1984 At Last

1984

When I first read the book, "1984", by George Orwell, in college, I didn't quite grasp its message.  We can imagine what the readers thought when it was first published in 1949. Readers then would have had to grapple with the then far-fetched idea of "telescreens".  In the sixties, the time I read the book, "Big Brother" was unthinkable, except perhaps in the context of science fiction. But Orwell meant for it to be more than that.  Perhaps he wanted it to be more of a cautionary tale of a future that was going to be more dystopian than utopian.  The latter was naturally the more preferred wish - a better future - but Orwell was pessimistic of the  direction the world was taking despite the fact that immediately after the end of WWII, the United Nations was founded (1945) and the State of Israel was created in 1948.  That same year, Orwell decided to write the novel, which was published the following year (1949).

The year 1984 came and went.  The Reagan presidency begun its second term.  Although a lot of dreadful events occurred that year - Indira Gandhi was assassinated, and it was also India's worst environmental disaster at the Union Carbide pesticide plant that killed thousands of people; DNA came into mainstream vocabulary; the Iran hostage crisis was long a historical footnote - there was optimism that the cold war was ending.  Reagan was relentlessly going after reuniting a divided Germany that culminated in the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In other words 1984 was not how George Orwell predicted.  However, today his book is on Amazon's best seller list.  It is gaining more interest and readership now (from early 2000 to the present) than during all the years that followed its first publication.  Some of you may want to read it. On the other hand, one may only have to look around to get a glimpse of what George Orwell was trying to paint.  

Eerily, "1984" is today.

First, before we give Orwell too much credit for his oracles, we need to point out what he did not foresee.  He did not predict the internet, made no mention about algorithms, clearly had no clue there was going to be Facebook, Twitter, YouTube nor the term, "social media".  He was wrong about a nuclear war that was to have taken place in the mid 50's, although we would allow him, "perpetual wars" (Cold war, Korean, Vietnam, Iran/Iraq, the Gulf war, etc.).  And he did give us "Big Brother", many decades before the reality TV show. 

Summary of the book from Britannica 

 "The book is set in 1984 in Oceania, one of three perpetually warring totalitarian states (the other two are Eurasia and Eastasia). Oceania is governed by the all-controlling Party, which has brainwashed the population into unthinking obedience to its leader, Big Brother. The Party has created a propagandistic language known as Newspeak, which is designed to limit free thought and promote the Party’s doctrines. Its words include doublethink (belief in contradictory ideas simultaneously), which is reflected in the Party’s slogans: “War is peace,” “Freedom is slavery,” and “Ignorance is strength.” The Party maintains control through the Thought Police and continual surveillance".

 "Thematically, Nineteen Eighty-Four centers on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of persons and behaviors within society."

Totalitarianism is defined as a "system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state".

Let's have a quick look back at history that involved two of the greatest revolutions first. It was in the early 1900's when the Bolsheviks revolted against the Tsarist regime in Russia. The Romanov dynasty was overthrown that gave the world its first highly organized and first successful creation of a communist party.  The Qing dynasty was the last imperial dynasty in China, following the Ming dynasty.  The Qing empire lasted from 1644 to 1912. After the fall, the "government" was run by ruling elites. In 1948, Mao Zedong led the Cultural Revolution that gave us today's Chinese Communist Party (CCP). 

The irony of all of these is that the two successful revolutions that were directed against the absolute and total control of the ruling empires have created two countries that have themselves become totalitarian states.  Russia's so called democracy, post fall of the Soviet Union, arguably lasted only for so long. 

In 1765, an earlier revolution started by thirteen colonies in the New World created today's foremost example of democracy. Free speech and freedom of religion are two of its keynote features. Its economic system is based on free market principles that had been the envy of the world.  It is notable that the American Revolution preceded the one other significant upheaval - the French Revolution - by almost twenty five years.

There is cause for worry in the land that for over two centuries managed to hold on to the principles that exemplified the reasons for its success.  George Orwell's view of the world in "1984" is now upon that land.

1. At no time in the past century that mass surveillance was possible until now.

2. Censorship of free thought is going on as we speak.  Technology is an effective weapon at silencing free speech and opposing thought when Twitter, Facebook and Amazon are able to throw off the switch against those perceived to promote opposing ideas.  Repression of free speech is real.

