Big Brother, An Invention Of George Orwell
BIG Brother (BB) enthusiasts often forget, or have never even heard, that the BB concept was an invention of famed writer George Orwell in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, published in 1948.
BIG Brother (BB) enthusiasts often forget, or have never even heard, that the BB concept was an invention of famed writer George Orwell in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, published in 1948.
The novel is set in a fictional country called Oceania. The country is ruled by ‘the Party’, which is led by a figure called Big Brother. The Party is composed of three parts — the Inner Party (1% of the population), the Outer Party (18%) and the Proles (81%).
All major decisions are taken by the Inner Party, without having to be held accountable to anybody.
The Outer Party members too are a privileged class, because they live in neat little apartments and have access to slightly more (stale) bread and (rotten) butter than the Proles who live in squalid conditions.
While the Outer Party does simple clerical jobs such as rewriting newspapers to fit propaganda purposes, the Proles are entirely meant for farm labour.
The Inner Party does not care what the Proles think or do, because the Proles are uneducated and unorganised. They are allowed to drink, dance, love, and think freely because they do not pose any threat to the power base. But everything the Outer Party does is watched with great care. Members of the Outer Party are not allowed to think freely, to drink alcohol or even to love.
Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. His apartment is bugged everywhere. Whether he is eating or bathing, BB is watching him. Whenever he smiles BB encourages him through loudspeakers fitted in the wall, and whenever he frowns, BB warns him through the same mechanism.
So think of Orwell, each time you watch your , Big Brother Africa.
Ends
The novel is set in a fictional country called Oceania. The country is ruled by ‘the Party’, which is led by a figure called Big Brother. The Party is composed of three parts — the Inner Party (1% of the population), the Outer Party (18%) and the Proles (81%).
All major decisions are taken by the Inner Party, without having to be held accountable to anybody.
The Outer Party members too are a privileged class, because they live in neat little apartments and have access to slightly more (stale) bread and (rotten) butter than the Proles who live in squalid conditions.
While the Outer Party does simple clerical jobs such as rewriting newspapers to fit propaganda purposes, the Proles are entirely meant for farm labour.
The Inner Party does not care what the Proles think or do, because the Proles are uneducated and unorganised. They are allowed to drink, dance, love, and think freely because they do not pose any threat to the power base. But everything the Outer Party does is watched with great care. Members of the Outer Party are not allowed to think freely, to drink alcohol or even to love.
Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. His apartment is bugged everywhere. Whether he is eating or bathing, BB is watching him. Whenever he smiles BB encourages him through loudspeakers fitted in the wall, and whenever he frowns, BB warns him through the same mechanism.
So think of Orwell, each time you watch your , Big Brother Africa.
Ends