Communism, theocracy, fascism, capitalism, neocolonialism, neoliberalism, always the same piggy style
Although it was mainly aimed at Russia and the SCommunism, theocracy, fascism, capitalism, neocolonialism, neoliberalism, always the same piggy style
Although it was mainly aimed at Russia and the Sowjet Union Because they at least tried to establish a socialist communist workers' utopia just like China and other states in South East Asia and around the world. The fact that it always failed is something so multidimensional that it would blow the complexity of this review throughout the book cover. And I´m not qualified too. So let´s better say that each system has its flaws, and that coincidence, big history, and geopolitics influence the rise and fall of theism and totalitarianism.
All animals are the same but some are more equal Especially apes love this idea to look at fur, gender, religion, political or economic ideology, skin color, tradition, clothes, etc. to find something that differentiates them from others as a legitimation and reason to exterminate them. Or at least first exclude, stigmatize, discriminate, enslave, and then commit genocides on them. Ironically some dictatorships like communism at least didn´t try to kill all black, Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, etc. people, but just everyone who disobeyed, although I´m not sure if this really is an advantage in contrast to fascism. Communism could simply kill so many more people in Russia, China, etc. because they had much more time to do so. So judging by the numbers, one could say
That the kill count counts But how should one know which numbers are correct, because often nobody counted or was killed for trying to do so Colonialism under authoritarian dictatorships aka monarchy fused with theocracy torture terror killed an unknown number of people Fascism killed at least something between 75 and 100 million people Communism killed something between 125 and 250 million people Capitalism, neoliberalism, and neocolonialism killed an unknown number of people in all exploited areas with billions of citizens by not helping them to develop and stabilize. And guess what, I would bet that each avoidable death within the last decades, now, and in the future could reach the levels above. Another Western derision after centuries of colonialism, now rebranded as neocolonialism under the neoliberal economic Nobel Price agenda. Nobody can say how many people are dying after unimaginable suffering each minute and, most disturbing, no media or politician cares or talks about it. It´s just too taboo to touch this connection with a pitchfork because of the implications and because of manufacturing consent crushing everyone who dares to speak out. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Evil intelligence No matter which farm animal, ape, or human tribe, the clever and ruthless sociopathic males will always try to dominate for more power, resources, sexy ape girls, and influence. All of human history could be seen as a permanent struggle with the megalomania of superpowers which have at least been somewhat tamed by democracy and capitalism. But even there are huge differences between the libertarian free US market and eco social Europe.
Orwell simply later modified the same concept for 1984 or, one could assume, wrote a prequel 1984 is the same with fascism and humans instead of pigs and communism and, of course, also the more famous one because it showed the direct consequences that are normal everyday life for many people around the world.
No need to enter misantropic mode There have been incredible improvements in the last 100 years and social evolution has become a peaceful revolution in many states, especially Scandinavia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_... , my all time favorite example of a perfect balance of state and economy, of eco social politics and a controlled market. On the other hand, there are of course also states backlashing and thereby failing in Africa, South America, South East Asia, and the Southern US, but with the never ending hope for enlightenment, education, and distributional justice one can imagine a brighter future for them.
Newspeaking ones way towards manufacturing consent with optional mutilating death by torture after brainwashing, because these pesky citizens just donNewspeaking ones way towards manufacturing consent with optional mutilating death by torture after brainwashing, because these pesky citizens just don´t get to the core of the fact that Ingsocs War is peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is strength police is based on hard, serious humanities such as politics, economics, and sociology.
It´s just reality The irony lies in the fact that it just seems like the nightmarish tale of a forever dictatorship for the privileged people living in Western, brave new world, pseudo democracies, while it´s painful reality for billions of people. The severity may vary, but there are so many regions and states out there in the world where the „I should be silent to avoid secret torture prisons and internment aka death camps“ thought is a part of daily life, an epigenetic standard nutrition kids are born with.
One character struggling makes it even more intense Orwells´choice to just focus on one storyline and the backstory makes it so compelling, while the dismal and depressing atmosphere pulls the reader into big brothers surveillance state with its secret police and euphemistic ministries.
Checklisting how much has become real. Even in democratic countries, there is vast control of information, media, and the consensus of which economic and political doctrines are dogmas that mustn´t be criticized or doubted. Permanent warmongering with, especially the US, invading or supporting war parties. This is combined with Discrediting even not radical, just progressive, alternative political parties, NGOs, and citizen movements that are too defiant. Good old Divide and rule style. Just swallow it, democracy is dead, but at least progressive, critical voices are just ignored and not killed. Thanks to the
Military industrial complex public private partnershipping the last drop out of dysfunctional, intentionally destroyed distributional justice and eco social market economy. A great problem that emerges from the corporations controlling all democratic European and the US governments, probably the Asian, South American ones, Australia, etc. too, is that they actively promote any kind of authoritarian leadership in countries they have economic interests in, thereby actively helping in spreading Big Brother. Exaggeration? Sadly a clear nope, read Chomsky, Klein, Colin Crouch, Ziegler, Shiva Vandana, etc., all the critical, unheard voices denouncing neoliberalism, neoconservatism, neocolonialism, and globalization. Or call me a leftist conspiracist and trust politicians and journalists, far more easygoing. I should really consider to stop committing thoughtcrimes.
As if any ethical, democratic Western government (or a conglomerate of all of them) would go full economic warfare mode https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economi... and unleash fictional entities like, let´s just for fun call them, world building mode activated, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organisation, who exploit all weak and poor members while brave new worlding its own population. Or let´s get even more ridiculous and call a fictional superpower United States of Eurasia who loves to step over the final border of actively promoting wars for just economic and geopolitical reasons to directly smash democracies to breed more big brothers since, let´s pick any number, 1945. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timelin... I just love the uchronia and alternative history genre, it´s both so dark and ironic.
Similar stuff This is added to my review of Brave new world too. Besides the 2 behemoths, Karel Capeks´ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... dark, disturbing masterpiece is possibly one of the best dystopian terror pieces. It´s focusing on the role of big money and industry, of innocence turned into the same evil it suffers, was written in 1936 and satirizes Germans, Japanese, Russians, societies, ideologies, and economy in general and is a timeless memorial against political and economic terrorism and extremism of any kind. Aldous Huxley was Orwells´ college professor and they definitively inspired and mentally inseminated another to form these brave new worlds. Zamyatin Yevgenys´ We is another, historical extremely interesting piece, although just not as famous and fancy as the others, kind of the same problem as with the underappreciated Capek. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... An extremely difficult to read one is Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... which comes very close to Huxleys´ ideas, but is much darker. Some more dark and/ or satiric tones: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... A similar idea by the master of philosophical, satirical sci-fi, the great, unique Lem: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
Subjectively, I do find it much more attractive that we wealthy Westerners live in friendly Brave new worlds with fringe pseudo democracy and not in Orwellian or Capekian horror visions as many other poor people around the world do.
Mario the lone bookwolf
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