From 1984, by George Orwell:
The first and simplest stage in the discipline, which can be taught even to young children, is called, in Newspeak, CRIMESTOP. CRIMESTOP means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought. It includes the power of not grasping analogies, of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments if they are inimical to Ingsoc, and of being bored or repelled by any train of thought which is capable of leading in a heretical direction. CRIMESTOP, in short, means protective stupidity… Orthodoxy in the full sense demands a control over one’s own mental processes as complete as that of a contortionist over his body.
On Faith:
The first and simplest stage in the discipline, which can be taught even to young children, is called, in theology, FAITH. FAITH means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought. It includes the power of not grasping analogies, of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments if they are inimical to Religion, and of being bored or repelled by any train of thought which is capable of leading in a heretical direction. FAITH, in short, means protective stupidity… Orthodoxy in the full sense demands a control over one’s own mental processes as complete as that of a contortionist over his body.
god bless old george!!
Comment by Scott — June 5, 2008 @ 4:26 am
I recently re-read 1984, and it still completely chills to the bone, both with it’s prophetic insight and with it’s razor-sharp analysis.
Comment by mindserased — June 21, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
Scott: I’ll second that.
Mindserased: I’ve only recently read it for the first time myself. It was frightening to me for two reasons. Firstly, because of what you said – it’s eerie how accurately he pins it all down.
However, the thing that really scares me about it is how difficult George seemed to think it would be to really subjugate a person like Winston. If modern-day fundamentalist religion has shown us anything, it is that the human mind is even easier to manipulate than even Orwell supposed – and that, my friend, is a very chilling thought indeed.
Comment by Ubiquitous Che — July 14, 2008 @ 8:49 am
I hear ya. But as impressionable a species as we are, there are still (thankfully) those among us who, like Winston, resist for as long as they can.
Comment by mindserased — July 16, 2008 @ 5:17 am