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Universal Mind Control​
Martin Luther King Jr., an African American activist once said, “[|Freedom is never voluntarily given up by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed]” (Letter). The contemporary novels //Little Brother//__,__ by Cory Doctorow, and //1984//, by George Orwell depict that freedom must be ripped from a person; it can’t be given up willingly. George Orwell’s novel expresses the story of a middle-aged man, Winston, trapped in an unknown world of conformity, and lack of freedom. Winston and his fellow citizens feel scrutiny every second of everyday by a figure of “all-seeing” that they refer to as Big Brother. Winston and his lover, Julia, take an adventurous route in the novel, defying government and finding individualistic ideas. The additional novel, //Little Brother//, set in San Francisco, demonstrates the life of a nerdy, tech savvy teenager, Marcus. Marcus and his friends find themselves in a predicament concerning the government's dictating control over its citizens after a terrorist attack. They are taken away to a prison, and everyone is set “free” except for his best friend, Darryl. Marcus is determined to set his best friend free and to bring justice to the terrorized city. Both //1984// and //Little Brother// warns against the loss of freedom if man begins to value security over individual rights.

//Little Brother// and //1984// analyze and support the idea that human beings would prefer safety over the right to security. During a presentation by Mr. Brad Meyer, violations of citizens’ rights are clearly depicted through a new airport security measure. A [|full-body scanner] (Q&A) was placed in airports all over the world and has become extremely popular since people think they’re being protected against terrorists. These new machines provide a full-body x-ray scan, showing all parts of the human anatomy, as well as objects that people may try to smuggle through security. Most people would prefer to have this in a nearby airport to “protect” against radicals, but only so long as the x-ray picture is somewhat blurred. According to the 3rd, 4th and 5th Constitutional [|amendments](13), a right to privacy is being violated by the device's graphically detailed image that surpasses the reasonable limits of an individual’s rights to solitude. This violation is also portrayed in George Orwell’s futuristic novel, //1984//__,__ where governmental control exceeds its own restrictions. The government takes away the rights of the citizens through contesting in a simulated war between another nation and removing civil liberties from the people. In George Orwell’s novel, a statement is said that’s scarcely true**,** “[|BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU]” (Orwell 2). Innovative cameras, referred to as telescreens, monitor the citizens of the society all day, everyday, even while trying to sleep and do personal business of every kind. The governmental ethos brainwashed the citizens into believing that they’re being sheltered against this fictional war even though the privacy of the people is being forfeited. Defiance of privacy isn’t the only Constitutional right that’s overlooked by governmental officials inside societies. //Little Brother//, by Cory Doctorow, validates the defiance of the 4th amendment right, when one night, the main character’s father arrives home late one night after being searched by the police out of the blue. “The best part: Dad got home that night late. Very late. Three hours late. Why? Because he’d been pulled over, searched, questioned. Then it happened again. Twice. Twice!” (Doctorow 132). The 4th amendment states that, “You can’t be searched without an official warrant”, but the society in //Little Brother// feels that rather than the amendment right being violated, the government is only looking out for safety against another terrorist attack. As a US citizen, this right is granted upon civilians at birth, but Cory Doctorow’s modern novel depicts a world where all similar Constitutional rights don’t matter. Despite the books publication dates, as well as a comparison to present day society, there’s still a generally represented problem with people valuing security and safety over constitutional rights.

