[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.34,0:00:09.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you've watched the news\Nor followed politics
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.36,0:00:11.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,chances are you've heard \Nthe term Orwellian
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.84,0:00:14.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thrown around \Nin one context or another.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.83,0:00:17.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But have you ever stopped to think\Nabout what it really means,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.82,0:00:20.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or why it's used so often?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.42,0:00:23.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The term was named \Nafter British author Eric Blair
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.48,0:00:26.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,known by his pen name George Orwell.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.88,0:00:30.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because his most famous work,\Nthe novel "1984,"
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.36,0:00:34.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,depicts an oppressive society \Nunder a totalitarian government,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.38,0:00:38.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Orwellian" is often used simply\Nto mean authoritarian.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.90,0:00:40.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But using the term in this way
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.81,0:00:43.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not only fails to fully \Nconvey Orwell's message,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.92,0:00:50.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it actually risks doing precisely what \Nhe tried to warn against.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.16,0:00:53.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Orwell was indeed opposed \Nto all forms of tyranny,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.60,0:00:57.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spending much of his life fighting against\Nanti-democratic forces
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.22,0:01:00.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of both the left-wing and the right.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.53,0:01:05.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But he was also deeply concerned\Nwith how such ideologies proliferate.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.71,0:01:07.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one of his most profound insights
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.61,0:01:13.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was the importance that language plays\Nin shaping our thoughts and opinions.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.71,0:01:19.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The government of "1984"'s Oceania\Ncontrols its people's actions and speech
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.34,0:01:22.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in some ways that are obvious.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.58,0:01:26.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their every move and word \Nis watched and heard,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.40,0:01:29.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the threat of what happens \Nto those who step out of line
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.36,0:01:33.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is always looming overhead.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.21,0:01:36.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Other forms of control are not so obvious.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.81,0:01:40.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The population is inundated \Nwith a constant barrage of propaganda
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.67,0:01:47.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,made up of historical facts and statistics\Nmanufactured in the Ministry of Truth.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.93,0:01:51.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Ministry of Peace is the military.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.05,0:01:53.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Labor camps are called "Joycamps."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.97,0:01:59.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Political prisoners are detained\Nand tortured in the Ministry of Love.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.81,0:02:03.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This deliberate irony is an example\Nof doublespeak,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.64,0:02:08.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when words are used not to convey meaning\Nbut to undermine it,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.01,0:02:12.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,corrupting the very ideas they refer to.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.22,0:02:15.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The regime's control of language \Ngoes even further,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.04,0:02:17.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,eliminating words from \Nthe English language
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.13,0:02:20.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to create the official \Ndialect of Newspeak,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.50,0:02:24.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a crudely limited collection of acronyms\Nand simple concrete nouns
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.84,0:02:30.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lacking any words complex enough\Nto encourage nuanced or critical thought.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.91,0:02:35.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This has an effect on the psyche\NOrwell calls, "Doublethink,"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.14,0:02:37.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a hypnotic state of cognitive dissonance
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.45,0:02:40.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which one is compelled \Nto disregard their own perception
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.83,0:02:44.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in place of the officially \Ndictated version of events,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.58,0:02:46.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,leaving the individual \Ncompletely dependent
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.74,0:02:50.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the State's definition \Nof reality itself.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.90,0:02:52.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The result is a world
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.08,0:02:56.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which even the privacy of one's \Nown thought process is violated,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.61,0:03:02.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where one may be found guilty\Nof thoughtcrime by talking in their sleep,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.26,0:03:04.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and keeping a diary \Nor having a love affair
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.89,0:03:10.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,equals a subversive act of rebellion.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.09,0:03:15.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This might sound like something that can\Nonly happen in totalitarian regimes,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.49,0:03:18.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but Orwell was warning us about\Nthe potential for this occurring
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.96,0:03:22.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even in democratic societies.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.30,0:03:28.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is why "authoritarian" alone\Ndoes not "Orwellian" make.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.62,0:03:31.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In his essay, \N"Politics and the English Language,"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.28,0:03:35.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he described techniques like using\Npretentious words to project authority,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.76,0:03:39.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or making atrocities sound acceptable\Nby burying them in euphemisms
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.90,0:03:42.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and convoluted sentence structures.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.85,0:03:47.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But even more mundane abuses of language\Ncan affect the way we think about things.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.67,0:03:50.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The words you see \Nand hear in everyday advertising
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.78,0:03:55.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have been crafted to appeal to you\Nand affect your behavior,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.85,0:04:00.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as have the soundbites and talking points\Nof political campaigns
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.04,0:04:04.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which rarely present the most\Nnuanced perspective on the issues.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.92,0:04:09.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the way that we use ready-made phrases\Nand responses gleaned from media reports
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.82,0:04:11.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or copied from the Internet
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.92,0:04:15.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,makes it easy to get away \Nwith not thinking too deeply
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.48,0:04:18.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or questioning your assumptions.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.43,0:04:21.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the next time you hear someone\Nuse the word Orwellian,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.32,0:04:23.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,pay close attention.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.15,0:04:26.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If they're talking about the deceptive\Nand manipulative use of language,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.59,0:04:29.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're on the right track.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.07,0:04:32.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If they're talking about mass surveillance\Nand intrusive government,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.37,0:04:38.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're describing something authoritarian\Nbut not necessarily Orwellian.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.14,0:04:42.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if they use it as an all-purpose word\Nfor any ideas they dislike,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.35,0:04:46.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's possible their statements \Nare more Orwellian
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.05,0:04:50.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than whatever it is they're criticizing.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.32,0:04:52.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Words have the power to shape thought.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.16,0:04:55.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Language is the currency of politics,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.98,0:04:59.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,forming the basis of society from\Nthe most common, everyday interactions
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.86,0:05:02.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the highest ideals.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.82,0:05:05.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Orwell urged us to protect our language
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.58,0:05:09.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because ultimately our ability to think\Nand communicate clearly
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.30,0:05:13.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is what stands between us and a world\Nwhere war is peace
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.38,0:05:15.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and freedom is slavery.