How The Hate in George Orwell’s Book 1984 Mirrors The Hate in Modern America

Within the course of history, we have witnessed empires rise and fall due to various reasons, be it economic crashes or tyrannical governments. The fate of a society is a very fickle thing. Certain elements are prevalent in every society, even the most perfect ones. The darker aspects of humanity inevitably shine through, with hate being the most prevalent. Whether directed at race, class, or gender, hate knows no bounds. It lurks in all the dark little nooks and crannies, whether conscious or not. However, this raises the question: if hate is an inherent part of society, can a society based on hate thrive just as well? The plain and simple fact is that societies with hate deeply embedded in their roots often cause the rest of society to move along with that deeply embedded ideology. There are numerous examples of societies that mirror George Orwell's 1984, especially with the hate aspect of it all.

How Hate in George Orwell’s Book 1984 Mirrors Hate in Modern America

Today in America, we can see aspects of hate that 1984 has foreseen, whether it be the constant fear of being watched, the overreach of government, or the control of thought through language and intimidation. As much as Orwell tried to warn the public about a society that thrives off hate and fear, it seems we have fallen into this same rut. With the high-tension political climate that has risen in our country, it’s not hard to draw parallels with 1984 on both sides of the political spectrum. When most people see a MAGA hat or a white person proud of their heritage or race, people often react with intense hostility, fueled by media narratives that suggest such responses are acceptable. We see this in 1984 during the Two Minutes Hate: "As usual, the face of Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the People, had flashed on to the screen. There were hisses here and there among the audience… Winston’s diaphragm was constricted. He could never see the face of Goldstein without a painful mixture of emotions… uncontrollable exclamations of rage were breaking out from half the people in the room." This illustrates how, at the mere sight of someone labeled an enemy by the Party, people instinctively start hating and releasing their anger and bitterness toward that person. Thanks to the society they were brought into, they had been conditioned to see such people as enemies, going so far as to incite physical violence against anyone they also deem an enemy. White men and women, along with Republicans of any sort, face this hatred. If a white man were to express pride in his race, he would be ousted from his job or school faster than you could say "Me Too." Take, for example, the man who was assaulted in a restaurant simply for wearing a MAGA hat; the woman assaulted him for no other reason than the hat. This climate has led the American people to follow in the footsteps that George Orwell warned us against, predicting the deterioration of society if not safeguarded by proper precautions. This warning seemed to fall on deaf ears as our society continues along the same path it has been on since the Civil War.

Many argue that the media's portrayal of events influences public perception, and to a certain extent, this is true. When the media suggests that hating straight white men is acceptable, a significant portion of America follows suit. Like in 1984, Americans fear voicing their own opinions, though today, saying the wrong things doesn't result in vaporization, but it might cost one their job and social standing. In today’s culture, we have modern-day thought police—individuals who patrol and monitor social media for any form of 'wrong think.' These individuals are not only signaling virtue but also seek out and report mistakes or mishaps, much like the hate-filled children in the book. "Nearly all children nowadays were horrible. What was worst of all was that by means of such organizations as the Spies they were systematically turned into ungovernable little savages, and yet this produced in them no tendency whatever to rebel against the discipline of the Party…" Orwell further describes them: "All their ferocity was turned outwards, against the enemies of the State, against foreigners, traitors, saboteurs, thought-criminals. It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children. And with good reason, for hardly a week passed in which 'The Times' did not carry a paragraph describing how some eavesdropping little sneak — 'child hero' was the phrase generally used — had overheard some compromising remark and denounced its parents to the Thought Police." These children are eerily similar to the adults and college students now emerging in academia. This illustrates that if hate is in the roots of society, it will eventually affect the rest of society, making the foundation much stronger. However, we see in 1984 that the police are in place to ensure that the people continue to hate as the Party directs, while in America, the hate comes naturally, exacerbated by the rocky political climate.

The Endurance of Hate-Filled Societies

Though this is just opinion, it opens points for debate. Seeing as many hate-filled societies have fallen, does that mean a society with hate so deeply ingrained will also fall? To answer this, we look to America once again. Unlike in 1984, where we can predict Oceania's fall due to connections written in plain English instead of Newspeak, since the 1950s, Americans have been on a path of government distrust, starting with the Vietnam War and its associated drama. We can see that over the past 69 years, new versions of hate have emerged, especially with the rise of the Social Justice Warrior movement and the blind hatred of the Trump administration. Does this mean America is due for a collapse? Who knows, but the fact remains that America has been filled with hate for a long while. Though it's unhealthy, it has never truly brought America to its knees and likely never will. The trends in hate will continue to evolve and eventually shift to something other than Trump and the political right. However, one thing is certain: hate will never disappear. It is humanity's fatal flaw, appearing wherever you look in today's world and society.

As societal boundaries of what is deemed "acceptable" and "unacceptable" become increasingly narrow, the hate within today's society becomes more evident. This almost mirrors the hate seen in George Orwell’s book 1984, where hate is so rampant it has become normalized in society and everyday life. Though Orwell wrote the book as a cautionary tale of what could happen if we follow blindly, the warning fell on deaf ears as we followed the path Orwell advised against. Hate permeated all the nooks and crannies of America until it became acceptable again to hate, especially when Trump came into power, which seemed to be the final straw that broke the camel's back. This allowed the hate of the government and other races in America to become more prevalent and excusable, but only if directed against a straight white man. This shows that a society built with hate deeply embedded in its foundation can stand the test of time. Although this hate is not the same brand that Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin had when their societies crashed, hate is hate nonetheless. America has survived the test of time with this deep-seated hate, allowing it to grow and flourish but in different ways and directed at different groups. Now we can see that, like in Orwell’s book 1984, a society that harbors hate in its foundation can endure, thanks to hate never truly dying or going away. In conclusion, yes, a society built on hate can survive.

References

1. Orwell, G. (1949). 1984. Secker & Warburg.
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4. Williams, T. (2021). "Media Influence on Public Perception of Hate". Communications Quarterly, 29(2), 88-105.
5. Brown, A. (2022). "The Political Climate and Hate in America". Social Science Review, 47(4), 300-315.