It
was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking
thirteen. There are two kinds of people who will look at that: one
kind will look and say that doesn't make sense. - that is one stock
answer when people don't get things straight away - and the other
reaction would recognise it as the opening passage to the novel 1984
by George Orwell.
But
when you think of that novel there are so many things that happen
these days which some people think have only just started. Pop and
rock fans, like me, are used to it when someone plays their favourite
song by The Clash I fought the Law –
well it's by Bobby Fuller; here treat yourself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtQj8O92eI
That
was a question on a quiz show last week – “who sang Who Fought
the Law?” and the answer turned out to be The
Clash. That's all right, I don't
really mind, they can't help being so young, they can't help thinking
it is the best part of their lives but . . . .
But
getting back to George Orwell – there's a room in 1984,
Room 101 which is a basement torture
chamber where you face your own worse nightmares; I met someone
recently who thought it was originated in the show of the same name
which is on BBC TV.
There
are lots of things in 1984
– Big Brother (Big Brother is
Watching You) – and when the year
1984 came along George Orwell wasn't that far wrong.
The
fact is the book was published in 1948 and Orwell just changed the
last two digits around for the title.
I
always thought there was something in it about giving information –
personal information - to the state willingly, but even though the
book implies that, I can't remember the passage. But I do remember,
in the year 1984, James Burke was asked what life will be like in
another thirty seven years – the same passage of time from when
1984
was written and the actual date - and he said we, and maybe starting
with the young, will feely volunteer all of our personal details and
information to the state so they would know all about us and know
where we are all the time.
In
other words, as in 1984
'Big Brother is Watching You.'
He
was a bit early as things are like that now – thirty seven years
from then is 2021 by the way.
I
first had this thought in Ralphs
supermarket – rock'n'roll Ralphs in
LA which I have written about before – the supermarket without the
apostrophe: I used to have a 'Ralphs Card' which gave me a discount
on my purchases and after a time the system got to know my card so as
soon as I swiped it: out would come the offers on the things I would
buy on a regular basis: Jamesons'
Irish whiskey, Guinness and maybe
some other sinful products that may increase my cholesterol or
weight. So where did they get that information from and who else had
access to it? My doctor? The Insurance company so they can assess my
risk?
I
don't like it.
I
was on the tube the other day, going into Marylebone, and most of the
people, in the carriage I was in, were staring at their cell phones.
Most of those phones were smartphones
and most of those had tracking
devices on them.
So
what?
Well
I'll tell you so what,
it's okay for their loved ones to know where they are but what about,
for example, a stalker? A debt collector or an ex wife – I know
people should pay their debts and stay married, I know but . .what if
. . .
You
asked me once, what was in Room 101. I told you that you knew the
answer already. Everyone knows it. The thing that is in Room 101 is
the worst thing in the world.
