Doublethink and the Subjugation of Reality What is it to “extend the area of sanity,” as Orwell suggests? Sanity is truth, standing in contrast to the madness of doublethink. Doublethink, which together with Newspeak is the foundation of the Party’s construction of whole realities, is insanity. Simply defined, insanity is the denial of what is real.
the opposite of chaos is harmony. What an extraordinary blend of spices and atoms and directions exploded, stretching now near to '14 billion' whatevers in a linear sense. We have linear time stretching this eternal explosion out into a story so vast, the cosmos becomes sacred storied ground...
But even if I get this, and I do...... as a small speck..... I still have the day to day conundrums..... dog training issues, and sources greens etc.....
....... and seriously, how much bad weather can we withstand before we jettison off the planet....
yikes, what a trip.
"there are no bad dogs. only bad owners...." so much responsibility. My microaggressions surface....
The only logical meaning of "post-modern" is "of the future, that which has not yet happened." Other uses are doublethink, as is drawing a boundary between "the modern era" and the now. The proper response to doublethink is to laugh: "No, really! What are you trying to say?"
Thanks Charles, I am loving this article! Attending to the means and not the ends is so critical. Jesus approaches this sentiment when he says, "The good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can the bad tree produce good fruit."
I've been reading your work for some time, and it has deep meaning and importance to me. This makes me feel a little silly when the first time I am prompted to comment here, it is about something incredibly trivial. But here goes. I think they have been doing photographic manipulation since a lot earlier than the 1940s. I found this video on the topic to be quite interesting:
“Today, when nearly all records are electronic, this alteration can happen with a few keystrokes. Entire events can be rewritten or erased. We are entering an era of intensifying confusion as to what is real.”
This is why it will become more important than ever to turn towards ourselves- to our own genes, our own cells, our own DNA, to know what is Truth. Our own souls hold memories of the ages- google research has an agenda to make money for others
Books you read are beneficial but only if wisely chosen and contemplated for oneself.- keeping in mind that everything outside of yourself belongs to someone else- find out what is yours- what is true within oneself- “know thyself”- know everything. Omniscience is possible.
“Out there”-Society, the system-the “party” will continue to be INSANITY- The sanity is within us- we can only trust ourselves then we KNOW who and what to trust.
Thanks for this extended essay, Charles. I remember reading 1984 in my teens and being absolutely terrified by it, and also pretty disconnected from it. It was so far from my experience and seemed unreal and impossible. But look how society has gone since then!! Right now, I'm thinking of a Wendell Berry poem that I've always felt so drawn to, especially because it is so different from many of his others. Like you, my major concern is how can I become resistant to The Party and The Program (and live my life in freedom, connecting in freedom to those other humans who won't attempt to control me): Do Not Be Ashamed by Wendell Berry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=30634
I've read and re-read 1984 and find your pov deepens the already masterful meaning. However, 1984 - written with courage and read by millions - didn't seem to prohibit the very society Orwell warned about coming to be. Interesting question: did Orwell predict an inevitable future or help create it? And how about these essays? I wonder, does what we express concern about - absent accompanying action step recommendations - tend to grow the very thing we fear? Increasingly, I find that I MUST marry a positive action to troubling awareness. Not later, but right away. In this case, I'm inspired to connect ever more deeply with beauty, starting with myself. I can look in the mirror and say: "I am ... " and add something positive like kind, honest, compassionate, etc. Doing this increases my love of self and enables me to see the beauty in others. It also creates the society I live in day by day which always starts on the inside and then reflects "out there."
Another wonderful and profound essay, Charles. Thanks for sharing it.
As someone who has long been aware of how often our modern culture divides the world into binaries, until about a year ago I often said, “It’s not either/or, it’s both/and!”
But then one day I had an epiphany. That statement was also an either/or statement! Thus, I realized for it to be truly both/and, it would be, “It’s both/and AND it’s either/or!” Yes, a seeming paradox, but I’ve come to recognize that paradox often points toward Truth.
Last, it was by going down a road that our modern culture mostly scoffs at---studying the archetypes of astrology---that I was able to come to this new understanding. The moral for me is to be willing to explore ideas that are no longer in vogue, especially if they’ve been around for a very long time, and to allow that exploration challenge and even change ideas one has long held to be true.
Oh, there’s one more moral: The mind is a tricky playground! Enjoy your time swinging from its monkey bars but don’t take your 10-point landings too seriously!
Thanks Charles for this two insights into the doublethink of our times.
Our opponents splits the world into opposing views- "Are you black or white ? Red or green ? Zero or One ? Left or Right ?" And as we try to decide between this boolean options, we forget about all the grey shades between black and white, and so we loose reality. That's the trick.