3. When a major media personality is able to say that political supporters she does not like should be deprogrammed is exactly what "1984" talked about.

4. When calls for businesses to drop someone's product from their stores is heeded as a result of the CEO's political support, economic censorship happens, also a feature in "1984".

George Orwell was a democratic socialist.  Sounds familiar?

CNN Oct 13, 2015 · Senator Bernie Sanders explains why he describes himself as a Democratic Socialist at the CNN Democratic debate in Las Vegas.

George Orwell vehemently opposed totalitarianism and I'm sure the Vermont senator does as well. It would be interesting to see how Sen. Sanders - an independent but  caucuses with the Democrats - will conduct himself.

The next 100 days will determine the direction of this country for the foreseeable future.

I leave the reader with this:

On censorship

Below is a direct quote from the book:

"Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness. A genuinely unfashionable opinion is almost never given a fair hearing, either in the popular press or in the highbrow periodicals". (Sounds familiar?)

Revisionism

a. Yesterday, the San Francisco school district decided to remove Lincoln and Washington as school names. This follows the destruction of several historical statues in many places last year.  Removal of statues is a form of revisionism.

b.  Holocaust denial - "The Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Center, for example, charges that revisionists claim that concentration camp crematories were not really crematories at all, but bread ovens. Revisionists are often accused of claiming that the well-known photos of emaciated corpses found in camps at the end of the war are fakes, or that no Jews ever died in the camps. Such perverse misrepresentation is very reminiscent of the passage in 1984 which describes a “hate session” presentation of a concocted speech by the monstrous and semi-legendary arch-fiend".

3. Newspeak: "Deceptive “Newspeak” terms are in wide use today. One of the most odious examples is “affirmative action” which, despite its benign ring, is a dishonest label for a vast government-imposed program of anti-White racial discrimination. And like the hysterical “hate sessions” unforgettably described in 1984 ..

I leave it to anyone willing to look a little more closely at what is happening around him or her.

Whistling Down The Wind

Post election, America is deeply in need to unify itself.  The world is watching because what happens here will have a profound impact on all countries around the globe, in more ways than one. Friends of the USA are concerned while its enemies are constantly calculating what measured steps they can take to advance their own cause or spread their influence.  A divided country lays bare its belly to those looking to venture on a chance to dislodge it from its perch of influence and power.  The danger, however, is not so much that there is one country that can, at this moment, pose a credible military and economic challenge, but that one may miscalculate that will draw the entire world into a maelstrom that history has recorded many times before.  Alas, history had not always been a good teacher.  If it were, the world would have learned by now. 

Or, is it simply that human nature is a poor student and only has miscalculations for its tutor.

We take our cue from that last one sentence paragraph.  A divided country, right down the middle, at this particular point in its history, must make a critical decision.  After each of the last six or so presidential elections, the winning side always basked aglow in ecstasy while the other was  left whistling down the wind. But first, since I chose the title, I must explain.  And bear with me for just a minute because I hope to get it all together.

"Whistle Down the Wind'' is a 1961 British film directed by Bryan Forbes, and adapted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall from the 1959 novel of the same name by Mary Hayley Bell. 

It was set in a small, deeply religious town in Louisiana of the 1950s. A poor farming family led by father, Boone, and his three children--Swallow, Brat, and Poor Baby--have recently buried their mother and they are still struggling with the grief".

The plot revolved around the mistaken belief by a group of schoolchildren that a fugitive criminal they had discovered in hiding was in fact Jesus. In a tale heavy in Christian symbolism, the criminal was eventually inadvertently given away by the children and re-arrested.

It was made into a British film in 1961 that starred the author's daughter - Hayley Mills - who won Best British Actress for that role.  Almost three decades later it was turned into a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. From that came the song, "No Matter What".  More on this later.

"... to 'whistle someone/thing down the wind' is to cast it off to its own fate. Or, abandon".

One political party, in this case, the winning one, must not make the mistake of casting off the ones that lost. As history tries desperately to teach, eventually the pendulum  always swings the other way.  It is always a mistake by either party to whistle the other down the wind. The widening chasm must halt and both sides must work to close the gap between the eighty million and seventy million who voted because the fate of 330 million citizens is what is at stake.

