University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Recognition

George Orwell’s 1984 is one of the most thought-provoking novels ever written. Orwell’s final novel is highly influential and downright terrifying. Today, terms and phrases from the novel like "doublethink" and “Big Brother is watching you” are frequently employed. It is based on totalitarianism, where a government controls every aspect of its citizens’ lives including their thoughts. It is generally believed that 1984 was a warning of what could happen to a society under a totalitarian regime. In 1984, Orwell addressed the control of information with the quote “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” Big Brother not only controls information but also has rewritten the past. The government creates a false history to make citizens believe Big Brother has rescued them. Many readers would view the complete destruction of a nation’s history and wiping the memories of its citizens and reprogramming them to believe other thoughts is unreasonable. Maybe. Or maybe not. How are we preserving information today for future generations? Are the biases introduced by the media, government or individuals guiding what information is building our history? How easy is it to rewrite or exclude an information source? If we don’t see a complete picture of a topic or if we don’t allow true diversity of thought, can we truly think critically? Today we rely heavily on search engines for information. We know that they are biased in what they return based on algorithms and filters and what a user has searched in the past. If unaltered, complete information is available, we may not be presented with it. Or certainly not easily. The novel could be interpreted as both a story of a dark world as well as serving as a warning for future generations. There are many topics and situations in 1984 that have similarities to today’s society. It’s no wonder some regard Orwell as being prophetic.