Are you kidding me?

Day 722, 16:26 • Published in USA USA • by Cthulhu..

The War

In 1984, the world is at perpetual war among Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia, the super-states emerged from the atomic global war. "The book", The Theory and Practice of Oligarchic Collectivism, by Emmanuel Goldstein, explains that each state is so strong, it cannot be militarily defeated, even with the combined forces of two super-states — despite changing alliances. To hide such contradictions, history is re-written to explain that the (new) alliance always was so; the populaces, accustomed to doublethink, accept it. Moreover, the war, itself, is not fought in Oceanian, Eurasian, or Eastasian territory, but in a disputed zone comprehending the sea and land from Tangiers (northern Africa) to Darwin (Australia) to the Arctic. At story's start, Oceania and Eastasia are allies combating Eurasia in northern Africa.

In the event, that alliance ends, and Oceania, now allied with Eurasia, fights Eastasia, a change occurred during the Hate Week dedicated to creating patriotic fervour for the Party's perpetual war. The public are blind to the change; in mid-sentence, an orator changes the name of the enemy, from "Eurasia" to "Eastasia", without pause; when the public are enraged at noticing that the wrong flags and posters are displayed, they tear them down — thus the origin of the idiom "We've always been at war with Eastasia"; later, the Party claims to have captured Africa.

"The book" further explains that the true purpose of the unwinnable, perpetual war is to consume human labour and commodities, hence the economy of a super-state cannot support economic equality (a high standard of life) for every citizen. Goldstein also details an Oceanian strategy of attacking enemy cities with atomic-tipped rockets, before full invasion, yet dismisses it as infeasible, and contrary to the war's purpose; despite the atomic bombing of cities in the 1950s, the super-states discontinued such warfare lest it imbalance the powers. The military technology in 1984 differs little from that of the Second World War, yet bomber aeroplanes were replaced with rocket bombs, and floating fortresses convey every type of military might.

In the end, Goldstein implies that "the war" might not exist; the Oceanian populace know the external world solely via the Party's propaganda, and that the rocket bombings, ostensibly by "the enemy", might be self-inflicted (as Julia suggests), therefore, "the war" is a lie. Moreover, it might possibly be that Eurasia and Eastasia are fabrications, and that Oceania is the sole world power. In such ambiguity is the meaning of perpetual war: internal subjugation disguised as defence against foreign subjugation, the theory and practice of oligarchical collectivism. 1.



1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

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If we do not face the fact that we are at perpetual war, then how can we become the dominant force? Seriously, what the Fuck is the deal? Two days with no training war. It may even have been three. It is no wonder that eHungary is difficult to catch when we allow a lull to take place for even one day. I expect more from our leadership. As an eUS ignorant, I expect my mentors and friends to enlighten me, and I appreciate it.

-Alex