1984

How I have never read 1984 escapes me, but here I am. There’s a reason why its become a well read book this day and age. This isn’t a novel you read for a story/plot, its weak when you approach it as that type of material. Here were my thoughts:

• When it comes down to it, 1984 is about a world where the few in power control everything to the point of revising history, enforcing conformity, etc..
• This isn’t a book you are reading because of the characters or plot - as much as you’re reading a situation and there happens to be a few people involved. You’re reading this to understand a possible state of a future reality that is dystopian.
• You’re going to read this and draw parallels to everything around you in society, use of technology, government, world politics, war, etc..
• One can view this as a guidebook to what to look out for and be wary of those who hold power, for instance when government leans more on massive surveillance, rewrites history, propaganda, wealth inequality, has pointless wars, and more..
• I used to work with tech like Facial Recognition/Computer Vision, which can easily be integrated with surveillance for ill purposes. I couldn’t help think while reading this that the technology can be abused (and most likely is) so easily without a lot of detection. Government and others can argue for its need and convince people through a combination of shock doctrine, guilt and other forms of manipulation, that we need more surveillance and its to keep us safe.

All in all, this is quite an intellectual book and will make you think a ton. I’ve become more aware of my surroundings after reading this, but I wonder if I and most people are drones, like Winston, that take no action and eventually get beaten down and conform. I hope not.