Tag: 1:5

August 5, 2022 – Atlas Shrugged 1:5

August 5, 2022 /

Here we are, Happy Friday. I had a pretty good week working on my projects, reading my books and doing what I do. I can see the end of my siding project coming so I can turn around and look at what is next. There are several more outside things that need to get done, but summer is winding down fast.

This chapter felt a lot like filler. I know that it was character development giving Dabny and Frank D’Aconia’s back story. I think that it was largely free and a bit indulgent. But then again, I haven’t read the whole book so maybe it will be more significant down the line. However, there was something that came up on the back end.

“Now the planners are asking their people not to blame the government, but to blame the depravity of the rich”.

“The money will go into channels which will carry it, not to the most productive, but the most corrupt”.

What Frank is referring to in the two quotes above are the seizure of assets such as rails and mines in Mexico. When they seized the mines, they found out that they were not productive and they are trying to blame the industrialist (Frank). He further talks about the graft and shoddy practices that occurred in the startup of the mines. It is implied that this entire scenario is poetic justice for all of those that are motivated by greed and power.

What’s new here? Well nothing really but it is worth noting the story line and message are falling in line with what I was hoping the book would be. I also think that there is something else more subtle in these statements. There are always people that can see and know what is going on. It is a matter whether they actually have a platform or the resources to get the message out.

I was scanning through the AM dial last weekend. It’s been a long time since I had actually done that. One of the big stories over the weekend was that President Biden had Covid. Of course, that drudged up all kinds of opinions about the situation including the vaccine. One of the pieces was talking about the studies on the vaccine and the integrity of the data. Doctor after doctor on the show was talking about what a mess it was.

With that little detour, you can have the vision and the platform, but people still have to listen and believe. If red was black or two quarters of negative financial growth is not a recession and no longer believed to be true then the current definition of truth doesn’t even matter. Truth has to be a universally recognized.

End Your Programming Routine: It is a fine line between not revealing the plot and trying to explain the situation, especially when I haven’t read the book before so I am not sure where things are going. If you noticed that I started a little slow but I think that I have latched onto a formula. Assuming that there are concepts that worthy of me noting, I want to relate those concepts to current events or context. I think that is the way to make the abstract (or me reading a book) convey the things I have learned reading to writing. Hopefully, that translates.

March 10, 2021 – 1984 1:5

March 10, 2021 /

Back to the grind here, today we are taking another look at George Orwell’s ‘1984’. Chapter 5 is an interaction between Winston and some co-workers at lunchtime in the cafeteria. The significance of this chapter reveals Winston’s opinions about some of his closer relationships and the constitution of his character.

The best description that I would give is that Winston tolerates his co-workers by circumstance. Meaning, he begrudgingly accepts the company of others even though it seems like he cant stand being around them. Not only does Winston have difficulty empathizing with their opinions but also it seems that the general scarcity has caused some self-protectionist behaviors. There are several questions about the availability of razor blades for instance where Winston denies having a few.

As we dive a little deeper into the subtext of this chapter, we see the betrayal of human emotion on the goals of Big Brother eradicating descent and non-conformity. I will talk a little more about those things when I analyze the chapter concepts below.

Chesnut Tree Cafe- It seems like there is a place in the allowable world that decenters are permitted to gather. Of course, there is risk in associating with such a place. I find it a little strange that such a place is allowed even though in all totalitarian societies venues are underground. My speculation is that it is easier to monitor the activity by permitting it.

Face Crime- Just as it says, the face implicates a person for a crime. The truth is, you don’t even have to be guilty but facial expression is probable cause for a crime. It would seem that guilt or innocent is irrelevant to the act, but rather suspicion. Even worse than that, anyone can report a person for suspicion based on appearance.

Newspeak Dictionary 11th ed- Another reference to changing the language. A sort of silly, sort of make sense discussion takes place about the elimination of idioms and the peculiarities of the English. The stated goal is to simplify the syntax but the reality reinforces language as a tool of freedom and self expression.

Our New Happy Life- This is the current propaganda campaign. With this slogan, it signifies everyone’s struggle together to achieve a higher plane and stated goals. Once again, propaganda is used to simplify and summarize Big Brother’s goals.

As we get to the end of the chapter we see some foreshadowing. This woman with the dark hair seems to be appearing frequently. Not only does it seem like she will play a bigger role in the future, but I cant help but think these are references to loneliness, sexuality and repression. I guess that we will have to keep reading to see.