The 1984 Eye Mug
“It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move.” That is how George Orwell describes the posters of Big Brother which plaster every wall in Winston Smith’s Oceania.
In a totalitarian state, you are always watched.
Your emails are read by bureaucrats. They may only them check for certain key words – we would provide examples, but doing so banish this website to Google’s nether dimensions.
Your movements are tracked by bureaucrats. They may only note whether you leave the house when the government has made doing so illegal, unless they have determined you merit special attention.
Your education, your internet usage, your personal relationships and your income are all monitored by bureaucrats. They may not be thrilled by much of your browsing history. They would certainly not like that you’re here.
And those bureaucrats answer to party members. And those party members make laws. And those laws are enforced by other bureaucrats.
And though you may distinctly remember once living in a free country – or a freer country, at least – you can’t help but wonder when that all began to change.
In fact, it was gradual. The closer the government watched you, the better they learned how to control you. But thank goodness the powers that be would never stoop so low as to access the microphone and camera you keep on you at all times.
