1984 by George Orwell

This entry is a continuation of my book review series. The series documents a brief overview of each book, 3-5 lessons learned and a reflection on how these lessons apply to personal, professional, and societal contexts.

Overview

George Orwell explores the suffocating grip of Big Brother and The Party in a totalitarian society through the point of view of Winston Smith, an outer party member who questions the Party’s ideologies and begins to rebel.

Lessons

• History is most often written by the victor. It is imperative to preserve both the truth and history of both winning and losing sides.
• Protagonists do not always win.
• Power continues to be firmly held by a select few.

Reflections

• 1984 raises many relevant issues. Unsurprisingly, we continue to observe these issues, requiring effective regulation and intervention. Censorship and information quality are topical considering the increased dependency and use of data for commercial purposes. The propagation of false information continues to disrupt communities and policymaking. Class structures persist in forms similar to historical observations. Recent events highlight the importance of good governance and regulation to balance power e.g., technology-related antitrust laws. 1984’s themes, lessons, and reflections will continue to remain relevant moving forward.