The Power of Media (Essay Sample)

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The Power of Media
Privacy is that state of being free from being disturbed by people. People can be easily debilitated if there is no restriction of personal information. The media has a high degree of influence with respect to shaping the thoughts of people. The novel, 1984 written by George Orwell explains clearly the astute perception about the society and politics. It explains the loss of critical thinking faculty in individuals and also the less capacity for self expression. The battle for self expression is difficult and also challenging and it is a representative of a society where the media is an instrument of misunderstanding, hate and also misinformation.
In the novel, the hierarchical system depicted as Big Brother and the party controls and represses everything and everyone. Its mandate is to take total control on people’s privacy and their thoughts by the use of cameras and microphones which are located on every corner of the city. They punish anybody who thinks differently or questions them on their role. The relationship of two protagonists, Winston Smith and Julia are a threat to O’Brian, an antagonist who ultimately breaks their relationship. The main reason for this is because of their rebellion towards Big brother and the Party. Oceania is typically a totalitarian state controlled by Big brother.
In the 1984 movie, an abuse of privacy and information is evidently seen by the citizens of Oceania being bombarded with so much propaganda from the authorities by the use of telescreens. Winson, however, had to put up with the lectures of Big brother through the telescreens (Hall, 6). Those who had committed crimes in the 1984 movie face direct assassination by use of predator drones and in this case there is no legal process and no oversight. In the novel, the miscreants had to be brainwashed and tortured but not murdered. In 1984, higher level of thinking by individuals was eventually destroyed by the state and the citizens had to believe everything that was presented to them. The word "bellyfeel" used by Orwell best explained the ordeal of having blind faith in accepting everything and hence having no room for critical thinking.
Americans are now living in a society which seems to be more draconian than the life in the 1984 novel. They are facing greater abuse and also a high tech surveillance than any other that Winston Smith had ever faced. All the utterances made by the citizens in America are publicly listened to by Big Brother by the use of surveillance. In addition, there are street lights that have been installed in cities in the country and these can record conversations that are private. America is currently more advanced than Orwell’s Oceanic because in these recent times, helicopters are not necessarily used in spying as there are unmanned drones, which do not only act as surveillance devices, but also have teasers which can easily pass an electric shock to any criminals dimmed as suspicious.
The Homeland security in America has come up with the "See something, Say something" notion which mainly entails the American citizens being watched at all levels, in hotel rooms, in Wall-Mart and in football games. Schools in The USA are also training their children of all ages to be "eco-spies”, and this report the bad recycling habits of their parents. Moreover, illiteracy rates are on the rise in many US states. The citizens are dumbed down by a decaying culture that celebrates its stupidity and also systems of public schools in terminal decline.
Just like the Oceanic citizens who were faced with a lot of propaganda from the state through telescreens, in America, its citizens are faced with the onslaught of alerts from the gover...