[107926] in Cypherpunks
Re: _1984_ vs _This_Perfect_Day_
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bill Stewart)
Fri Jan 29 00:07:59 1999
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 18:25:37 -0800
To: mgraffam@idsi.net, Jean-Francois Avon <jf_avon@citenet.net>
From: Bill Stewart <bill.stewart@pobox.com>
Cc: Cypherpunks <cypherpunks@cyberpass.net>,
Canadian-Gun-Nuts@bang.saskatoon.sk.ca
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.990124202334.25306B-100000@albert>
Reply-To: Bill Stewart <bill.stewart@pobox.com>
My interpretation has been that Orwell is making the point that
totalitarianism is something to avoid getting into,
rather than focusing on how to live authentically after the fall.
On the other hand, some interpretations are more equal than others...
>To my mind, Orwell makes it clear while an individual may (even must)
>fail, nevertheless, the only worthwhile way to live is in rebellion.
>And, more to the point .. that a few months in rebellion is worth more
>than a lifetime of subserviance.
>> Maybe, but you have to take things in their proper context. I never said we
>> "should obey the Party", but I say that human ingenuity and tenaciousness can
>> win against evil.
>
>Thats the thing though. Even if we can't win, human dignity demands we
>live as free men, even if in the end we are destroyed. You are going to
>die anyhow, we all know that. The question, then, isn't how you died. The
>question of import is how you lived. Orwell affirms this, I think.
Thanks!
Bill
Bill Stewart, bill.stewart@pobox.com
PGP Fingerprint D454 E202 CBC8 40BF 3C85 B884 0ABE 4639
