October 1, 2000    
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To what extent do you think Orwell's 1984 has come true?

It seems like that year did come to pass...

Anthony, 25
Baton Rouge
, LA

I haven't read it, so I can't really comment on it.

Ernest, 29
Washington
, DC

No.

Karen, 21
Marshelltown/Ames
, IA

I'm an English student who has taken two science fiction classes, and I haven't even read it.

Karen, 20
Marshelltown/Ames
, IA

not too much, in literal terms. . ..I was/am a big fan of the Big Brother tv show, however. . .

mothmc, 36
Los Angeles
, CA

For the purposes of a good story, Orwell neglected to give Big Brother any powerful opposition. Yes, privacy is being threatened, but privacy is also being defended.

Jill, 59
Saylorsburg
, PA

In the sense that people control what we say or do or think, but in a different way than Orwell thought. Now it's political correctness and hate speech and censorship. I'm not saying that it's all bad; PC and laws against hate speech have helped tremendously, but who decides what's offensive and

Amy, 23
New Orleans
, LA

I  haven't read it since Jr. High so I don't remember it.

Stephanie, 24
TX

Less than I might have expected when I first read it.

Jane, 60
West Linn
, OR

Never read it.

Firelady, 22
Dallas
, TX

I actually feel kind of cool that this question was brought up,  because I just read the book... but anyway, I don't think much of it has happened yet, but I do think some of the concepts and ideas in 1984 are kind of reflecting what is going on now...

Jeremy, 13
Highlands Ranch
, CO

i think we are a lot closer than most people realize. todays technology allows the government to spy on us with relative ease. they can track us on sattelites from space without our knowledge. cellular phone conversations can be easily tapped into. next thing you know, parents will be able to voluntarily have microchips implanted in their children so they dont lose them... then you could be tracked at will. if you sit down and think about what the government can find out about you and how they can track you if they want to... its scary.

Steve, 29
Lake Worth
, FL

Never read the book but I like what Cyndi Lauper and The Police did back then. Rubix Cube was the biggest thing I recall from 1984.

Jami, 27
Lowell
,
MA

okay, so I'll admit that I haven't read it) please don't be shocked). But the stuff I hear that he wrote about a "big brother" figure seems to be pretty close.

Jaden, 21
Brampton, Ontario CANADA

The CCTV in most major city centres are a bit intimidating, as you're always being watched. But apart from that I don't think that things are as bad as in the book yet.

Shanna, 15
Cardiff ENGLAND

I remember all the hype when the book came out, but I was pretty young...I think I was around 14 or 15. I never read it. I guess it would be very interesting to read it now!

Susan, 31
Chicago
, IL

I think that this is an excellent question. I personally think that we have only seen the very beginning of Orwell's idea - we are known by numbers (social security, student id etc) we are watched wherever we go by security of one form or another. I think that we have only seen the beginning of what is to come. And I only hope that I am alive to see it so I might as least try to help in bringing it down.

Kate, 19
Bellingham
, WA

completely...we just don't know it.

Angela, 16
Aiken
, SC

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