1. Surveillance and Control:
The government employs advanced surveillance technologies, such as telescreens and hidden microphones, to monitor the activities and conversations of citizens in their homes, workplaces, and even public spaces. This constant surveillance creates an atmosphere of fear and discourages any form of dissent or nonconformity.
2. Thought Police and Thoughtcrime:
The Thought Police is a government agency tasked with identifying and eliminating "thoughtcrimes," which refer to any independent or unorthodox thoughts that deviate from the official Party line. Individuals are expected to conform to the Party's ideology and refrain from expressing any personal opinions or questioning the system.
3. Newspeak and Doublethink:
Newspeak is the engineered language of Oceania that aims to limit the range of thought and expression. By reducing the vocabulary and altering the meanings of words, the Party controls language to influence the way individuals think and perceive reality. Doublethink, on the other hand, refers to the ability to hold contradictory beliefs simultaneously, which is essential for citizens to accept and internalize the Party's propaganda.
4. Propaganda and Manipulation:
The government uses various forms of propaganda to manipulate public opinion and indoctrinate citizens with its ideology. Through the Ministry of Truth, it controls all information and news dissemination, ensuring that only the Party's version of events is presented to the public. History is constantly rewritten to serve the Party's agenda.
5. Lack of Privacy:
The concept of privacy is virtually nonexistent in Oceania. The Party encourages individuals to spy on one another and report any suspicious behavior. Personal relationships, friendships, and love are controlled and monitored to prevent the formation of any genuine, independent connections among individuals.
6. Indoctrination from Childhood:
Children are indoctrinated with Party ideology from an early age through organizations such as the Spies and the Junior Anti-Sex League. They are taught to worship Big Brother, denounce individualistic tendencies, and report on their parents if necessary. This ensures the continuation of the Party's control over future generations.
7. Limited Choices and Personal Autonomy:
Individuals have very little freedom to make personal choices. Their careers, living arrangements, and even marriage partners are often determined by the Party. The concept of individual agency or self-determination is suppressed in favor of collective obedience and conformity.
In summary, the individual in "1984" is marginalized and essentially stripped of their autonomy, privacy, and freedom of thought. The totalitarian regime of Big Brother aims to create a society where individuality is replaced by collective uniformity and unquestioning loyalty to the Party. The novel serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and the erosion of individual rights in a totalitarian society.