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+Document: WM-016                                                 P. Webb
+Category: Review                                              2017.09.03
+
+                              1984 review
+
+Abstract
+
+   A nightmarish vision of the future.
+
+Body
+
+   The first half of this book was gripping and the second half was
+   unpleasant to me, but I had to see how it ended.
+
+   1984 is an oft-referenced book when tech writers and
+   privacy-conscious people talk about governmental encroachment upon
+   citizens' privacy and abuses of power to obtain private information.
+   And Facebook (haven't been a fan for some time). By the way, there's
+   going to be slight spoilers moving forward…
+
+   Get ready!
+
+   The story follows a man, Winston Smith, living in what could only be
+   called a "negative utopia" in the year 1984 (the book was published
+   in 1950). The country he lives in, Oceania, is controlled by the
+   Party and the Party quite literally rewrites history. As far as
+   anyone knows, the Party invented steamboats and airplanes and
+   everything else. Those born before the formation of the Party know
+   the truth but it doesn't matter. Questioning otherwise results in
+   sure death. Winston's only purpose in life is to rewrite facts
+   whenever the Party deems it necessary. If there was a speech in
+   which the Party claimed something and recorded facts said otherwise,
+   those recorded facts (in the form of newspapers, books, video, &c)
+   were subsequently destroyed and teams of people would recreate the
+   aforementioned media to "prove" the Party was and always is right in
+   all things.
+
+   Prime example: in the beginning of the story, Oceania was at war with
+   Eurasia and Eastasia was their ally…only, the opposite was declared
+   later at a war rally *mid-speech* and the populace went with it. "The
+   enemy" tricked people into putting up posters of their enemy instead
+   of their ally and that "proved" just how diabolical they were
+   (nevermind the fact that thousands of people were *just* cheering for
+   Oceania and Eastasia). Winston and everyone else in the Outer Party
+   worked several 16 hour days to remove any mention of prior facts.
+   Knowing something to be false, yet believing in it anyway is referred
+   to as *doublethink*. If the Party said 2 + 2 = 5, *you'd better*
+   *believe it, or else*.
+
+   Citizens caught by the Thought Police for *crimethink* (anything
+   remotely negative about or opposing the principles of the Party or
+   "Big Brother") get sent to a building called "Ministry of Love",
+   where they are tortured and starved before being mentally broken down
+   so brainwashing can take hold. Once these people are released, they
+   "live" out their lives doing menial work before eventually getting a
+   bullet in the back of their head.
+
+   I don't think I'm doing a good job selling you on this book,
+   especially considering how I mentioned how unpleasant I found the
+   second half. Bear with me here. There was *one* neat thing and that
+   was the creation of a new language, *Newspeak[1]*, which dealt with
+   the merging of words (and eradication of others) to simplify English.
+   Of course, any words that might inspire a revolution of some sort
+   were abolished (as well as the concept of freedom). Can't have people
+   using a language created by the Party to overthrow them. Talk about a
+   slap in the face!
+
+   Similarities of American society today and the dystopia of Oceania
+   weren't difficult to see. In fact, they jumped out at me. Fake news,
+   alternative facts, and blind followers of Drumpf[2] who regularly
+   engage in doublethink. Quite frankly, I found it terrifying.
+   Thankfully, we don't live in a world where the depressing society of
+   Oceania could thrive. No one entity has control over data and
+   knowledge (doesn't stop 'em from trying though). If nothing else,
+   1984 serves as a cautionary tale of what *could* happen if everyone
+   lost their damn minds and subsequently decided they didn't care.
+
+   If you like reading about oppressive dystopias, 1984[3] is the book
+   for you. 🕸
+
+References
+
+   [1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspeak>
+   [2] <https://youtu.be/DnpO_RTSNmQ?t=20m53s>
+   [3] <https://amzn.to/2vUVoiH>