Is Orwell's 1984 here in America?

Question

We don't have Big Brother posters everywhere and we are still allowed to channel surf, but some of the technology and ideas from George Orwell's 1984 (written in 1963) does exist today (TiVo is an example).

What are some more examples that can be found here in America?

Answer 1

Try Sinclair Lewis' It can't happen here, instead....Seriously, as it is specific to the USA...stronger parallels.

Answer 2

1984 was written in 1948.  I myself read it before 1963.  There was a movie of it made before 1963.

The funny thing is, Orwell was criticizing capitalist republics like Britain and the US, not fascism or socialism.  And you're right, we have grown closer and closer to that image ever since, and in the US we are closer now than ever.  

The one thing that I find most 1984-like is how politicians revise history.  Every politician follows polls religiously and aligns his own opinions to match.  For instance, every American politician loves capital punishment.  Anyone who has the guts to criticize capital punishment is bashed as being 'soft on crime.  But Americans are becoming disenchanted with capital punishment.  Every year fewer and fewer Americans say they favor it.  Someday soon, it will become less than 50% popular, and every politician in both parties will suddenly, courageously come out against the death penalty -and- try to convince us that he was against it all along.

Another thing is how we use words to mean their exact opposite (Freedom is slavery).  The Bush administration are experts at this with 'Clean Air' proposals that allow polluters to pollute without fear of punishment, the 'Fair Tax' that is anything but, and the 'Forests Forever' initiative that replaces ancient forests with commercial tree farms.