So I read 1984, or at least part of it at the urging of my Logic professor, years ago back when I was an inactive JW. It was a good scary read; I was like, wow, life sucks for that dude! I did not see any correlations to my JW world at that time. It was just a good piece of fiction.
I happened upon a 1984 and Animal Farm CD box set at this discount book store for $13, so I bought it. I was thinking that it would be interesting to read 1984 from an exJW perspective, and I also wanted to read Animal Farm.
I've been listening to it with headphones at work, and I'm almost at the end. I tell you, this book is like a WT/cult how-to. So many of the concepts are the same. The changing of the past, rewriting books to reflect changes in doctrine, so that you are unsure that things you believed happened or were taught in the past actually happened. The 1975 fiasco is a good example of that. People now deny that the Society ever did push 1975, that it was the rank and file.
Anyway, it's just been blowing my mind! I mean, we- JWs and exJWs, have actually lived the story of 1984! I've been jotting down notes as I listen to keep track of interesting quotes. One thing I found interesting was the idea of thought stopping, I believe in the book it was called crime stopping. Winston called it "protective stupidity." Wow.
Anyway, I left my notepad with my other observations at work. I think 1984 is one of those books that has changed me somehow.
Does anyone else feel that way?