Back to the story set in Louisiana.  The deeply religious children in a comedic scene mistook the man whom they found asleep in the barn, after being startled, as the personification of the second coming.  The story revolved around a world through the eyes of their innocence.  In the musical version the children in their effort to ward off the adults' disbelief or absence of support, they went on to sing:

No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true

No matter what they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us
We'll find our own way back

I can't deny what I believe

I can't be what I'm not

I know I'll love forever

I know no matter what

If only tears were laughter

If only night was day

If only prayers were answered

Then we would hear God say ...

There is a lot of symbolism in the story that opens up to interpretation by anyone who views it.

Related to the expression is the one below:

"TO WHISTLE UP A WIND - To entertain false hopes, such as in trying to borrow money for a spree or run ashore. From the sailors' superstition that a wind could be raised by whistling for it; the meaning has long since been reversed, so that 'whistling up a wind' will produce nothing". 

As we can see, both expressions give us this cautionary admonishment. Either party must never be led to believe that only one has the answer for everything.  At least, not in a democracy.  One side should never make the mistake of whistling the other down the wind, and neither should be whistling up the wind just because the last election went their way. Coming together is the only antidote to what ails this republic.

As mentioned earlier, the song from the musical became a popular pop song performed by the British group Boyzone.  "No Matter What", as performed at the Royal Albert Hall (London, England) in celebration of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th birthday, has so far garnered over 5.5 million views. It is worth listening to.  Copy the link below, paste it on your search bar and click the YouTube link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogjFSW7PqRY

Amen and Awoman

On February 13, last year, I wrote about "When the Darnedest Ideas Go Mainstream" and I thought it was not going to get any worse. Well, I was wrong.  Only in America - no less in the U.S. House of Congress - that things actually did get truly whacky.  If this were to have occurred a little bit later, like three months from now perhaps, the whole thing would have been a great April Fools Day joke.  But, no it isn't. The 117th Congress, in its infinite wisdom, unveiled new rules, as follows:  

"Proposed changes to the rules of the House of Representatives would “honor all gender identities” by eliminating such specific terms as mother and father, son and daughter, and aunt and uncle.

Instead, only gender-neutral terms such as “parent,” “child,” “sibling” and “parent’s sibling” would be allowed in the text of the House rules, according to the proposed changes'".

There is not a whole lot the American people can do, really. These rules apply only to members of Congress in the conduct of their business in the House. On the other hand, maybe, there is something the people can do but it will have to wait two years from now, during the next election.  

Meanwhile, we can maybe just ignore it for the time being.  But we have to ask, what was all that about when a Democrat congress person ended  an invocation with "Amen and Awoman".

This is not the first time we can ascribe ignorance to a member of Congress (not to all, of course, thank goodness) but we need to make it clear to some of them that the word "amen" has nothing to do with gender identification.

"The usage of amen, meaning "so be it" (as found in the early scriptures of the Bible), is a word of Biblical Hebrew origin. The word originated in the Hebrew Scriptures, as a confirmatory response; it is found in Deuteronomy as a confirmatory response made by the people".

We have to give it to him though for avoiding a grammatical faux pas of saying "a women" since "a woman" is the one that is grammatically proper. But we'd have to scratch our head because he did say, "Amen", didn't he?  

It is official now - Congress is the Switzerland of gender.  Neutrality of the highest order.

Congress can also be the Twilight Zone, when we think about it.  Apparently, and we hope it stays this way, the rest of the country can go about their business like nothing has changed except in the House of Congress. If that is the case, then this whole thing fits the proper definition of the Twilight Zone.

But what if this whole Congress thing goes mainstream?  My greatest fear, indeed. 

First, I heard Russia and Germany are adamantly opposed to the whole idea.  Germany would like to hold on to the Fatherland; there is no way for Russia to abandon The Motherland either. The United Kingdom can breathe a sigh of relief. There is no way Queen Elizabeth will be addressed "Their Majesty".  Ian Fleming's fans had already put their foot down against the possibility James Bond will be "On Their Majesty's Secret Service". 

It is safe to say, the rest of the world will not follow.  I'm crossing my fingers. For sure, though, China will not give up on Mandarin or Manchuria.  There is no way Canada will give in to changing the name of one of its prairie provinces - Manitoba.  Even the Philippines will not alter Manila.  By the way, the Philippines has the most number of places, words and names that begin with "man".  Manuel and Manuela, like in Spain and in all Latin countries, are still  popular names for both gender.

