[northrup]

It’s as if nobody has ever read George Orwell’s 1984: “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself – anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide. In any case, to wear an improper expression on your face (to look incredulous when a victory was announced, for example) was itself a punishable offense.”

[csomar]

They just now found the tools to enforce it.

[jcelerier]

> It’s as if nobody has ever read George Orwell’s 1984

no, they read it and think "how can we do even better"

[dang]

Please don't post this sort of cheap flamebait crack here. It makes discussions poorer.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

[toyg]

Orwell is the modern Machiavelli. In about 100 years, people will be wondering if 1984 was satire/criticism or an actual blueprint for effective government in the digital age, in the same way the real aim of Il Principe has been endlessly debated for centuries.

[bostik]

I came up with one of EFF Finland's t-shirt slogans: Orwell was an optimist.

Of course, I was soon outdone. It didn't take long for the adapted version to surface: Orwell was an amateur. Which, I have to admit, is an apt description of our times.

[Rochus]

In contrast, Orwell's fundamental rejection of the totalitarian surveillance society is well known and documented. Even in 100 years, those who are interested can read it all.

[bayindirh]

The irony is, 1984 is used as a manual of sorts by some.

[DocTomoe]

Unless, of course, such documentation will be surpressed. Which is pretty Orwellian, in fact, such operations are the protagonist's job.

[robertlagrant]

Not if it gets Fahrenheit 451'd :-)

[maxk42]

Machiavelli gets a bad rap. I read Il Principe and the primary message is moderation. I dunno how people contorted that into evil scheming.