1984 in the 21st Century by Lori Perkins

Author:Lori Perkins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Riverdale Avenue Books

Tim Hanley is a comic book historian and the author of Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World’s Most Famous Heroine, Investigating Lois Lane: The Turbulent History of the Daily’s Planet’s Ace Reporter, and the upcoming The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Big Brother Sam

By Boze Hadleigh

In 1984 Big Brother is everywhere, but is never seen and may not even exist. Big Brother is effective because enough people believe in “him” (how much less effective Big Sister…) and are ready to follow—to conserve—tradition and surrender many, or most of, their rights to a misguidedly revered symbol of tough, supposedly protective and scary (to “the enemy,” whomever that may be) male power. In short, and in politics as well as religion, Big Brother is the right-wing patriarchy.

“He” still dominates the globe: almost all Third World nations and most of the “modern” ones. Big Brother is always institutionalized, be it through monotheistic religions that employ a male sky god as a mouthpiece for the ruling male minority’s dictates or the USA’s near-deified yet anti-democratic Electoral “College,” which in 2000 and 2016 overruled the citizens’ vote.

I say “male minority” because a majority of the world’s population is not heterosexual male. Yet Big Brother in all his guises upholds and perpetuates the interests of male heterosexuals, usually to the detriment of females of every sexual and affectional orientation, and of gay males.

1984 creeps closer when enough people let it happen. Too many Americans are distracted from larger, seemingly distant concerns by their comforts, including too much food, gadgets, TV, sports, beer and sex or the prospect of it. History proves that most revolutions are empowered by the have-nots. The more prosperous and materialistic a society, the less apt people are to rise from their comfy seats to go out and demonstrate or march, or even stroll to the computer or writing desk to send an e-mail or letter of protest or make an I-take-strong-exception phone call.

Travel illustrates this more vividly than books. I’ve visited over 60 countries and seen far more manifestaciones in Latin America than Europe. I’ve seen how Venezuela, one of South America’s more stable democracies until the advent of loudmouth “reformer” and media-manipulating big-man Hugo Chavez, occupied its citizens’ minds —and continues, post-Chavez—with the lure and acquisition of consumer goods, from chic clothes and the latest techno-toys to a staggering range of Disney products for both genders. Making it easier is the Third World’s mindless breeding and overpopulation that produces a younger, less sophisticated citizenry. The average Venezuelan is about ten years younger than the average American (not that Venezuela isn’t in the Americas). It’s easier to distract kids and young people. Those who’ve lived longer know more about life, people and unfairness. Teens and young adults don’t want democracy as much as they want things.

So what’s the excuse of the over 40% of Americans eligible to vote who didn’t bother in this last presidential election, who didn’t

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