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Putin's brazen manipulation of language a perfect example of Orwellian doublespeak

12 Comments
By Mark Satta

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Orwell, an Englishman who lived from 1903 to 1950, experienced war, imperialism and poverty during the first half of his life. These experiences led Orwell to identify as a socialist and member of the British political left.

Orwell was a socialist but abhorred authoritarianism. So many clumsy interpretations of his works.

He labels acts of war “peacekeeping duties.”

There are so many other egregious examples, not only the latest by Putin.

A big corporate tax cut and corporate welfare bill named "The Jobs and Prosperity Act".

Union busting legislation called "Right to Work" laws.

Invasions cast as bringing "freedom", "democratic values" or "civilization" to other countries.

Orwell was right about so many things.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

It’s probably more of telling the “big lie,” as Hitler wrote in 1925. It’s used to be rare, but seems commonplace now.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Orwell, an Englishman who lived from 1903 to 1950, experienced war, imperialism and poverty during the first half of his life. These experiences led Orwell to identify as a socialist and member of the British political left.

George Orwell's real name was Eric Arthur Blair and he is buried at All Saints Church in Sutton Courtenay, near Oxford.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

But at the moment, there's only one country I can think of which has chosen to invade another

There's plenty more current invasion conflicts around the world.

Most present dilemmas, demanding introspection about our worldview and habits.

Ukraine less so.

Why fret over the true cost of petroleum when there's lipsticks and Kalashnikovs on the other channels?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Orwell, an Englishman who lived from 1903 to 1950, experienced war, imperialism and poverty during the first half of his life. These experiences led Orwell to identify as a socialist and member of the British political left.

People can identify as anything they want, but that doesn't really make it true. He is a political leftist in the same way that someone like Vausch would be today. Most of his books are written from an expressly anti-socialist bent, and he was very anti-communist. By all rights, he was a liberal, not a leftist at alll.

I will say some of his earlier non-fiction work came from a slightly more leftist bent and are worth reading (Homage to Catalonia, Down and Out in Paris and London, and The Road to Wigan Pier), but he definitely moved right as time went on.

I strongly recommend reading Isaac Asimov's review of 1984, as he put it far better than I could ever begin to. Jones Manoel has an excellent critical reading of Animal Farm I would recommend as well.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

First Putin, then Orwell.

If anyone saw Putin's jamboree might have seen a banner that read in Russian "Freedom from Nazism." That is the lowest lie of Putin's low lies. Under that lie is not a Stalin figure but a seemingly amiable figure like a candy salesman. And he is not a Communist but vary rich capitalist.

Orwell met Henry Miller in Paris where Miller told him he was an idiot to get mixed out is other people's problems by was so mover by Orwell's sincerity that he gave Orwell his leather jacket. Orwell came to believe in Socialism in Barcelona and remained a Socialist all his life. Homage to Catalonia, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-four were all Socialist novels. Not rightists but also Liberals helped to distort Orwell real vision.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Blast it! "The last line should read "Not ONLY rightist but also Liberals helped to distort Orwell's real vision."

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Listening to Putin reminds me of the propaganda that used to come out of Nazi Germany and the USSR.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Listening to Putin, is like listening to Bush. Biden. And that heinous pretender Zalenskyy.

The entirety is the result of an ongoing political, economic and historical process. Orwellian indeed.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

V Putin’s doublespeak and the rally he just held in Moscow reminded me of the rallies of the former Insurrectionist-in-Chief … 100% bunk.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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