George Orwell's Use Of Fear In 1984

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The darkness produced by terror allows dictators and ruler to use it as a method of control. Throughout history the control of multiple people groups and populations directly resulted from fear. Leaders of these states found terror an effective tactic to maintain their power. The United States at times appears to resort to the misuse of fear. Whether intentional or not, few can deny the brutal effectiveness of terror. The government of the United States parallels both Orwell’s fictional government of 1984 and existing governments in its use of fear to control the population. Perhaps no other state embodies the misuse of terror as that of Nazi Germany. Hitler achieved control of the citizenry through fear to an unprecedented extent. The Nazi…show more content…
While explaining to Winston why he suffers the ordeal he experiences, O’Brien says, “By itself, pain is not always enough. There are occasions when a human being will stand out against pain, even to the point of death. But for everyone there is something unendurable-something that cannot even be contemplated (Orwell 284).” In Syria, Assad realizes the point that he makes. Though indisputably effective, pain’s ability to control people pales in comparison the ability of terror. Fear of the future or possibilities in it keep people under the control of the state. O’Brien admits the impossibility of creating a true utopia when he tells Winston, “It is the exact opposite of the stupid hedonistic Utopias that the old reformers imagined. A world of fear and treachery and torment, a world of trampling and being trampled upon, a world which will grow not less but more merciless as it refines itself (Orwell 267).” Hitler, also, realized the need for cruelty to control people. Mercilessness destroys the possibility of rebellion. Cruelty leaves no room for reform. O’Brien attests to the necessity of destroying people through terror, and molding them into the form that the state desires, “Power is in inflicting pain and humiliation. Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing (Orwell…show more content…
The government of the United States realizes the effectiveness of fear, and attempts to implement it. They use multiple reasons to steal the liberties of the people, and out of terror, citizens refuse to resist. Currently, the War on Drugs provides local law enforcement with a reason to militarize themselves. An atmosphere of fear surrounds those who deal with a militarized police force (Whitehead). Similarly to Hitler’s Germany, the government calls on citizens to inform on their neighbors and friends. Surveillance by not only the government, but also regular people that interact with each other, leads to a constant feeling of watching one’s back. The declaration of the War on Terror excuses militarization as well as surveillance by the state. In the name of safety, certain freedoms and liberties are compromised with little to no protest by the people. As a result of the fear of terrorism, the government labels conservative groups that do not align with their policies as terroristic in nature. People who may speak out against certain government policies find the threat of being labelled a terrorist unappealing. This means that the willingness to speak out against state policies disappears. John W. Whitehead best sums up the power that fear has over the people of the United States, “Thus, fear is the root of the problem. The only thing which will improve our present
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