1984

I went to Target yesterday and the first thing I noticed was the camera and screen situated right above the entrance. Not only was my entrance monitored, but the cameras throughout the entire store recorded my every move. The employee at the exit door also took my receipt and went through my bag of purchases. Sure, this is all done for the sake of security, but can't I buy what I need without having someone go through my stuff and scrutinize my every move?

Later in the day, I went to see Harry Potter at the theatres. I came a bit early and watched as countless amounts of propaganda were played before the previews. From the Army, to the Marines, to the National Guard...everything was glorified and depicted as heroic, fulfilling, and motivating. In one of the commercials that was played, I remember seeing a child handing over a flower to a compassionate American soldier bearing an enormous gun. Is that really how it's going to be if I decided to join the armed forces?

From shopping to going to the movies...these little things in life can be relatable to 1984. Though everything in 1984 is a bit more extreme (such as the telescreens monitoring every move, hearing every word), it is fair to say that there are some aspects of our lives that aren't entirely devoid of surveillance and scrutiny. Also, whether we are aware of it or not, we are constantly being exposed propaganda (military) and commercials/ads that seek to make us behave a certain way. For example, when you see an ad that glorifies the armed forces like I did in the theater, doesn't it make you believe that joining the army is going to give you feelings of great satisfaction? It tries to persuade you in a way that makes you fail to recognize the harsher realities of joining the armed forces, such as war, violence, and possibly death. Or what about when you see an ad at 1 AM in the morning about a weight loss pill that claims to be fast, safe, and effective? They entire ad is glorified in a way that you may fail to recognize that weight loss pills are usually ineffective and dangerous substitutions for healthy diet and exercise. My point is, like the society in 1984, we can be just as easily brainwashed to the workings of our government without being aware of it. It seems crazy, but it is possible.