The Orwellian Popular Culture of Our Time

The society of Oceania in Orwell's 1984 employs entertainment of the utmost vulgarity and a perversity not encountered by a man of proper tastes in order to satisfy the "instinctive urges" of its proletariat. The Oceanians' music possesses an inhuman crudeness and resembles more the severe thumping of a drum than a melody. Their films are pornografic and founded on crude animal lust instead of reason. Their encouragement of prostitution and outright debasement of the human condition plunge the metaforical boot of oppression further into the face of man. Our society, musically, cinematically, and culturally, has, as a man of conscience will shamefully admit, descended to the same indoctrinating level which diverts individuals away from exercising their unalienable rights.