Within the two novels, //Little Brother// and //1984//, it's never decided tha**t** safety is truly obtained by the citizens of the societies. The definition of safety, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is, "//**[|the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss]**//" (Safety). This definition of safety can be obtained and executed in many different ways. In Orwell's story, //1984//, the government is involved in a fake war with another country. Why would the government put on the fake war and bomb  innocent civilians? One could assume from reading deeper into the novel that the government puts on this fake war in order for food and money to be rationed, resulting in saving within the economy. Also, it may be assumed that the bombs were dropped so that it would keep the people thinking that were in danger. Furthermore, //1984// expressed the idea that people are an extremely obedient race that doesn't think for themselves. Facts about the phony war were changed day-by-day so that the citizens believe they are in a safe environment and to make the citizens "forget" about what the paper said the war previous day, month, or year. It may be asked, how do the people just forget? The reader can assume that even though the citizens are tremendously submissive to the government, this loss of memory and the loss of thinking for themselves is not just willingly given up by everyone. In the society that Orwell portrays, most citizens automatically "forget" or wash away, most everything that has occurred in the past. It's never really answered how this happens, but it's shown that a loss of some sort occurs. Additionally, Cory Doctorow's novel, //Little Brother// has a plot that contains what present day people would consider normal, and what's almost an undercover government referred to as the DHS. The reader learns that the DHS isn't a big deal before the terrorist attack on San Francisco, California, where the book is set, but after the attack, the DHS plays a major role in the punishment and discipline side of the city as well as its civilians. Anyone who is suspected of being involved with this terrorist attack, or in the wrong place at the wrong time, is taken to a secret jail on Treasure Island, interrogated and tortured. However, the idea of torturing everyone isn't presented until later in the novel. One may ask, "Isn't the DHS only doing this for the good of the people, to keep the town safe from another terrorist attack?" In the novel, this question is never answered. The reader doesn't figure out who the real conspirators of the (File), on the Bay Bridge, were. It's never known if another attack happens later on, past the time frame of the book. So many questions are left unanswered in both //1984// and //Little Brother//, but the main unrequited reservation concerns the scheme that questions if safety is ever truly obtained.

Security over individual rights is what's to come in the future preceding the reading of the novels, //Little Brother// and //1984//, in addition to the presenting speakers. //Little Brother// is depicting what will happen in the future if man begins to value security over individual rights. In t he plot, it's explains the happenings when not only a society as a whole, but further when individuals start to prefer security and safety to individualistic rights. The society begins to lose rights and is being overseen by the government more so than it ever had been. This is happening because the individuals want to feel protected, safe, and reassured that another terrorist attack won't condemn the city. In [|present day America, a terrorist attack occurred, September 11, 2001](World). This attack has deeply affected everyone in America who was alive at that time and will affect many generations to come. Following the plot of //Little Brother// after a terrorist attack, no one is to say that as American civilians, society is heading down the same path. Safety is strongly desired by the people**,** assumably, while the loss of rights may begin to deteriorate slowly. Also concerning future warnings, in George Orwell's novel, //1984//, Orwell is tries to warn his audience of what will happen if man becomes too conforming to society, losing individual freedom. In Orwell’s plot, the entire society has conformed, even when it's not wanted. The prime example of this is when Winston, the main character beings shouting during the 2 minutes of hate for the simple reason that everyone else is doing it. As a society today, people conform into groups, fashions, trends, and even food, losing what makes that person who they truly are. America can be going on a way that Orwell has warned against in his novel, //1984//. Mr. Brad Meyer, an Arapahoe High School history teacher, also furtively warned the readers of what will happen in American society if the government doesn't somehow become more intelligent with some specific tactics. These tactics concern terrorism. Mr. Meyer stated, "The government is always one step behind a terrorist." The mastermind of a terrorist is always coming up with new ways to break the security system, according to Mr. Meyers. In the future if the American society is unable to match what a terrorist is thinking, there is no way for the country and its civilians to stay safe. The government takes many precautions, such as those demonstrated in airport security and in schools and stores, but somehow, the measures are always maneuvered around. American society may not be able to flourish with people always wrapped up in security issues instead of the individual’s rights, such as not being able to be searched and seizure without a warrant. Fair warnings have been given to society from three different sources, and it's now up to civilians to determine fate in the future.

//Little Brother//, by Cory Doctorow, and //1984,// by George Orwell, both caution against what will happen in the future, dealing with the abundance of freedom, if man begins to value security over individual rights. Orwell portrays the idea of a fake war to take away citizens' rights in order to make them feel safe. Cory Doctorow depicts the implication of civilian’s emotions after a terrorist attack and how they let the government deal with it; taking away privacy rights as well as 4th amendment rights. The speaker, Mr. Brad Meyer, told of what is happening in present day society that is reducing rights of American citizens to keep them feeling safe from a reoccurring terrorist attack. According to the two novels and the speaker presentations, as the preference of security and safety begin to override this country's inherent constitutional rights, society will embark on a path that will crash down. [|Thomas Jefferson](Thomas Jefferson |), Americas third President, main contributer to the Declaration, and the most influential Founding Father, once said a statement that still holds true today, "A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference"(Thomas Jefferson Quotes). Rights are the important ideals in life, individual rights are what the people control, media type="youtube" key="BvkQU95BbmE" height="185" width="231" and they're the most important principles in life especially because no matter what the government tries to do to stop terrorists, they essentially will still have absolute control over the safety of citizens.


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