1984 Explained: George Orwell's Terrifying Warning to Humanity

"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious."

Introduction: A Warning for Humanity

Imagine a society where privacy ceased to exist and if you were caught falling in love, questioning the government, or failing to use whatever language the authorities prescribed, you could end up in a torture room facing your worst fears. In arguably the 20th century's most important novel, 1984, George Orwell sought to paint a picture of humanity’s future if it fails to correct course.

Born Eric Arthur Blair in 1903, Orwell used his pen name to craft stories that reveal deep truths about power and society. 1984, his final book, published just seven months before his death at the age of 46, was a terrifying prediction of a world dominated by totalitarian regimes. The novel explores the lengths governments can go to in order to dominate their citizens, including keeping them in a constant state of fear and rage, as well as manipulating language and history in order to shatter their understanding of reality.

In the world we now inhabit, where global superpowers and transnational corporations have access to technology that would have shocked even Orwell himself, his warning is more relevant than ever. Throughout 1984, Orwell questions the balance between security and freedom, the nature of truth, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Over the course of this video, we’re going to try and breakdown 1984 by exploring its themes, characters, and the powerful lessons it offers. Also, it would be greatly appreciated if you’d consider subscribing to our channel before we get started.

The World of 1984: Story and Setting

First, let's first take a look at the characters who inhabit Orwell’s nightmare and the story that they bring to life, then we’ll get into the themes and lessons.

The novel begins in Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, now a province of the superstate Oceania. The year is 1984, and Oceania is locked in a perpetual state of war with either Eurasia or Eastasia, depending on the day. Our protagonist, Winston Smith, works at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records to fit whatever narrative currently benefits the Party. The manipulative nature of Winston’s job weighs heavy on his soul, leading him to rebel within the confines of his mind. Afterall, one could not outwardly rebel in Oceania due to the risk of getting caught by Big Brother’s omnipresent gaze.

Winston's life changes when he meets Julia, a fellow Party member who secretly despises the regime. After carefully vetting one another and meeting in secret, the two end up falling in love, which in and of itself is an act of defiance, as citizens are only allowed to express devotion and loyalty to the Party. In a world where everyone is consumed by fear and rage, Winston and Julia’s love for one another, starts to make them feel human again. Winston thinks that as long as he and Julia can maintain their love for each other and not betray their inner feelings, the Party cannot claim complete victory over them. In his own words, "If they could make me stop loving you—that would be the real betrayal."

After hearing whispers and tales of the Brotherhood, an underground resistance movement led by the mysterious Emmanuel Goldstein, the two start dreaming of overthrowing the Party. But hope is a dangerous thing in Oceania. When seeking out members of the Brotherhood, Winston and Julia are led into the hands of O'Brien, a high-ranking Party official who pretends to be an ally but is, in fact, a loyal enforcer of the regime. Betrayed and captured, Winston is taken to the Ministry of Love, where his spirit is systematically broken in Room 101, a torture chamber where the Party turns one's deepest dread into a tool of subjugation.

Broken and brainwashed, Winston ultimately betrays Julia by pleading with O’Brien to torture her instead of him, signalling the last piece of his humanity has been surrendered to the party.

By the novel's end, Winston's transformation is complete. He sits in the Chestnut Tree Café, a shadow of his former self, mindlessly praising Big Brother. Orwell leaves us with a powerful, unsettling message: in a world where absolute power is left unchecked, the human spirit can be utterly crushed.

Now that we’ve gone over the story, let’s dive deep into its themes and understand how the Party effectively reshaped the collective consciousness of humanity and turned citizens into mindless automatons.

The Power of Words: Language as a Tool of Control

In George Orwell’s essay “Politics and the English Language,” he said “if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” Manipulating language in order to manipulate people is a theme that takes centerstage in not only 1984 but many of his other works. Orwell is a master of demonstrating how language can be used to limit thought, control the masses, and obliterate truth.

