Do you remember the commandments that were painted on the side of the barn--rules for good animal conduct. One by one each commandment got changed to favor the pigs--and once the change was made, very few animals could remember that it had ever been any different.
Borg similarities to Animal Farm? Absolutely!
by WingCommander 17 Replies latest jw friends
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BizzyBee
Good topic, Wing.
George Orwell's observations about politics and propaganda are more relevant than ever. His classic essay, "Politics and the English Language," describes the relationship between words and truth, and could be a template for the writing department of the WTS. His point is that unclear writing leads to unclear thinking or no thinking at all.
He rants against
- phrases tacked together like the sections of a prefabricated hen-house (this is why it is so easy for ex-JWs to parody WT writing) "The invasion of one’s mind by ready-made phrases can only be prevented if one is constantly on guard against them. Every such phrase anesthetizes a portion of one’s brain."
- language as an instument for concealing or preventing thought
- the use of meaningless words ("honest-hearted," "clean," "end," "near")
- orthodoxy ("The Truth," "united in thought")
- euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness ("new light," "present truth," "old light")
He also says: "Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind."
BTW, the word propaganda originates from "propagating the faith."
Makes me want to go back and read Animal Farm.
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hillary_step
The quite brilliant exJW Gary Botting wrote the book "The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses" with his wife Heather, drawing these parallels way back in the 1980's. It still makes an excellent read and as is usual with anything Gary publishes, incredibly well researched.
http://www.amazon.com/Orwellian-World-Jehovahs-Witnesses/dp/0802065457
HS
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M.J.
Napoleon = Rutherford?
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inkling
ooo... The Windmill = 1975!
this is a great thread :)
[inkling]
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jaguarbass
Animal farm is a good book.
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justhuman
they are exactly the same
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4thgen
Just watched the movie. With talking farm animals, it appeared to be a childrens movie, but my child would not totally 'get it'. The similarites were there of the GB living in luxury and spinning of tales to make things look good. A good read/watch for an adult, if you can get past the animals....