In the book 1984 Winston believes that it would be impossible to found a civilization on fear, hatred, and cruelty, and that such a society could never survive because “It would have no vitality. It would disintegrate. It would commit suicide.” I think that Winston is wrong and O’Brien is right. Oceania has survived for many years and so have we with North Korea, The Al-Qaeda Terries Organization and The Nazi Party. It is still happening to this day and will continue throughout the world as long as humans exist. Oceania is a hate based society and needs to be an isolated society and stay away from Eastasia and Eurasia.
North Korea is a perfect example of a more modern society based on hate. North Korea is recently one of the most one of the most isolated communities in the world. In North Korea the government will not let the Koreans travel to even the nearest country without permission. The government also controls the media just like how big brother in 1984 controls the telescreens. Foreign newspapers and radio programs are all banned. Children in Korea starting from the kindergarten are taught to hate Americans and it is much a part of a curriculum as learning to count. They also teach them that their country has two main enemies, which are Japanese who colonized Korea from 1910 to 1945 and the United States who fought during 1950 to 1953 in the Korean War.
Another example I found was the Nazi Party. The Nazi’s rose to power and directed hatred towards anyone who was not a white Christian. The one and only Adolf Hitler was a public speaker. The Nazi Party grew into a mass movement and ruled Germany through the totalitarian means from 1933 to 1945. The German population was so interested and invested in Hitler’s beliefs that they did not question the morals involved with the persecution of the Jews and anyone who did not fit the criteria of his master race. The Nazi party never questioned or disobeyed him just like in the book 1984 the inner party members never go against big brother. The Jews also resemble the outer party members because if the outer party members don’t obey or go against big brother then they get tortured in the ministry of love and soon get shot in the back of the head when they least expect it. In the book 1984 I found two examples on when and how they get killed. “Tell me,” he said,” how soon will they shoot me?” It might be a long time,” said O’Brien, “you are a difficult case. But don’t give up hope. Everything is cured sooner or later. In the end we shall shoot you.” (Orwell page 274). “One day they will decide to shoot him. You could not tell when it happens, but a few seconds beforehand it should be possible to guess. It was always from behind walking down a corridor.” (Orwell page 281) and if the Jews don’t obey or don’t fit the criteria they get killed in the holocaust. Just like loyalty was mandatory for the Nazi party it was also mandatory for big brother and disloyalty resulted in the person being labeled as a resistant and execution was the penalty just like 1984. Germany became a mindless society that was based on a hatred for Jews that thrived for more than a decade and only fell apart because they didn’t isolate themselves very successfully and were overrun by other countries.
One last example I researched was the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization and that organization is known for the 9/11 attacks on the United States. They hate the United States because Americans support Israel. “Hate” won on 9/11 because the hijackers successfully crashed four planes in the twin towers and in the pentagon and killed about 2,996 people. September 11 2001 was a very tragic day that changed America forever. Members of that society are hiding all over the world and still continue to grow and thrive everyday. I researched that after 9/11 the United States passed the “Patriot ACT”. At the same time people thought this was necessary to keep natural security. This was accepted out of the fear of people because of the 9/11 events that happened were still fresh in American peoples mind. In 1984 people accept telescreens in their homes because they fear not only foreign dangers but also big brother and each other and no one can trust no one in Oceania because you never know who will rat you out. People in Oceania distrust each other and gives what the party members want.
So after all this research I believe that Winston is wrong and O’Brien is right — a society based on hate can and will survive as long as the society is isolated from the outside world. I believe that I can’t live in such a hate based society.