il Giardino Romantico

It must have been more than ten years since I first encountered George Orwell's classic disutopian novel, 1984. The novel had such a profound impact on some two dozen teenagers that we decided to name our senior trip fund-raiser hunted house 'Room 101' that year. It happened that we had a room 101 on campus. It was the perfect venue for our little Halloween project. We covered up every window with layers of black garbage bags and newspaper. Once the lights were turned off, the room was completely dark. Then we used chairs, tables, and anything else we could find, to construct a maze inside the light-free room. It was such a success, that I was discouraged from going in and experiencing it myself. I saw little kids crying like I had never seen before. At the time, I was in charge of selling tickets. The event was supposed to end at noon. At around one, there was still a long line of people waiting to go through this maze. I forgot how much we raised, but I shall never forget the impact that this novel had on me and my fellow classmates.

Years have gone by, and sometimes I still recall certain details from the book. Whenever a film or novel of similar purposes was mentioned, 1984 would always be brought up. The details of the plot had long been forgotten. Only bits and pieces of the notions of Newspeak, Doublethink, and Thoughtcrime remained intact. After having exposed myself to a little esoteric readings and films, I decided it was time to gather my strength and revisit 1984.

The impact this second reading had on me, was way more intense than what it did to me during my first reading. Therefore, I believe a good book always deserves at least a second reading. This time round, I had realized how prophetic Orwell had been. The conclusion I came up with was that 1984 is not a science fiction, but a prophecy.

Telescreens

It would be foolish to the idea of telescreens, a device that keep watch on you and constantly force-feeds you information is absurd. Look around you. I cannot speak for the world all around, but at least this is true in Taiwan, and especially Taipei. Television sets are so ubiquitous to a point it is almost unavoidable. Every road-side food vendor, small private-owned restaurants, and even world-wide fast-food franchises like McDonald has a television set rigged up, claiming to offer their customers 'entertainment'. Some genius had even decided to set up these television screens on MRT stations and buses.

Buses, for crying out loud! It happens to be that this offers the perfect example of how this device is used as a brain-washing, mind-controlling agent! We cannot 'choose' what we want to watch. We are being force-fed information that we may not want to perceive. This is the most important aspect of humanity, and yet this little device is depriving my fellow citizens from it.

One might say, but we are watching the screens, the screens do not watch us.

Say what? How foolish can you be to believe that you are not being watched in every corner, and heard in every second of your life? Walk into an elevator and check the four corners on the ceiling. What do you see? Walk in front of an ATM machine, and look up. What do you see? Walk through the dark alleys during daylight, and you WILL find cameras everywhere. The most terrifying thing is that in some convenient stores and shops of all kinds, they overtly tell you: "Big Brother is Watching You", though with a slightly different tone and wording. 'Please smile, you are being recorded on camera.'

Have I proven my point?

Newspeak

The world is changing, so the media says. You believe everything the media says because they must have visual evidence to prove their claim. And so you fall for everything they say. If they say one generation is X and the other is Y, you believe them. You use those terms. Then, the day would come when nobody would ever know how these terms came about.

Again, I cannot speak for the whole world, but an obvious example can be used to portray this point. Internet chat-room language. What is OMG, LOL, TTYL? They are not just letters. They are the first letters of the phrases 'Oh My Goodness', 'Laugh Out Loud', and 'Talk To You Later'. I am not aware of any paper-based dictionaries that contain a full collection of this chat-room language, but I know that the Internet is steeped with references that help first-timers understand the language.

What has been created but our own form of Newspeak?

Every culture that had openly embraced the fascinating 'western-culture' is suffering from the possible extinction of their traditional language. Even people from the western world, specifically North America, are suffering from this illiteracy. Is this not another example of how Orwell's prophecy has come true?

Doublethink

This may be the most elusive of all Orwellian terminology of all. However, it is not completely nonexistent. The most effective example can be portrayed through the slogan: 'War is Peace'. How is this different from the Bush attack on Iraq? They make people believe that it is only through war that peace can be secured. As if peace had ever existed. Through David Icke's description of 'problem-reaction-solution'^[1], one can easily believe that the Bush administration is, indeed, the mastermind of the whole 911 scheme^[2].

Another example from our own world that I can think of, that anyone could easily come to agree with, is: Ugly is Beautiful. How true is that? Through the ingenious use of propaganda, the media, or whoever is behind all this, makes you believe that by making yourself uglier, you have become more beautiful. How many of you out there had actually gone through plastic surgeries because you 'thought' it would make you a more beautiful person? If you have never done so, than good for you. I can respect you a little more. However, can you honestly admit that you had never exerted all your energy to buy the latest article of clothing, despite how absurd it really is, simply because it showed up on Vogue or Cosmopolitan, or some other fashion/trend magazine? 'Ugly is Beautiful'. Keep on believing that, and Oceania will, one day, become the name of the country that we live in.

Thoughtcrime

Even though I have only an incipient knowledge on conspiracy theories and the esoteric, it had never occurred to me till after my second reading, that all of the materials that I have found so freely and so accessibly on the Internet, could be deliberately placed their by those whose function in the world is not so unlike that of O'Brien.

People vanish from this world every day. How and for what reason, we might never know. But it happens every day. People ranging from your friendly, or unfriendly, neighbor to presidents being assassinated. What could they have done to deserve this? Thoughtcrime. I do not believe that I am yet in danger of being vaporised. However, if I keep this up, I won't be surprised.

The criminals of thoughtcrime are not killed instantly. At least, in the novel, they were first being brain-washed and controlled into thinking they were mentally deranged and then were put back into their ordinary lives. Then, BOOM! They suddenly disappear again. To imagine this being true is not impossible. Think about how many politicians have said something shocking, and then afterwards apologizing publicly for speaking without prove or something of the sort. Could they have possibly committed thoughtcrime?

Big Brother and the Party

If you have given me the chance to say all this 'nonsense', you might as well read a bit more. If I claim that Orwell had been extremely prophetic, if not observant, then who is this the 'Big Brother' that is watching us, controlling us, and manipulating us? The answer is - the Illuminati^[3].

Did you think I was going to say the Bush administration? No. They are merely puppets to this world-controlling superpower. Is it not interesting how while Tony Blaire was still in office, together with Bush, the initials of their last names put together happens to be B.B? The Illuminati is the Party.  They are the ones controlling EVERYTHING and I do, seriously mean everything! From money to politics. From the media to education. Not a single item found in our daily lives is not controlled by them.

If you are interested, please, allow me to indulge you. But if not, then this should be enough for now.

The Resistance

Fortunately, the world is not as dark as it may appear to be. Even after exposing yourself to these conspiracy theories, a light always exists, somewhere. If it has been a few years since you read it, then I suggest you read it again. If you have never read it, you must put this on your next reading list, and let Orwell enlighten you! It is the only way to exert little, if any, resistance to the monopolies of the world!

[1] Click to watch David Icke - How we are controlled - Part One Part Two
[2] Click to watch Loose Change
[3] Illuminati article in Chinese - 光明會
Please click on the words in red to learn more from Wikipedia.

Further information:
100777.com - Dedicated to Truthseekers
Watch Alex Jones Documentary on Google Video