As I work on the outline for my next sci-fi novel, I keep coming back to Orwells 1984.
It was published almost 80 years ago, yet people still reference it whenever governments, surveillance, censorship or manipulation of information make the news.
How close do you think we actually are to Orwells vision?
Are concepts like constant surveillance, changing language and social conformity becoming reality, or is 1984 now used as a catch-all comparison for things Orwell never imagined?
Which parts of the novel do you think proved remarkably accurate, and which parts missed the mark?
Id be interested to hear whether you think 1984 has become more relevant with time, or whether another dystopian novel is a better guide to the world were living in today.
If you had to recommend one dystopian novel that best reflects the world of 2026, would it be 1984, or would you choose something else?
Looking forward to your thoughts
John Westley Turnbull
It was published almost 80 years ago, yet people still reference it whenever governments, surveillance, censorship or manipulation of information make the news.
How close do you think we actually are to Orwells vision?
Are concepts like constant surveillance, changing language and social conformity becoming reality, or is 1984 now used as a catch-all comparison for things Orwell never imagined?
Which parts of the novel do you think proved remarkably accurate, and which parts missed the mark?
Id be interested to hear whether you think 1984 has become more relevant with time, or whether another dystopian novel is a better guide to the world were living in today.
If you had to recommend one dystopian novel that best reflects the world of 2026, would it be 1984, or would you choose something else?
Looking forward to your thoughts
John Westley Turnbull
