Choices

As Canadians we have a charter of rights and freedoms which enables us to make our own choices. But in George Orwell's 1984 the most important choices are already made, or not allowed to be made at all. The Party basically controls the people’s choices (with maybe the exception of the Proles). The Party decides who you hate (Goldstein), who you love (big brother), your occupation, and most importantly what is right and wrong. According to the Party rewriting history is ok, but remembering it is against the law. Reading Party written books are fine but not encouraged while writing a diary is extremely dangerous. The Party has to resort to making crazy laws and customs in order to stop one thing...critical thinking. If people remain ignorant the Party is free to do what ever they want. But if the people start to think critically then the Party is in trouble. Hence "Ignorance is Strength".

Instead of logically thinking though problems the people are 'trained' or 'brainwashed' into doing what the Party wants them to do. While the people might think that they are free to make their own choices the Party is secretly persuading the people. When a person does develop the critical thinking skills it is called thought crime and is punishable. In the 1984 society thinking is not totally required. People are allowed to be creative but not logical.

I don’t think I could ever survive in a society like the one in 1984. Even though I do have a ‘routine of thought’ I enjoy thinking deeply about thinks I’ve experienced. Canada may be similar in ways to 1984 because of our propaganda, but the propaganda doesn’t rule our life nor will it ‘vaporize’ us.