George Orwell 1984

For my research paper, I am planning to read George Orwell's 1984.  I love this book because it gives a picture of what censorship of the media can be like if taken too far and used as a tool to control the ideas and lives of people. The themes contained in the book make me think of SOPA and other acts the government is trying to put in place to censor the media and curb what is available to the public's view. It will be interesting to see how policy interacts with the rise in new media over the next few years. Along with the government playing the role of "Big Brother" in the book, it seems like the interconnectedness created by social media also makes me feel like I am constantly being observed and measured. I wonder if the new media creates a kind of paranoia in its users.

Something else that made me want to read through 1984 again for my research paper is the way that the news was altered continually to show what the government wanted readers to view. I am currently starting an internship with Deseret News, and being able to see the process of how news is analyzed really makes George Orwell's story come to life in a whole new way.