So this week I read two chapters…what? That is right, two; primarily because the first one was only three pages long and the second one was six pages. Since we are gone today I am writing this in a hurry without a lot of time to really analyze what I wanted to say. I have kept this one pretty close to the facts without wandering around too much.

It may not have been one of the more impactful analysis I have performed, but there are some pretty powerful quotes particularly in chapter 7. These two chapters work nicely together. Chapter 6 has Winston finally meeting O’brien and arranging a meetup. Chapter 7 is his thoughts about and the consequences of that meetup.

Be aware of the deliberate action- When O’brien met with Winston, it was the first time that they had ever spoken in earnest. O’brien’s deliberate actions of speaking and writing his address was described in a theatrical manner. The conversation was innocent enough and in line with all expectations but the circumstances were not. As a result, Winston is aware that this is the beginning of the end.

Winston suspects that taking this step of meeting O’brien is going to result in his demise. He also knows that he is going to do it. It seems that the only thing that is not entirely clear is what side O’brien is really on. The implications of such is the duration before Winston disappears.

“The terrible thing the party had done was to persuade you that mere impulses, mere feelings, were of no account while at the same time robbing you of all power over the material world. When once you were in the grip of the Party, what you felt or did not feel, what you did or refrained from doing, made literally no difference.”

Talk about a powerful quote from chapter 7. This is the quintessential description of the left/right dichotomy. It doesn’t matter which side you choose, playing the game is a losing proposition because either choice lands you in the system of control. This transitions into the second concept of the post.

To simply live is to be dead- In multiple places in the chapter, Winston references freedom over life. He says that the ‘Proles are alive, we are dead’ and ‘the object is not to live but to be human’. There is a strong connection being drawn between personal choice and freedom. This is why Winston is getting the feeling that the end is near because he is making those connection and realizes that he will never have the choices.

There are many anecdotal supporting stories from refugee camps or soldiers in battle or drug addiction where the people are alive but the circumstantial trauma has them devoid of emotion. I suppose that is my way of trying to relate something other that the post apocalyptical world of 1984.

End Your Programming Routine: 1984 is turning out to be a complicated work that is more than a bastion of liberty. That being said, these two chapters play right back into the cautionary tale of totalitarianisms. As much as I am not an emotional person, emotion is essential to humanity and by proxy life, buying Orwell’s Kool-aid.

Interesting how reflecting impacts your views and potentially changes you. I quickly read this chapter while I was waiting for my son’s Boy Scout meeting to end. It’s short, only ten pages long so it took me 15 minutes to read through it.

This chapter begins with the unexplained disappearance of Syme who first emerged as a character in 1:5. It remains pretty high level in the style of most of the first section of the book where it covers the activities and attitudes of ‘Hate Week’. A smaller part of the chapter is Winston and Julia’s interaction at the antique store apartment.

Real Understanding Requires Context or Experience – There is a conversation that happens between Winston and Julia where he is trying to convince her that history is being changed. It is hard to tell whether she just doesn’t understand or is being coy with her true intentions. But if we take it at face value, Julia just doesn’t seem to understand the concept that the facts as presented change constantly. And by proxy she doesn’t recognize this is the root of the mistrust in any source.

Winston chalks it up to Julia being born before the revolution and not knowing anything other than facts not being facts. I can buy that to a point however Julia seems to be pretty switched on to many of the other moving components of the movement. So, this lack of understanding is a little bit puzzling. The concept is still true; I think that we have all had conversations with the ‘book smart’ people that can recite the facts but not have a clue about the the emotional or mental impact of an event.

Not ever going through a hurricane, I remember people telling me stories of what it was like when Hurricane Hugo landed (1989). When I lived in South Carolina (2001-2004) there was still damage that lingered from the event. At that time, I think that it was still the second most costly Hurricane to hit after Andrew (1992). With over 100 related deaths and the monetary damage, I am sure that lives were changed forever, but I could not really understand what it was like to go through the event.

Living begins when there is no future – This is the one that intrigues me. Winston says that he feels like he is already dead meaning he knows that he has crossed the line and it is only a matter of time before it catches up with him. Because it seems that it is a foregone conclusion that he is going to get caught and there is nothing he can do about it, Winston is going to live in the moment.

My wife has accused me of living in the future. I know that there is at least a degree of truth to that. For instance, if I spend my entire life preparing for potential disaster, I ignore or miss the events of the present. It is the same concept of the bucket list or even the terms “smoke ’em if you got ’em” and “live like you are dying”.

We see the benefits of Winston’s change of philosophy. His physical health has improved as his mental outlook has changed. I am of course not there yet, but we hear stories about peoples acceptance of mortality and it changes their experience of the present.

It is a hard habit to change. I have always had the saver, delayed gratification mentality. It is the reason I worked from the day school ended to the day that school started (seven days) during the summer. It is the reason I dream of tolerating my circumstances so that one day I will be free to pursue what I want to do. It is the reason I am interested in preparedness. It is the reason why I think before I speak. Heck, it is the reason that I have faith.

You can call it ‘in your head’ if you like. I think that it is mostly harmless and defines my character, but there are times that my not being in the moment effects other people, particularly in relationships. That we are not really going to get into today, I just wanted to point out that there can be consequences to that mindset.

End Your Programming Routine: 1984 continues to reveal more than just a cautionary tale. I don’t think that I have done this kind of analysis since college. Not just that, this was a book that I wanted to read and analyze on my own accord and not assigned or graded. It is kind of like rediscovering something revolutionary. The final thing that I want to say today is analyze your behavior to make sure that you are putting the proper emphasis on today versus tomorrow and definitely yesterday.