I challenge everyone upset about this whole thing to take on the Texas humor, if y'all had read the previous blog, "Texas Signs of the Times". I have fully embraced it.  That's all we can do. We cannot go insane over this insanity, just sayin'.

So, my first order of business as a hedge against this Congress idea going mainstream, was to call my broker and instructed him to sell any mutual funds I own that invested in "Hallmark". That company could go out of business if "Mother's Day" is out.  Same with FTD and every flower delivery business. Phone companies say that the busiest single day for long distance calls is on that day.  Greeting card writers, you should all be worried.  There will be less of you because there will be less to write.  Immediately, anniversary cards will be cut down to just one - spouse - where it used to be there was one specifically for wife and husband; for daughters or sons, it will be just child. I heard the word of the decade is "they".

This is the time to invest in paint  and painting service and sign companies.  Just imagine how many "Men" and "Women" restroom signs have to be changed, worldwide.  Change to what, I don't have a clue, yet. Printing and paper companies will do well with all the revisions to be made.  If you are a proofreader, buckle up for a sudden surge of demand for your services.  There will be a lot of work to weed out all gender specific references in books and reference manuals.  

I heard The Vatican is in some serious conversation with consultants on how best to reconfigure what their parishioners may call their priests and nuns.  The biggest quandary being what to call the Pope. Holy ________, you fill in the blank.

College organizations are having the same problems.  Sorority sisters and Fraternity brothers are all going to be just plain siblings. Actually, these Greek organizations may go by the wayside.  What interest can there ever be in siblingships' allure?

Animal names are safe, I think. Well, maybe not, but the heron is at an odd place.  A name like that can go either way (he or her), but it is not likely to go unscathed.  Lions are in trouble.  For that matter all felines will simply be cats.  There can't be lions and lionesses, and for sure the tomcat is definitely in jeopardy.  The praying mantis and the manatee are looking behind their backs.  Easy for the insect that can turn its head almost 360 degrees.  The poor manatee with its large neck can only do maybe 30 degrees tops, and it is endangered too.

Greek mythology, aside from the few goddesses, usually oozed with masculinity but irony of all irony, the winner is Hercules, or is he?.  Aphrodite, on the other hand leaves her lasting legacy among certain organisms called hermaphrodites.  They're safe because they cover both bases either way.

I have come to terms with the last election results and look at it more positively. You see, we can't really be hoping for the new administration to fail and fail too badly.  The whole country suffers.  Politicians will be fine, regardless of how poorly they run the country.  On the other hand, if the new administration succeeds then maybe they do have a better way to run the country.  Of course, it all depends on how each one of us defines success.  Then, we're back to the business of politics once again.  And the rigmarole continues.

Let's hope and pray the insanity remains within the hollowed walls of Congress and that, maybe, from time to time, randomly, as dictated by the laws of probability, they might legislate something for the good of the people.  Come to think of it, it is probably best that we keep our Congress people confined behind those walls.  They could do some serious damage anywhere else.

Texas Signs of the Times

Signs are ways to communicate.  Road signs tell us a lot. Every community around the world has its many ways of posting them for people to read.  Long before Facebook and Twitter, but much later than smoke signals, road signs, aside from traffic ones, were the first means of  mass communication - limited but way more than person to person. It goes back to the days in how people left messages for their relatives or friends when they traveled during the days of the Roman Empire.  The story goes that at one time at a point where three roads (tri {three}-via {road} ) met and split, travelers would leave important messages for their kinfolks as to where they were going. At first they were indeed only important messages but later  became merely mundane notes.  Then the messages at the three roads deteriorated to  the level of mere gossip. They became trivial.

But in Texas, in today's times, I call it Roadside Twitter. Every state has the welcome sign like the one below. It is up to anyone to interpret "Drive Friendly - The Texas Way". I've lived here long enough to know all its meanings and different permutations and to be able to tell the Texas story with my personal interpretations of its road signs.

By the way, in Texas, y'all is both singular and plural pronoun.

The driver of this cute vehicle (below) will soon have learned that the pick up truck is the official state car.  

It is true what y'all have heard. Even the car wash is bigger and more accommodating in Texas, even for long horns.

It is also true what y'all have heard about the Texas weather.  Those from the East and West Coasts make fun of Texas weather but Texans' self deprecating humor deals with it.

