entity is always watching.

I agree but would add that the loss of freedoms and personal and social liberties were also part of its broader narrative.
Here's some text from wikipedia that alludes to deeper themes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

"The story takes place in an imagined future, the year 1984, when much of the world has fallen victim to perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, historical negationism, and propaganda. Great Britain, known as Airstrip One, has become a province of a totalitarian superstate named Oceania that is ruled by the Party who employ the Thought Police to persecute individuality and independent thinking.[4] Big Brother, the leader of the Party, enjoys an intense cult of personality despite the fact that he may not exist. The protagonist, Winston Smith, is a diligent and skillful rank-and-file worker and Party member who secretly hates the Party and dreams of rebellion. He enters a forbidden relationship with a co-worker, Julia."

 

[Converse]

Hi I have never read that book but i'm always thinking outside the square so to speak...lol

Here's on for ya, seriously the song "Eye In The Sky" by "The Alan Parsons Project". I think this used to be a great hit song when it was released back in the early 80's. Tell me the last time you heard this classic tune played on any commercial radio station now? I regularly listen to the classic and oldies radio stations and I have never heard this song played at all for many years. It never gets played on any station. It's like it never existed...hmmm...lol

 

[Converse]

 

[BBantUK07]

Always wanted to read the novel, looks very interesting, might try get my hands on it one day

 

[Columbo]

I thought the main concept they took out of that book was that big brother is always watching you. Unless of course they start to introduce room 101.

Personally I preferred animal farm.

 

[BBantUK07]

I thought the main concept they took out of that book was that big brother is always watching you. Unless of course they start to introduce room 101.

Personally I preferred animal farm.

room 101 sounds like it’d be a good twist to have in an actual bb series, I wonder if any countries done it before

 

[sav0001]

room 101 sounds like it’d be a good twist to have in an actual bb series, I wonder if any countries done it before

According to this, BB UK had a room 101 in the 2005 series.

Room 101

Room 101 is a place introduced in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. It is a torture chamber in the Ministry of Love in which the Party attempts to subject a prisoner to his or her own worst nightmare, fear or phobia. Template:Cquote2 Such is the purported omniscience of the state...

abuse.wikia.org

 

[Dystopia]

 

[Dystopia]

I was unable to fit the five parts into one post. My apologies. This is a juxtaposition of Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World.
It inspires many thoughts and I am curious what the majority think... which way are we headed?

 

[Isee]

I had to study Brave New World when I was at school. I think I would have a very different appreciation of it rereading it now close to 30 years later.

 

[BBantUK07]

My year level just missed out on studying 1984 in year 12, such a shame, would've loved to have studied it and my grades would have been through the roof.

 

[Columbo]

My year level just missed out on studying 1984 in year 12, such a shame, would've loved to have studied it and my grades would have been through the roof.

I remember studying Animal Farm in year 9 English.

 

[Fuzz]

 

[Dystopia]

I had to study Brave New World when I was at school. I think I would have a very different appreciation of it rereading it now close to 30 years later.

So Huxley seems to be on the money after all... any excuse not to have to go through the trouble of reading a book. If money or unnecessary clutter are a problem, yall can read 1984 online... for free!

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks01/0100021h.html <-- that's a link 😁

...haven't found Brave New World yet... maybe someone else will.

 

[Kingston]

Can we not turn this in to a thread where @Dystopia rants on and on.