Ignorance is Strength.
This phrase means that less you know, the better. To some point this can positive because if someone doesn't know certain things they wouldn't worry or panic as much. However in the case of 1984, the phrase is saying that the less public knows, the more power or strength the government has over the people. Due to the people not knowing that much, government can easily manipulate the people in supporting their cause such as their war with another country and hating the country that they are at war with. Also the less people know, the least likely they have chance of thinking of overthrowing you.
Examples in the real world of both meanings of the phrase being used include the U.S government not telling the people of certain things that they know about and how the U.S government rallied the American people for them starting a war in the Middle East after 9/11.
The U.S government has kept many secrets from the American people such as their knowledge of UFOs, assassinations, scientific experiments, and many other things that the people think that they should know. The U.S government probably doesn't want us to know about these things because they don't want us to be frighten or panic. However this is hypocritical because after 9/11, the government and companies tried to strike fear in the hearts of Americans because economical opportunities and that it would help them hate the enemy that the government is fighting against thus causing them to support their war.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
1984 Phrase and Reflection
"War is Peace"
The phrase " War is Peace" which used as propaganda to support the Big Brother's war with Eurasia in the story, 1984 means that without us going to war with another country you wouldn't live in peace where you live right now. If we didn't go to war with them, they would attack where you live and make your life not so peaceful anymore. So in other words, the phrase means that we are holding them back by going to war against them so that you could live in peace. Obviously, people want to live the same peaceful lives they go through everyday instead of living in a war zone while being in constant fear thus causes people to support the goverment, their war, and hate the enemy. Everything that Big Brother wants the people to do.
In the real world of today, this phrase of "War is Peace" can be compared to one of the arguments made by the Bush Administration and Bush supports to why we are at war with many Middle Eastern countries which contain many radical Muslim terrorist organizations. They say if we don't attack them now, will do even more attacks on American soil. In other words they are saying that we will live in terror if we don't attack them now.
The phrase " War is Peace" which used as propaganda to support the Big Brother's war with Eurasia in the story, 1984 means that without us going to war with another country you wouldn't live in peace where you live right now. If we didn't go to war with them, they would attack where you live and make your life not so peaceful anymore. So in other words, the phrase means that we are holding them back by going to war against them so that you could live in peace. Obviously, people want to live the same peaceful lives they go through everyday instead of living in a war zone while being in constant fear thus causes people to support the goverment, their war, and hate the enemy. Everything that Big Brother wants the people to do.
In the real world of today, this phrase of "War is Peace" can be compared to one of the arguments made by the Bush Administration and Bush supports to why we are at war with many Middle Eastern countries which contain many radical Muslim terrorist organizations. They say if we don't attack them now, will do even more attacks on American soil. In other words they are saying that we will live in terror if we don't attack them now.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Reflection on Jin Jingzhi interview.
Dear Jin Jingzhi,
I found your interview to be quite interesting due to myself reading an actual account of a person who actually lived through an historical event such as Mao's rise to power as well as the Cultural Revolution and not just reading a history book. I think you still should've have moved out of China for the well being of your husband due to the fact many immigrants move into a new country for the similar reasons like yours and they don't have any family in that country. However I can understand your argument about not leaving the country due to you having five children because it would have been extremely difficult to handle them when going from one country to another.
I do have several questions regarding your thoughts on your life during the period in China's history that you lived through as well as questions about the events in your life that you mentioned.
• Do you think Mao Zedong deserves to be recognized as such a heroic figure despite the horrible things that he did that you experienced first hand?
• What were your feelings when your husband was sent to prison?
• Due to the Red Guards being made mostly of youth, did your children ever want or asked to join the Red Guards?
As I said before, your interview was very interesting. However I was wondering what your emotions were on these things such as your husband going to prison and when the Red Guards were accusing you as well as your husband of being anti-revolutionary?
Sincerely,
Carrick Esquivel
I found your interview to be quite interesting due to myself reading an actual account of a person who actually lived through an historical event such as Mao's rise to power as well as the Cultural Revolution and not just reading a history book. I think you still should've have moved out of China for the well being of your husband due to the fact many immigrants move into a new country for the similar reasons like yours and they don't have any family in that country. However I can understand your argument about not leaving the country due to you having five children because it would have been extremely difficult to handle them when going from one country to another.
I do have several questions regarding your thoughts on your life during the period in China's history that you lived through as well as questions about the events in your life that you mentioned.
• Do you think Mao Zedong deserves to be recognized as such a heroic figure despite the horrible things that he did that you experienced first hand?
• What were your feelings when your husband was sent to prison?
• Due to the Red Guards being made mostly of youth, did your children ever want or asked to join the Red Guards?
As I said before, your interview was very interesting. However I was wondering what your emotions were on these things such as your husband going to prison and when the Red Guards were accusing you as well as your husband of being anti-revolutionary?
Sincerely,
Carrick Esquivel
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