This is a review of the book 1984 by George Orwell.

George supported the Labour Party and said, ‘I do not believe that the kind of society I describe necessarily will arrive, but I believe (allowing of course for the fact that the book is a satire) that something resembling it could arrive.’

This novel portrays the risks of government overreach. But is often mistakenly characterized as science fiction or an attack on Socialism, of which it is neither,

Because many of the undesirable situations that the book depicts have often been the result of a Socialistic form of government, I was intrigued to learn of George’s support of it. Something I still, quite frankly, do not understand.

Below, find a few of my top highlights from the book (I may extrapolate at another time on the context around these highlights but for now will leave it as is):

1. He could not help but sharing in the general delirium (Two Minute Hate).
2. Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull.
3. Now that he had recognized himself as a dead man, it became important to stay alive as long as possible.
4. To turn over to a committee would be to admit openly that an act of fabrication was taking place.
5. Aim of newspeak = to narrow range of thought.
6. Eventually the party would announce 2+2=5 and you would have to believe it inevitable. They would claim it sooner or later, the logic of their position demanded it.
7. Nothing of the past exists, we are in an endless present in which the party is always right.
8. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intent of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, it is an end.
9. We control matter because we control the mind. Reality is inside the skull.