At the heart of this theme is the concept of Newspeak, the official language of Oceania. Designed by the Party, Newspeak eliminates words deemed unnecessary or dangerous, with the ultimate goal of making thoughtcrime impossible. As Orwell writes, “The purpose of Newspeak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of Ingsoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible.” By reducing the complexity of language, the Party aims to narrow the range of thought, ensuring that rebellious thoughts cannot even be conceived.

Orwell claimed that the goal of political speech is to defend the indefensible. He argued that the only way people can support things such as the British rule in India, the Soviet purges, and the dropping of atom bombs in Japan, is by dulling the language used to describe these political acts, as the reality of them is too brutal for most people to face.

In another one of his essays, Orwell points out that when “defenseless villages are bombarded from the air, the inhabitants driven out into the countryside, the cattle machine-gunned, the huts set on fire with incendiary bullets: this is called pacification.” When “millions of peasants are robbed of their farms and sent trudging along the roads with no more than they can carry: this is called “transfer of population.” When “people are imprisoned for years without trial or shot in the back of the neck or sent to die of scurvy in Arctic lumber camps: this is called elimination of unreliable elements.”

Orwell notes that making language lifeless is politically advantageous because it stops people from calling up mental pictures of policies that endorse atrocities. He asks us, “consider for instance some comfortable English professor defending Russian totalitarianism. He cannot say outright, ‘I believe in killing off your opponents when you can get good results by doing so.’ Therefore, he will say something like this: ‘While freely conceding that the Soviet regime exhibits certain features which the humanitarian may be inclined to deplore, we must, I think, agree that a certain curtailment of the right to political opposition is unavoidable concomitant of transitional periods, and that the rigours which the Russian people have been called upon to undergo have been amply justified in the sphere of concrete achievement.”

You probably debated clicking off this video simply because that language is so dull and mind numbing, however, that’s exactly the point of it. Political language is designed to make you tune out so that you don’t hear what is truly being said. O’Brien explains why this practice is so beneficial for the Party when he says, “‘Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.”

Central to Newspeak is the idea of doublethink, which is the practice of holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously. This is crucial for the Party's control, as it forces citizens to accept contradictions without question. Winston reflects on this when he writes in his forbidden diary, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” These paradoxical Slogans, which were the Party’s motto, exemplify doublethink and how people can be conditioned to accept distorted reality without hesitation.

Newspeak isn’t so much a warning of a potential future as much as it is a description of the never ending war on consciousness. Whether it be burning heretics at the stake during the Inquisitions, the Soviet Union torturing whoever they deemed counter revolutionary, or modern online mobs seeking to ruin the social status of anyone who utters forbidden language, the human inclination to atomize thought knows no bounds.

In summary, 1984 urges us to remain vigilant about the words we use and the truths we accept. Now let’s go over how the Party weaponized fear and hate in order to control the population of Oceania.

Fear and Hatred as Tools of Oppression

In 1984, one of the tyrannical regime’s most powerful tools is the orchestrated spectacle known as the Two Minutes Hate, a daily ritual where citizens gather to watch a film depicting the Party's enemies, primarily Emmanuel Goldstein, the supposed leader of the Brotherhood.

This intense session of collective hatred is designed to unite the populace against a common enemy and divert any frustrations or dissent away from the Party. As Orwell describes it, “The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in. The rage that one felt was an abstract, undirected emotion which could be switched from one object to another like the flame of a blowlamp.”

Fear is further created through the constant threat of the Thought Police. Citizens live in constant terror of being reported for thoughtcrime, an offense that could lead to torture, re-education, or disappearance. Winston reflects on this when he writes, “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime is death.” Illuminating how fear stifles rebellion by making the mere act of thinking subversive thoughts a punishable crime. This starts a reinforcing pattern where citizens cannot rebel until they become conscious but they won’t become conscious until they rebel.