However, it's not for nothing it works so well. To deal with all the subtle differences in the world is complex. Time consuming. Complexity of reality is often overhelming.
Our [concious] brains cannot deal with the reality without simplifications.
Studying some creative arts, I see that our unconsciousness is far more powerfull in dealing with this complexity. But it's slow. It needs plenty of time and practice to learn any skill: painting, dancing, musicmaking, - every art needs so much time to be mastered.
And humility- while you invest let's say a five years to turn into a great pianist, you cannot do the same for another instrument on the same level- you have to focus, if you want to achieve mastery.
So they mislead us that there would be a "fast lane" to master reality by just offering two simple options. But there is not.
Many perspectives are subjective, but a lot of things are also clearly black and white in our world. Up is not down, 2 + 2 really is 4, men are not women, etc. People seem to be trained to give up and go with the flow when they are confronted with inconsistent information or even obvious untruths. One problem we face is the (postmodern?) claim that there is no objective truth. This sets us up for cognitive dissonance and gaslighting. We need to challenge people to dig for the truth and to love the truth, the honest to God real and objective truth.
Here in Australia I have heard a couple of stories of medical professionals when asked if the vaccines caused the increase in heart issues that both ambulance paramedics and doctors admitted they seeing answering with: "I am not allowed to say"... This is a kind of double speak - not contradicting the narrative even while knowing that something is amiss (otherwise they would just say 'no'), so as not to damage the Party line, while not actually lying; we cannot possibly undermine 'The Ascent of Humanity' to use the title of one of Charles' books which thinks humans can work it all out and be independent of nature, which of course takes us further away from our connection with all that we are...
A few years ago I realized that the best definition for humans is "the only species that thinks it is not part of nature"
Thanks you Charles - I've loved this series exploring the book 1984, which I re read in 2021. It's so obvious to me that you are way ahead of the times and writing this in 2009/10 shows how back then you were already warning people of how it was then and now it has all been amplified. Being a visionary is very frustrating when people are not ready to hear. More people are hearing now and it feels like the tipping point is close but not there yet. I'm so glad you persevered despite hard times in the early days and I thank you for your vision, integrity and willingness to hang on to love!
The culmination of madness requires a phase change, as does the culmination of sobriety. With the phase change, reality does change. It is important not to deny this either.
further to this....
the opposite of chaos is harmony. What an extraordinary blend of spices and atoms and directions exploded, stretching now near to '14 billion' whatevers in a linear sense. We have linear time stretching this eternal explosion out into a story so vast, the cosmos becomes sacred storied ground...
But even if I get this, and I do...... as a small speck..... I still have the day to day conundrums..... dog training issues, and sources greens etc.....
....... and seriously, how much bad weather can we withstand before we jettison off the planet....
yikes, what a trip.
"there are no bad dogs. only bad owners...." so much responsibility. My microaggressions surface....
The only logical meaning of "post-modern" is "of the future, that which has not yet happened." Other uses are doublethink, as is drawing a boundary between "the modern era" and the now. The proper response to doublethink is to laugh: "No, really! What are you trying to say?"
Thanks Charles, I am loving this article! Attending to the means and not the ends is so critical. Jesus approaches this sentiment when he says, "The good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can the bad tree produce good fruit."
I've been reading your work for some time, and it has deep meaning and importance to me. This makes me feel a little silly when the first time I am prompted to comment here, it is about something incredibly trivial. But here goes. I think they have been doing photographic manipulation since a lot earlier than the 1940s. I found this video on the topic to be quite interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi_QYVFymQw
Thank you Charles! Can I make you laugh?
Hooray! Hold your horses! Stop and read! (this is not a joke, it is real)
Mr. George Orwell are you there? Hello? Mr. Orwell?
The 'Federation of State Medical Boards' voted early this year on the establishment of :
“The Ministry of Truth”
any comments? I am speechless.
“Today, when nearly all records are electronic, this alteration can happen with a few keystrokes. Entire events can be rewritten or erased. We are entering an era of intensifying confusion as to what is real.”
This is why it will become more important than ever to turn towards ourselves- to our own genes, our own cells, our own DNA, to know what is Truth. Our own souls hold memories of the ages- google research has an agenda to make money for others
Books you read are beneficial but only if wisely chosen and contemplated for oneself.- keeping in mind that everything outside of yourself belongs to someone else- find out what is yours- what is true within oneself- “know thyself”- know everything. Omniscience is possible.
“Out there”-Society, the system-the “party” will continue to be INSANITY- The sanity is within us- we can only trust ourselves then we KNOW who and what to trust.
“consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed.”
Another way of saying this 👆is: “Black magic”
-using ones own consciousness against them- turning one’s own soul against them.
El doble pensar se inculca desde el hogar.
