Written by Philip Mauriello Jr., Managing Attorney of Arete Law A.P.C. and host of the California Underground Podcast
You often see people joke about how 1984 is here and we’ve now crossed into an Orwellian world without knowing it. This, of course, was pre-pandemic, but now the laughter is turning into smoldering anger over what is going on in our country.
If you are not too familiar with 1984 outside of the fact that it’s a book about a dystopian future, here is a quick summary. There is an individual by the name of Winston Smith who lives and works in this dystopian country of Oceania, where Big Brother and the Party basically control every aspect of your life. The Party strongly forbids any sort of free thought, or as they call it: a “thought crime.”
You are given a specific job and you are constantly monitored for any disobedience. The hero of the story begins to question this authority because he specifically remembers things differently than the Ministry of Truth puts them out. Since he works at the Ministry and is responsible for correcting old stories, he sees it first hand. However, he fears being vaporized for starting to question the narrative. Individuals around him stare blindly into a TV screen where Big Brother feeds them the daily lies the Party wants regurgitated. As the hero looks around he sees everyone succumbing to the lies and disinformation, frothing themselves into a fervor.
I won’t go into too much detail about the story because I don’t want to spoil it for you (I personally suggest reading both 1984 and Animal Farm). But we do see eerie similarities between that story and the real world at this very moment. I try to refrain from alarmist notions that we are surrendering to an Orwellian world, but sometimes the comparisons are too obvious to ignore.
I recently discussed how the statistics being presented are not commensurate with the extreme measures that are being put into place to prevent “the spread.” I truly believe we are starting to see people wake up to the reality that this has become overblown and we may have done more harm than good. Such thoughts are not allowed in our current climate. Two doctors from here in California gained national recognition when they openly refuted the notion that we must remain in lockdown and suggested that we only need to quarantine the elderly and most vulnerable. Their explanation spread like wildfire and news channels quickly picked it up. But as soon as they exploded on the scene, any video of them was taken down as “disinformation” and “violating community guidelines” by the big tech companies. It was memory holed—or at least they tried to memory hole it.
The mainstream media and the tech companies aren’t the only ones making sure you abide by Party rules. Similar to the manicked viewers of Big Brother in 1984, the media has essentially whipped the populace into a fear-induced panic over the coronavirus. Fear is a powerful motivator and you see it everywhere on the news and social media. People parroting the same talking points over and over again:
“We must stay home to flatten the curve!”
“We can’t even think about opening the economy until everyone can be tested!”
“I know it hurts, but we are all in this together!”
And my personal favorite:
“If we reopen too early we will end up killing millions of people!”
The same points echoed again and again. Want to question what’s going on with facts and statistics? That’s a thought crime and you should be shamed for thinking such things. In fact, if you get a particularly cheeky response, it might include a doctored waiver saying you waive all rights to medical care for having such incorrect thoughts.
Finally, our hero in 1984 is constantly looking over his shoulder for fear that someone might snitch on him and get him vaporized for thought crimes. Today, there is no need to worry about how tyrannical governments can impose and enforce such strict measures when you have a brainwashed populace ready to tattle on every person who is not strictly abiding by arbitrary guidelines.
Don’t think that’s true? Just look at what Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a press conference: “You know what they say about snitches? Well in this case, snitches get rewards.” No need for there to be police everywhere when you have scared the populace into doing the policing for you.
While we are far from the dark and bleak world of 1984, the story is no less pertinent. Orwell said that 1984 was to be a cautionary tale, not an instruction manual. However, the heroes of today don’t have to worry about being vaporized. There are heroes who stand out on street corners waving signs to reopen the country. Heroes such as the doctors who go against the grain and tell you there is no rational reason for being completely shut down. There are Winston Smiths all over this country willing to push back on the Party’s tyranny.
Thought crimes aren’t completely illegal—yet—so I urge those out there who have questions and concerns to speak up. It’s only when our voices are made loud enough that people will begin to question what is really going on. For the sake of our country and to ensure 1984 remains a work of fiction, engage in thought crimes. Commit them on social media, commit them in discussions with friends and family, commit them wherever there is an opportunity to do so.