The tool used by The Party to manipulate hate is propaganda, which is constantly broadcasted throughout the public square and in people’s homes, describing the evils of enemy states and the heroism of Big Brother. Hate Week, an annual event, amplifies these feelings, creating a fever pitch of hostility and paranoia. Orwell notes, “The speeches, the shouting, the singing, the banners, the posters, the films, the waxworks were all accumulated to provide a background of noise and fury.” By creating perpetual conflict and animosity, The Party keeps citizens in a state of heightened emotional agitation, making them easy to control and manipulate. This weaponization of fear and hate is meant to serve as a warning of how authoritarian regimes can exploit human emotions to maintain power and control. Just like how a criminal mob breaks the windows of a storefront before offering the business owner so-called protection, governments can and quite often do create chaos and then promise you order in return for your freedoms.

Now let’s get into the theme of surveillance and totalitarianism, taking a look at how Big Brother truly was watching everyone.

The All-Seeing Eye: Surveillance and Totalitarianism

Orwell's portrayal of a society under constant watch is one of the most chilling aspects of the novel, highlighting the extreme measures a regime will take to maintain absolute control.

In Oceania, the Party keeps a watchful eye on every citizen through an extensive network of surveillance devices, most notably mandatory telescreens. These devices not only broadcast propaganda but also monitor individuals, ensuring that no act of rebellion, no matter how small, goes unnoticed. Orwell writes, “There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. You had to live…in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.” The feeling of always being watched created an atmosphere of paranoia and fear, compelling citizens to conform to the Party’s dictates.

The Thought Police are another key element of the Party's surveillance apparatus. Tasked with identifying and eradicating dissent, the Thought Police use advanced psychological techniques and relentless monitoring to root out thoughtcrime. Winston's anxiety about being caught by the Thought Police is a constant narrative throughout the novel. At one point he says, “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.” Which describes the intense pressure placed upon citizens to suppress any nonconforming thoughts or behaviors, a feeling commonly described by those who have lived under the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century.

Another critical piece of the totalitarian puzzle is censorship. The Ministry of Truth, where Winston works, is responsible for altering historical records to fit the Party's ever-changing narrative. This relentless revisionism ensures that the Party is always seen as infallible and just. As Orwell puts it, “Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” Which leads us perfectly into our next theme, reality control.

Twisting Reality: The Art of Manipulation

Orwell illustrates how the Party manipulates truth and history to maintain its iron grip on power, effectively shaping reality to suit its needs. This constant gaslighting makes it impossible for citizens to trust their memories or perceive any objective reality. Orwell writes, “Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”

This is another area where Doublethink comes into play. Winston describes doublethink as “to know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them.”

Orwell also uses the character of O’Brien to illustrate the extremes of reality control. During Winston’s interrogation, O’Brien demonstrates the Party’s power to dictate reality by insisting that two plus two equals five if the Party says it does. He states, “Whatever the Party holds to be the truth, is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party.”

The possibility for tyrants to manipulate reality deeply disturbed Orwell, in fact he said that the prospect of losing objective truth scared him more than bombs. I believe the reason he felt this way was because he understood that shaping reality affords one far more power than the mere threat of force.

This concept is perfectly depicted in the show Game of Thrones when Varys, the Spymaster of the Seven Kingdoms, puts forth a riddle to Tyrion, the new Hand of the King.

Now that we understand Power is the ability to shape perception, let’s dive further into the object of power, which is the central theme of O’Brien’s monologue while torturing Winston in Room 101.

The Object of Power is Power

Room 101 is the most feared place in the Ministry of Love, where prisoners are subjected to their worst nightmares. For Winston, this means having his head locked into a cage with ferocious rats. The purpose of this torture is not just to inflict physical pain but to break down Winston's spirit and force total submission to the Party's will.

O'Brien's monologue during Winston's interrogation reveals the Party's philosophy of power. O'Brien states, “The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, it is an end. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?”

In order to understand O’Brien’s philosophy of power, perhaps yet another Game of Thrones reference will help, as one of the show’s most impressive villains, Cersi, puts this philosophy into practice when being blackmailed by the manipulative character known as Littlefinger, who threatens to expose Cersi’s incestual love affair with her brother.