Los reflejos basicos ante el poder se inculcan en el hogar
Thanks for this extended essay, Charles. I remember reading 1984 in my teens and being absolutely terrified by it, and also pretty disconnected from it. It was so far from my experience and seemed unreal and impossible. But look how society has gone since then!! Right now, I'm thinking of a Wendell Berry poem that I've always felt so drawn to, especially because it is so different from many of his others. Like you, my major concern is how can I become resistant to The Party and The Program (and live my life in freedom, connecting in freedom to those other humans who won't attempt to control me): Do Not Be Ashamed by Wendell Berry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=30634
I've read and re-read 1984 and find your pov deepens the already masterful meaning. However, 1984 - written with courage and read by millions - didn't seem to prohibit the very society Orwell warned about coming to be. Interesting question: did Orwell predict an inevitable future or help create it? And how about these essays? I wonder, does what we express concern about - absent accompanying action step recommendations - tend to grow the very thing we fear? Increasingly, I find that I MUST marry a positive action to troubling awareness. Not later, but right away. In this case, I'm inspired to connect ever more deeply with beauty, starting with myself. I can look in the mirror and say: "I am ... " and add something positive like kind, honest, compassionate, etc. Doing this increases my love of self and enables me to see the beauty in others. It also creates the society I live in day by day which always starts on the inside and then reflects "out there."
Another wonderful and profound essay, Charles. Thanks for sharing it.
As someone who has long been aware of how often our modern culture divides the world into binaries, until about a year ago I often said, “It’s not either/or, it’s both/and!”
But then one day I had an epiphany. That statement was also an either/or statement! Thus, I realized for it to be truly both/and, it would be, “It’s both/and AND it’s either/or!” Yes, a seeming paradox, but I’ve come to recognize that paradox often points toward Truth.
Last, it was by going down a road that our modern culture mostly scoffs at---studying the archetypes of astrology---that I was able to come to this new understanding. The moral for me is to be willing to explore ideas that are no longer in vogue, especially if they’ve been around for a very long time, and to allow that exploration challenge and even change ideas one has long held to be true.
Oh, there’s one more moral: The mind is a tricky playground! Enjoy your time swinging from its monkey bars but don’t take your 10-point landings too seriously!
Thanks Charles for this two insights into the doublethink of our times.
Our opponents splits the world into opposing views- "Are you black or white ? Red or green ? Zero or One ? Left or Right ?" And as we try to decide between this boolean options, we forget about all the grey shades between black and white, and so we loose reality. That's the trick.
However, it's not for nothing it works so well. To deal with all the subtle differences in the world is complex. Time consuming. Complexity of reality is often overhelming.
Our [concious] brains cannot deal with the reality without simplifications.
Studying some creative arts, I see that our unconsciousness is far more powerfull in dealing with this complexity. But it's slow. It needs plenty of time and practice to learn any skill: painting, dancing, musicmaking, - every art needs so much time to be mastered.
And humility- while you invest let's say a five years to turn into a great pianist, you cannot do the same for another instrument on the same level- you have to focus, if you want to achieve mastery.
So they mislead us that there would be a "fast lane" to master reality by just offering two simple options. But there is not.
Many perspectives are subjective, but a lot of things are also clearly black and white in our world. Up is not down, 2 + 2 really is 4, men are not women, etc. People seem to be trained to give up and go with the flow when they are confronted with inconsistent information or even obvious untruths. One problem we face is the (postmodern?) claim that there is no objective truth. This sets us up for cognitive dissonance and gaslighting. We need to challenge people to dig for the truth and to love the truth, the honest to God real and objective truth.
Beautifully written Charles and so true. X
Here in Australia I have heard a couple of stories of medical professionals when asked if the vaccines caused the increase in heart issues that both ambulance paramedics and doctors admitted they seeing answering with: "I am not allowed to say"... This is a kind of double speak - not contradicting the narrative even while knowing that something is amiss (otherwise they would just say 'no'), so as not to damage the Party line, while not actually lying; we cannot possibly undermine 'The Ascent of Humanity' to use the title of one of Charles' books which thinks humans can work it all out and be independent of nature, which of course takes us further away from our connection with all that we are...
A few years ago I realized that the best definition for humans is "the only species that thinks it is not part of nature"
Thanks you Charles - I've loved this series exploring the book 1984, which I re read in 2021. It's so obvious to me that you are way ahead of the times and writing this in 2009/10 shows how back then you were already warning people of how it was then and now it has all been amplified. Being a visionary is very frustrating when people are not ready to hear. More people are hearing now and it feels like the tipping point is close but not there yet. I'm so glad you persevered despite hard times in the early days and I thank you for your vision, integrity and willingness to hang on to love!
The culmination of madness requires a phase change, as does the culmination of sobriety. With the phase change, reality does change. It is important not to deny this either.