I just posted my 4000th post. Ask me something.

[OrwellwasRight]

I won't say ask me anything because I'm not actually interested in staying up that late. Just one question is good enough for me.

[Out of Time Man]

1. Your handle claims that Orwell was right...

Is there anything you feel he was wrong about?

[OrwellwasRight]

2. Glad you asked.

I would say he set his novel 1984 about 20 years too early. Other than that, he was generally right!

[Out of Time Man]

3. In the context of the story...

I was left with the impression that humanity had almost obliterated itself through perpetual war, and the resulting nation states had to create a new calendar, and so 1984 isn't the "actual" year in the book, but just a time line made up by the Party...

Am I wrong in that understanding? It's been about a decade since I read it.

[OrwellwasRight]

6. Wow.

I don't remember that specifically, but why not? I mean they constantly made up other things: the agriculture productions predictions, creating criminal backstories for newly minted enemies of the state, "we've always been at war with Eastasia/Eurasia," etc. So they certainly could have made up the year.

However, I've read that it was a simple 1984/48 transposition, which would indicate that the year was sort of chosen at random rather than as some actual "prediction." I just found this interesting bit though:

The most common belief is that he switched around the year 1948, the year he wrote the majority of the novel. His original title was going to be "The Last Man in Europe" but his publishers disagreed. But there may have been other factors at play, like the fact that the year 1984 was featured in books by authors Orwell admired, like Jack London in "The Iron Heel" and GK Chestersons's "The Napoleon of London". But the most telling is the fact that his wife, Eileen O’Shaughnessy (who died in 1945) wrote a poem called "End of the Century, 1984".

EDITED TO ADD: Another interesting fact is that his adopted son, Richard Horatio Blair, was born in May 1944 and would have been the same age as Winston. This probably wasn't a definitive reason, but it's interesting anyway I think. The "1948/1984" connection probably isn't correct for the simple reason that Orwell had already chosen the year by the time he started work on the final draft, largely in 1948; first draft being completed in 1947. Orwell had begun writing notes on the novel by, at the most, 1946 and thought of the concepts in 1943 after the meeting of the Big Three---Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin. His main idea was the thought of a world run by only two or three Superpowers.

https://www.quora.com/Why-did-George-Orwell-choose-the-year-1984

[Out of Time Man]

10. Some solid research there!

I'm bookmarking this for later...I have a friend who's an English Lit major that loves Orwell, and specifically 1984 (it tops most of her lists in literature).

[OrwellwasRight]

13. Please recommend to her

Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. A different take on the same theme.

I used to be a teacher and have tried teaching both novels. Player Piano I found was much more accessible to students who were only vaguely interested in school and much funnier. Still dark and depressing but also absurdist, so you can laugh through your tears, whereas there is really nothing funny about 1984 in my recollection.

[Out of Time Man]

14. No, 1984 is like Requiem for a Dream...

...in that it leaves you feeling shaken.

Unlike Requiem for a Dream, it's far better as a piece of work.

I'll definitely pass along your recommendation! I haven't read much Vonnegut myself, but his works are high on my list of "Must Read".

[Wounded Bear]

15. Vonnegut is great...

I took what I considered to be the main theme/message of 1984 and included it in my sig line.

Yeah, it is pretty dark, without any hope in the ending at all.

[OrwellwasRight]

16. Great sig line.

A favorite Vonnegut quote:

There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope that they are organized along the lines of the Mafia.

[Out of Time Man]

4. Also, congratulations on reaching over 4,000 posts!

I've seen you around here for a while now, and I've been quite fond of many of your posts. I look forward to seeing what you'll contribute in the years to come

[OrwellwasRight]

7. Thanks very much!

I've been here since 2004 (oddly enough), so I am not a particularly prolific poster. It comes in fits and spurts.

And is your name a reference to an Elvis Costello song or am I way off?

[Out of Time Man]

9. You're pretty close actually...

...it's not a reference to "Man out of Time" by Elvis Costello, but the song "Out of Time Man" by Mick Harvey.

That track was essentially my theme song a few years back, but the title also resonates with me for other reasons.

[OrwellwasRight]

11. I had never heard that song before.

But it does remind me of Iggy Pop's Passenger, which I also like. Good stuff.

[Out of Time Man]

12. I hadn't made that connection...

...but you're definitely right, the rhythm and melodies flow nicely together. They'd probably work well on a mix tape!

[mainstreetonce]

5. What's for breakfast?

Do you share?

[OrwellwasRight]

8. Coffee.

If I get up early enough to make a pot, yet. If I have to get Starbuck's on the go, no.

[bigwillq]

17. Congrats on 4,000 posts!

[OrwellwasRight]

23. Thanks, bigwillq!

[kentauros]

18. Do you like having your posts rec'd, no matter what you say?

rec #2

[OrwellwasRight]

22. Absolutely, yes!

I'm all for it. Sometimes I even rec my own posts, just to make other people think the post is more interesting than it apparently is. You know, like when you are at a community play and the director stands in the back and starts the applause, just make sure there is some.

[kentauros]

24. I wouldn't know that about community plays.

However, it would be interesting if movie directors had to travel the country and do that for their films

[hibbing]

19. Congrats on 4,000!

I recently celebrated my 3,000th after about 12 years as a member I think.

What color are your favorite pair of socks?


Peace

[OrwellwasRight]

20. Thank you!

Dark heathered gray.

[OrwellwasRight]

21. We're about the same speed.

Which probably is a good thing in my case. I'd never make it to 20K without being tombstoned.

[Skittles]

25. you want I should offer you a 4000th post anniversay ass kicking, OrwellwasRight?

yes INDEED

[OrwellwasRight]

26. Um . . . .

No thanks, I, uh, I, uh, I already had one today?



How about you tell my fortune instead?

[Skittles]

27. I predict I will eventually kick your ass

yes INDEED

[OrwellwasRight]

28. Kind of walked into that one

didn't I?