1984 - Newspeak

"Don't you see the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end, we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."
~ from 1984 by George Orwell ~

In my opinion, Newspeak isn't that far away. Offhand, I can think of two instances in which a word has been replaced in the public lexicon with a phrase. These two phrases are Improvised Explosive Device (more commonly referred to by its initials, IED) and Collateral Damage.

IED is a sanitized phrase to replace the word, bomb. The word, bomb, tends to elicit an emotional response. It causes the average person to envision an explosion followed by destruction, pain and agony. It is hard to think about a bomb without concurrently thinking about serious injury and death.

But IED appears so innocuous and benign. We can read the phrase in a news article and not flinch reactively. It takes the gruesomeness out of a gruesome act. It somehow seems less violent when, in fact, a bomb or IED causes the same carnage.

The second phrase that is used ubiquitously by our "elected leaders" is Collateral Damage. It has been chosen to replace the word, victims. Each of us knows instinctively what it is like to be victimized. How many of us can honestly say we intuitively understand what it means to be collaterally damaged?

By removing the word victims from official pronouncements -- unless, of course, we're talking about OUR people -- the humanity of the situation is removed as well.

A victim has a face. Collateral Damage does not.

Victims have hopes and dreams. Collateral Damage does not.

People victimized by others know fear and suffering. Collateral Damage experiences nothing.

Each of us can identify in some way, shape or form with the victims of war. We hardly give a second thought to the nebulous Collateral Damage.

I could come up with several more examples -- maybe you could offer yours in the comments section -- but I hope you get the point. Newspeak isn't a fantasy from a book written long ago; it is worming its way into our lives right now.

This series of posts based on George Orwell's novel, 1984, will be rather avant-garde. My focus will not be to explain Orwell's premises or what HE meant -- it is more about what his prose stirs in me, often in relation to the way I view the world today. Some of my observations may fall in line with Orwell's intent, but others will go off in a wholly different direction. To read my intro to this series, go here.