If one harbours anywhere in one's mind a nationalistic loyalty or hatred, certain facts, although in a sense known to be true, are inadmissible.
George OrwellRead
Always eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you. Asleep or awake, indoors or out of doors, in the bath or bed- no escape. Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters in your skull.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the pervasive surveillance in society and the limitations of personal freedom.
George Orwell's quote emphasizes the suffocating nature of constant observation and control in modern society. It suggests that while our environments and actions may be monitored, our thoughts remain the only private domain, illustrating the struggle for autonomy in a world where external forces seek to dominate our lives.
Themes
SurveillanceFreedomThoughtControlSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about privacy rights, this quote can illustrate the feeling of being constantly watched.
More from George Orwell
All quotes →The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
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Political writing in our time consists almost entirely of prefabricated phrases bolted together like the pieces of a child's Meccano set. It is the unavoidable result of self-censorship. To write in plain, vigorous language one has to think fearlessly, and if one thinks fearlessly one cannot be politically orthodox.
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Not to expose your true feelings to an adult seems to be instinctive from the age of seven or eight onwards.
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As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents.
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It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you.
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