Media literacy enables society to effectively consume and evaluate information by asking critical questions and resisting manipulation. It also provides individuals with the tools to take action when observing media manipulation, fostering positive change for truth and understanding.
When discussing the importance of media literacy in society, it would be a great disservice not to mention one of the most critically essential novels ever written about propaganda and manipulation: George Orwell’s 1984.
Although the book is a satire on totalitarianism, Orwell wrote it as a warning to future generations about the dangers of authoritarianism.
His novel has been a cultural resource for generations of activist educators and freedom fighters battling to make sure the imagined totalitarian society where “war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength” will never come to exist here in the US.
It’s not going so well.
A little background on the novel:
Published in 1949 by the British writer George Orwell, the book was the final in a series illustrating the dangers of using mass surveillance, media manipulation and thought control to create a totalitarian society.
In the novel, the main protagonist, Winston Smith, lives in the imagined future totalitarian state of Oceania. The official year is unknown, but it is believed to be 1984. It is ruled by Big Brother, a dictator supported by his Ministry of Truth, a government-run propaganda machine, and his Thought Police, special officers who arrest people for personal or unproven thoughts. Smith and another character, Julia, attempt to join a resistance group but ultimately fail, and they are captured and repatriated.
The novel is famous for adding words like “doublethink,” “thoughtcrime,” and “newspeak” to the modern lexicon. Battling these fictional concepts is the basis for real-world action of being a good digital citizen, questioning narratives, especially from the government, and always looking for truth.
Is it 1984 today?
Unfortunately, Orwell’s alternative dystopian world resembles much of today’s cultural, social, and political landscape. Today’s Students are not surprised by the idea of centralized information manipulation. They have seen the Biden administration expand programs tracking users on social media platforms. Eric Snowden exposed multiple global surveillance programs run by the NSA illegally spying on American citizens.
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway ‘Alternative facts’ statement to the press defending Trump’s inauguration numbers sounds eerily similar to Orwell’s doublethink’. As the digital reach of the government grows, so does this cultural resource’s importance to educate.
Is technology to blame?
For Orwell’s vision of a mass surveillance state to become a reality, the state would need eyes everywhere. In today’s digital world, we carry smart devices in our pockets, cars, and homes that inform third parties of our location in real time and record our conversations. Through these devices, governments monitor their citizens in a manner very similar to Orwell’s envisioned nightmare.
Is today’s world that dystopian?
The conditions of today’s governmental landscape do not come close to the authoritarian nightmare Orwell wrote about. Still, elements of his alternative reality are reflected in current conditions. Governments worldwide, including here in America, monitor citizens.
They use the information they collect to track and censor, and the worst part is that we help them by using smart devices. In our world, we allow Big Brother to watch us with every internet cookie we accept, but unlike Orwell’s world, we can fight back.
We can use encrypted networks and VPNs to keep our networks secure. We can also limit our exposure on social media by being cautious about who has access to our profiles. Finally, we can use encryption software for emails, phone calls, or text messages, making it impossible for unwanted parties to access our private data.