1984 Technology Analysis

Authority Displayed Through Technology “Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we don’t have to experience it.” Max Frisch, a swiss playwright and novelist of the mid twentieth century, displays his adverse opinion on increasing technological development. He justifies, by implementing more technology into society, people become content and ignorant in their daily lives. Technology allows people to see the world without actually going anywhere. In 1984 by George Orwell, The government employs technology to control their citizens, for instance; The Party uses technology to keep the civilians incognizant of what is truly going on around them. Utilizing this in their society also allows The Party to be able to keep secrets from
By incorporating technology into their society, The Party has the ability to control its citizens. The Party uses various forms of technology to surveil their citizens, one of the most important being; the microphone. Microphones make it incredibly difficult to make any journey without being heard or recognized, for example; “There were no telescreens, of course, but there was always the danger of concealed microphones by which your voice might be picked up and recognized”(117). Winston encountered this problem when Winston and Julia went on a secret adventure to the countryside outside of London. Julia had been to this location previously but Winston had not. While traveling by himself to this location, to meet up with Julia, Winston realized he had no choice but to watch himself closely to be sure he was not being overheard by a microphone. As a result of being controlled and surveilled by technology from The Party, Julia and Winston grew more distraught with their government. Julia says to Winston on their adventure, “It’s one thing they can’t do. They can make you say anything-anything- but they can’t make you believe it”(166). Winston and Julia recognize, just how easy it is for The Party to control their citizens by opposing technology upon them. With the use of things like microphones and other various forms of technology The Party is able to manipulate what
The telescreen is a propaganda device that can be used as both a television and a security camera. Theses devices play a major role in The Party’s ability to control the citizens, for example; “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself…”(62). By integrating telescreens in their society, The Party is able to keep watch over their citizens not only in public but in their place of work and home lives as well. Forcing civilians to keep telescreens in their homes allows The Party to get people's heads in an attempt to completely control their lives. Winston is occasionally required to perform tasks given by the telescreen, for example; “Come on, comrades, put a bit of life into it! One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four!” (32). Winston is required to follow workout movements shown by the telescreen. This not only allows The Party to get into the head of their citizens but it also allows them to track the location and physical well being of each individual as well. The telescreen is essential in The Party’s effort to control thought crimes. The tremendous political oppression given by the telescreen makes it incredibly difficult to commit thought crimes, for example; “He took his scribbling pad on his knee and