By the way, next to California, Texas, despite its self description of being a "big oil State", has the second largest arrays of wind turbines in the U.S.  

Below, wildlife knows how to deal with the state climate.

I haven't been to the small town of Arroyo. Small but it has a large area of vacation rentals, hence a "tourist spot". The residents there have taken advantage of the Roadside Twitter phenomenon. You shall see a lot of them here. Whoever came up with the sign below knows the weather too well but also has a grasp of the double meaning of words.

Texans have accepted the other label of being a Bible Belt State - they tell you so.

A one time presidential candidate may have hit a nerve when he referred to conservative voters from the south as "clinging to their guns and religion" but may have spoken closer to truth by the sign below.

And they love the Second Amendment for protecting their homes with a passion ..

No offense is intended here against the Hispanic population, who are predominantly Catholic; someone in Arroyo just can't resist puns.

No ethnic offense here either.

A quick history note about Texas below. But pay attention to the one above the plaque.

The Fire Marshall - ruler of the public place occupancy code - makes fun of its own building occupancy limit in the city of Grapevine, suburb of Dallas. The old code limit from when the building was constructed needed updating so it was easier and least costly to just put in an addendum.

But a serious public caution .. Just sayin'

Speaking of truth in advertising, this last stop before you get to your favorite fishing hole says just about what every fisherman needs after a long drive.  It's a restaurant, gas station and a fishing supply in one. You can't be any more precise and concise about your place of business.

Next to fishing, Texans love to hunt too but you are cautioned about where exactly NOT to do it.

And nearby, after fishing or hunting, there certainly is a night spot for the two-step and beer.  You have to be familiar with the song.

Speaking of restaurants, this sign spices their menu with a bit of humor, albeit a bit grisly, and showing off its familiarity with what happened at the Roman senate on March 15, a couple of thousand years ago.

One restaurant had this sign in front:

"Dear Vegans, If you are trying to save the animals, STOP eating their food".

Texans are not too keen on vegetables, unless it's mashed potato with thick gravy on the side of a  ribeye steak and beer.

The punster in Arroyo is at it again.

Texans are proud of the southern drawl. But they love to engage in self deprecating pokes at their use of the English language.

When texting's feature doesn't always work.

And spelling too !

And punctuations, most of all!

Southern drawl aside, Texas happens to be home to two great engineering schools - Texas A & M and The University of Texas, and the self-described Harvard of the south - Rice University.  Texans know their science and math.

Many will get the joke below. But a hint to those not from Texas. This talks about salt ..

Not getting it still?  It refers to the first part of the scientific abbreviation for salt. Any Texan will tell you that any further explanation beyond that ruins the humor.

Arroyo loves college spring breakers but want to make sure out of state sojourners know their dy/dx.

Or NOT

Texas is senior friendly. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) wants to take care of its senior drivers.

And its pedestrians ..

Covid 19 or not ..

Seniors have this to say about their insecurity over their retirement income but don't want to deal with 8 characters or longer for their IRA account.

Texans are good parents and they know a thing or two about child rearing.

And they have something more to say in the midst of the lockdown.

The lockdown's other side effects is explained below:

Texas logic and philosophy in life explained:

Texans may love to talk but they have something about "silent" and "silence".

Texans love politics but not politicians

Texas - second only to Alaska in area - is big. Just as you cross the border from Louisiana and you get to Beaumont, don't think you've seen the whole state.  The Texas Highway Dept. wants to let you know you could be driving all night and day and you're still in Texas.

 

Texans love to drive and the Highway Dept. pokes fun at them.

Some Texas areas get flooded from time to time, including the intersection with a street name ..  what else? 

And we have winters too!  And to be safe, the Dept. of Public Safety won't take chances.

Yes, Texas is oil and cow country.  There are cowboys and ranchers.  A highly educated population but the cows don't go to school so they can't read.  Again, it is all about grammar and punctuation, isn't it.  The sign at the gate (below) is for people who crosses it.  There are cows here, so please ..

That about tells the Texas story in Roadside Twitter.

And to anyone with a legitimate and good reason to move here, don't worry about the weather. Utilities and gasoline are cheap, so you'll live in a fully airconditioned home and go from place to place in an airconditioned pick up truck.  Texans love to brag too.