Wednesday, April 04, 2007

George Orwell was Right in More Ways than One

Big Brother

Have you ever read the British writer George Orwell? Why not ! His Down and and Out in Paris in London and his book on the Spanish Civil War, or his first novel about imperialism in Burma, alone make him classic. He is the epitome of adventuresome youth.

But of course most people know him from 1984 (the novel, written in 1948 thus the title). In it he describes how Big Brother is watching you. Its becoming more and more true everyday. Orwell wrote in a down-to-earth way which didnt pretend to great literature and grand ideas and insights. He just told the truth in his simplicity.

People thought Orwell a socialist (who wouldnt want change when your government is run by war-mongerng pigs) or even a Utopianist. In fact he was the opposite. He was all about people going about their own lives free to try to do their best and fear of the dangers of planning and idealism and the totalitarianist state. Everyone needs heroes (I think). Orwell is one of mine.