Not Another George Orwell Quote
Not Another George Orwell Quote
This quote from 1984 has been shared on social media more times than I can count: “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
It’s relevant for many reasons, particularly in the age of AI when our own government is purposely altering images and then mocking those who call them out on it. I hope everyone sharing it has also read 1984 by George Orwell, which pairs nicely with Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, for those looking to expand their education.
And yet. I can only read the same quote in meme-form and nod solemnly so many times. It’s true, there is only so much I, personally, can do to make things better. But I can be more than just sad or angry. If you can’t be anything else, be a helper.
Places to donate, learn, and directly help all Minnesota communities (because this is happening outside of the Twin Cities too):
(Nationwide resources):
American Civil Liberties Union
Not everyone can afford to give, so just do what you can. Even small-dollar amounts can help a lot, and many places might accept non-monetary donations like food, clothing, school supplies, and books for local families who can’t leave their homes.
If you can’t donate, get loud.
It’s an election year. Make sure your senator or congressperson knows your primary vote is going to their opponent if they don’t start doing something useful.
When all else seems to fail, just be present. Start or join local networks dedicated to positive change (large or small). Share verified information from legitimate sources. Join a book club or play a sport or become a regular somewhere. Go outside.
Things won’t stay this way. But they won’t end on their own either, so in the meantime, let’s help each other out.
I won’t leave you with another George Orwell quote. Life is more than our current dystopia. I’ll leave you with Native American, Minnesota author, Louise Erdrich instead: “Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”
FUN STUFF:
What I'm Reading: The Place of Shells by Mai Ishizawa
What I'm Watching: Bookish (PBS)
What I'm Listening To: Look Up by Joy Oladokun
What I'm Eating: just coffee, thanks
