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
So long as they (the Proles) continued to work and breed, their other activities were without importance. Left to themselves, like cattle turned loose upon the plains of Argentina, they had reverted to a style of life that appeared to be natural to them, a sort of ancestral pattern...Heavy physical work, the care of home and children, petty quarrels with neighbors, films, football, beer and above all, gambling filled up the horizon of their minds. To keep them in control was not difficult.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Orwell critiques societal control over the working class by illustrating their preoccupation with simple pleasures.
In this quote, George Orwell reflects on the lives of the Proles, the working class in his dystopian vision of society, depicting them as content and distracted by trivial pursuits. He suggests that as long as they continue to engage in mundane activities and focus on physical labor, their potential for rebellion or critical thought is diminished, making it easier for those in power to maintain control over them. This commentary raises questions about freedom, oppression, and the nature of happiness within a controlled society.
Themes
ControlProlesSocietyDystopiaOppression
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the themes of control in dystopian literature.
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.
George OrwellRead
It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you.
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