George Orwell’s most famous book 1984 (published in 1949) still frightens readers with its intense story of a tyrannical government with total control over its populace.
At least it should frighten readers. If they see the eerie, prophetic similarities between that fictional world and our real one, then yes, they most definitely should be frightened.
The book explores many different themes and issues, but I want to discuss one of the most significant and prophetic: “newspeak.”
In the novel, this totalitarian and tyrannical government uses “newspeak” to dictate and limit the language of the people. Words that could be used to criticize the government are entirely removed from the language so citizens aren’t even capable of verbally opposing Big Brother. Other words have their meanings entirely changed, noticeable to the reader but not the fictional citizens.
For example, the main character Winston visits a department of the government called the Ministry of Love.
What could possibly go wrong? Why would anyone oppose a ministry that’s all about love? Everyone loves love, so this ministry must be all lovey and sweet and wonderful; it’s in the name!
Imagine if the title were your only indication of the goings-on of this department and then I, in this fictitious world, tried to protest against it. “Shut down the Ministry of Love!” How do you think the common populace would react? How would you react, with only that very limited knowledge?
“WHAT AN IDIOT TO OPPOSE LOVE! I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE IT! SHE DOESN’T SUPPORT LOVE!”
Wrong. The Ministry of Love’s purpose is to torture and brainwash citizens into total compliance with Big Brother. There’s no “love” involved whatsoever. Winston was arrested and then tortured there, ultimately with a cage of rats put around his head until he screams and begs for them to torture his girlfriend instead of him.
Yep. Ministry of Love, folks.
Go back to my hypothetical protest of the Ministry of Love. Am I protesting love? Am I protesting kindness? Peace? Charity? Romance? Affection of any kind?
No. I’m protesting the kidnapping and torture of citizens. I’m protesting the brainwashing and the humiliation and the cruelty.
It’s an important distinction.
Now I’ll make a jump to the modern and non-fictional world, to reality. But let’s watch for those frightening Orwellian similarities, shall we?
Let’s talk about Black Lives Matter.
I will be as precise as possible:
1. The statement, “black lives matter” is a genuine appeal to remind us that black people are equally valuable human beings in the sight of God as any and all other people. I agree wholeheartedly with this statement.
2. The organization Black Lives Matter is a radical and violent group bent on dangerously destructive goals that include, but aren’t limited to, abolishing of the police, re-segregating certain public spaces, and destroying fundamental Western and American values. This organization I oppose with all my might.
Language matters, and the BLM organization wasn’t named lightly. Being named such, it’s all too easy to shoot down any opposition with quick and decisive smears of vile and wicked racism, construing the opposition’s motives as being against the statement rather than the organization.
Further, the name very sneakily steals otherwise-opposition as veiled support.
“Don’t you believe that black lives matter?” Well of course, anyone and everyone automatically answers, presuming their agreement is with the statement. But then they post and share and shout to the hills, “Black Lives Matter!” not knowing that they’re actually showing support, in that way, for the radical organization.
And what would happen if I were to speak against BLM? What if I rose up in protest and said I don’t support Black Lives Matter? What would be the reaction?
“CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT SHE DOESN’T BELIEVE THAT BLACK PEOPLE MATTER? HOW HORRIBLE! HOW HORRENDOUS! HOW RACIST! SHE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT BLACK LIVES, BLACK PEOPLE! HOW CAN YOU NOT SUPPORT BLACK LIVES?!”
And boom. Shut down. Opposition crushed. Conversation over.
Do you see the trap?
But remember, I fully support and appreciate the concept that black people have value, that their lives are worthwhile and meaningful, and that they are an asset to our society. Yes, yes, yes.
But do I support violence? Re-segregation? Abolishing the police? Nope, nope, nope.
But will we ever get to have that conversation and properly distinguish the statement from the organization? Probably not, because leftist newspeak is too dominant.
Watch for the traps that extremists set by hijacking our language. There are more examples of this happening in other cases besides BLM. Be watchful.
Most importantly, be careful what you say; don’t accidentally endorse things, or certain organizations, you don’t actually mean to.
