In George Orwell’s “1984,” the concept of “Newspeak” is an example of culture’s shaping force. In the novel, Oceania’s government actively controls and manipulates language to control thought and limit free expression. The creation and use of Newspeak is a clear example of how a culture can shape how individuals think and communicate.
The concept of “Newspeak” illustrates two of Dean Barnlund’s key concepts: the shaping force of culture and the relationship between language and thought. First, the novel demonstrates the shaping force of culture through the government’s manipulation of language. The government actively creates and enforces Newspeak to control citizens’ thoughts and actions. By limiting the speech available to them, the government can limit the ideas and expressions they can consider and communicate; the government’s manipulation of language is not just a way to control the words people use but also the thoughts they can think (Kuznar & Yager, 2020). The novel suggests that by limiting the speech available to individuals, you specify the thoughts and ideas they can consider and communicate. In addition to the concepts already discussed, “1984” also illustrates the idea of a “culture of surveillance,” which is closely related to the concept of a “Global Village”. The government in the novel uses advanced surveillance technology to monitor the actions and thoughts of its citizens at all times. This constant surveillance controls and manipulates citizens’ behavior, as they are always aware that they are being watched. This concept is closely related to the idea of a “Global Village,” as it illustrates how technology can shrink the world and control human interaction and perception on a global scale.
In “Communication in a Global Village,” Dean Barnlund states, “The term global village emphasizes the shrinkage of the world through electronic technology and the impact of this technology on human interaction and perception.” This concept is reflected in George Orwell’s “1984,” where the government uses advanced technology to control the communication and thoughts of its citizens through the manipulation of language. The novel illustrates how technology can control and manipulate human interaction and perception globally. In the book, the government enforces Newspeak to control its citizens’ thoughts and actions. By limiting the language available, the government can limit the ideas and expressions they can consider and communicate. The government in the novel rewrites history regularly to fit its current agenda and control its citizens’ thoughts and actions. By manipulating history and memory, the government can control how citizens view the past, present, and future and control their thoughts and actions (Barnlund, 2020). This is a powerful illustration of how culture can shape individuals’ thinking and communication by manipulating their understanding of the past and present.
In conclusion, “1984” by George Orwell is an excellent example of how culture and technology shape human interaction and perception. The novel illustrates how culture can shape how individuals think and communicate through the manipulation of language and how technology can control human interaction and perception on a global scale. The novel’s ” Newspeak ” concept is a powerful reminder of the relationship between language, thought, and culture and how it can be used to control and manipulate individuals. The novel serves as a cautionary tale of the potential consequences of technology when misused, and it highlights the importance of being aware of the impact of technology on human society.
Reference
Barnlund, D. C. (2020). Toward a Meaning-Centered Philosophy of Communication1. In Shared experiences in human communication (pp. 26-36). Routledge.
Kuznar, L. A., & Yager, M. (2020). The Development of Communication Models, Quick Look. Joint Staff J39, Strategic Multi-layer Assessment Washington, DC United States.
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