Today we examine chapter 3 of George Orwell’s 1984.
This segment is memorable in part because we learn a little about Winston Smith’s early life — except we can only know so much since Winston himself can remember very little and that is precisely how the state wants it.
The chapter contains an axiom that have become closely identified with Orwell: “Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.”
It is the very description of how so-called democratic regimes like that of President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seek to control the dissemination of news and information.
The chapter also describes how the world is in a perpetual state of war — though the enemies and alliances keep shifting. Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been in chronic conflict with a myriad of states — largely based on the accusation that these states directly or indirectly foment terrorism, are busily preparing Weapons of Mass Destruction or a…