Now back to the matter at hand, during the climax of 1984, O’Brien’s admission that the Party’s only concern is accruing more power, strips away any pretense of ideological or altruistic motivation, exposing their true aim: the perpetual domination of the human spirit. In fact O’Brien outright declares, “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”

In the context of Varys' riddle, true power is the ability to cast the shadow that others perceive as reality. This manipulation of reality extends beyond mere physical control; it encompasses the total reconfiguration of thought, belief, and perception. By breaking down individuals and reconstructing their minds, the Party ensures that no one can challenge its authority.

Winston's final betrayal of Julia, under the unbearable pressure of his worst fear, marks the ultimate triumph of the Party's power. When he begs for Julia to be tortured instead, he realizes, “In that moment he had loved her far more than he had ever done when they were together and free.” This moment of betrayal signifies his willingness to place Party loyalty above his love for Julia.

The brutal tactics used in Room 101 and the ruthless ideology articulated by O'Brien demonstrate the terrifying potential of unchecked authority. Now let’s dive into how 1984 is a commentary on individualism and collectivism.

Individualism vs. Collectivism: A Struggle for the Soul

A central question for humanity has always been, does the individual exist for the sake of society or does society exist for the sake of the individual? In 1984, Orwell explored the theme of individualism versus collectivism by illustrating how totalitarian regimes suppress personal identity in order to enforce collective loyalty.

The Party demands unwavering loyalty and conformity from its citizens, promoting a collective identity that overrides personal beliefs and desires. Individualism is seen as a threat to the Party’s authority, and any display of personal independence is ruthlessly crushed. Orwell highlights this through the pervasive slogan, “Freedom is slavery,” suggesting that true freedom lies in submission to the collective will of the Party.

The suppression of individualism is evident in the daily lives of the citizens. Personal relationships, intimate feelings, and independent thoughts are all discouraged. The Party even controls marriage, promoting unions not for love but for the purpose of procreation and loyalty to the state. Winston’s loveless marriage prior to meeting Julia reflects this enforced collectivism, where personal happiness is secondary to duty.

Winston and Julia’s secret affair represents a rebellion against this collective conformity. Their relationship is a desperate attempt to reclaim their individuality and personal freedom. When they first connect, Winston feels a profound sense of liberation, exclaiming, “It was a political act.” Their intimacy is an assertion of their humanity against the dehumanizing force of the Party. However, their eventual capture and betrayal highlight the difficulty of maintaining individualism, while living in a totalitarian state.

Orwell also emphasizes the destruction of individuality through the concept of “ownlife,” a Newspeak term for individualism. Any behaviour suggesting personal independence or private pursuits is viewed with suspicion. The idea is that a person who seeks solitude or engages in personal interests is not fully loyal to the collective. Winston's clandestine purchase of a diary and his private thoughts are acts of “ownlife,” which he knows are dangerous.

In the end, Winston’s transformation into a loyal Party member signifies the complete triumph of collectivism over individualism. His love for Big Brother replaces any personal loyalties or desires, showing how the Party has successfully eradicated his sense of self.

Orwell’s portrayal of the struggle between individualism and collectivism in 1984 serves as a stark warning about the dangers of losing personal freedoms in favour of collective conformity. It underscores the importance of preserving individual rights and identities in the face of authoritarian pressures.

The Timeless Lessons of 1984

So, with all of this outlined, where do we go from here?

So remain vigilant and resist any infringements on individual rights and liberties, protect the truth, develop a private life, honour language by improving your articulation, and most importantly, maintain your sense of humanity by forging deep personal connections. If you are unsure of where to start just remember, in the words of George Orwell, “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two makes four. If that is granted, all else follows.”

We’d love to hear your thoughts, if there’s any important themes or perspectives you think we missed please don't hesitate to let us know in the comments below! Also, we’d be forever grateful if you subscribe to our channel and toss a thumbs on this video. Thanks for watching and we’ll catch you next time.