Subtle Censorship
Written in a time of the Great Red Scare, people had the impression that the supposed sci-fi novel, 1984, was about the dangers of communism. In numerous literature classes around the country, George Orwell’s work was lauded as a great anti-communism rant. In modern times, however, the book is astonishingly and frighteningly fitting when applied to language.
In the days of widespread internet communication and unfettered net communication, people have become rather comfortable in their freedom of speech. Ignoring the more subtle forms of censorship—ratings, network standards, obscenity clauses, etc—people have flexed their communicative muscles in a way never before seen in our society.
With 1984 fading into the quiet background of classic literature, people have quickly begun committing the very wrongs Orwell sought to illuminate. The advent of internet communication has given every Joe Schmo the opportunity to become an online orator. The double-edged sword, which many people fail to see, is a severe breakdown of language—the means of communication.
Why Talk?
Today, people think of communication as a tool for only one use: getting the point across. While they may be correct to a certain degree, there has been a sharp decline in the wonderful specificity that our language—a combination of literally dozens of other tongues—heretofore provided. People give up on complicated—or even unambiguous—words because they are too lazy to learn them.
Orwell somehow predicted the breakdown of language. He called the nouveau communication Newspeak. Throughout 1984, Orwell describes the development of the new language. It seeks to eliminate “unnecessary” verbiage. In other words, Newspeak is a dumbing-down of the language, so that people are not forced to think of the possible connotations and multiple meanings of different word combinations.
The new language enables the sadistic government to control people. Because Newspeak seeks to eliminate thinking from communication, people are less apt to consider the meanings of words, making them less likely to think of rebellion and the forces of change.
A Sobering Lesson
More and more, modern society is facing a breakdown of communication. People lose the knowledge of the distinction between “your” and “you’re;” between “there,” “their,” and “they’re.” And yes, while the point is still made, there is a severe lack of specific understanding. One can only hope humanity doesn’t de-evolve to the point of grunting. It’s much more pleasant to say, “Look how that painting evokes an emotional excitement for the vitality of bygone days,” than it is to point and grunt. The idea comes across, but the beauty is lost. One can only hope people today don’t overlook the lessons of Orwell.
