World Today, Tomorrow - with George Orwell's Animal Farm

The propaganda war never fades; it is there - it will be there, unless...?

The late 70's in India saw the rise of movies as a meliorate medium to unfurl social messages. It was not late for TV to gain popularity and hence, opportunists turned their thoughts into it!

1977, the year Indira Gandhi, the 3rd Prime Minister of India evoked the Emergency and called for fresh elections. This "democratic" move after a brief period of tyranny was backed by a 10-letter word- PROPAGANDA. 

As bitter voices had flourished against her in every corner of the country by the opposition parties, the public was aligning towards this noise. It was only when the incumbent PM used the sole TV channel 'Doordarshan' as her soft tool to hold off the thousands to their TV sets. The famous movie of the time "Bobby" was broadcasted on the channel to prevent the masses to attend the various call-outs of the opposition. 

This is just one of the many examples. 

What's Animal Farm here? 

George Orwell's classic tells the tale of a farm where the animals rebel against their human farmer and after a rebellion, take control of the farm. Soon after the revolt, the farm is led by the pigs and hence the beginning of a free-land life begins. 

To further spread their influence among the other animals and, become an example of a "happy world", the pigs set-out several rules or commandments to which, every animal was to adhere to. The farm was seen as an inspiration to the world outside; free from tyranny and governed by rules. 

With the times to come, the pigs begin to push their malign goals by controlling the basic needs (food, shelter, etc.) of their fellow animals, rolling new modifications to the existing commandments and transpire the same through the other toady animals (in this case, the sheep). 

The farm ends with the assassinations of those who revolted and further, a truth unreal to the eyes. 

Propaganda, Animal Farm, and Today's World

Orwell, through this allegory, throws light on how allies or so-called leaders can lead society (the farm) to doom. For their egocentric means, they can use the tools consumed and inherited to push their toxic into the minds of the masses. 

One of the key highlights of Animal Farm is the use of language. Orwell justified how simple words, sentences, pictures, etc. can pull in favors with ease. The over-simplification of their tactless goals through the available mediums (in this case, the sheep and other tools) portrays how this process can be duplicated (in fact, it is) in the real world with ease.

The difference is seen in the way that the animals speak and interact, as the generally moral animals seem to speak their minds clearly; while the wicked animals on the farm, twist language in such a way that it meets their own insidious desires

Political dogma can be simply converted into well-planned propaganda. As the control and restriction lie in the hand of the leaders, the ones who repudiate them is censored, tortured, killed, and vanished from the minds.

Speak - Conquer - Repeat

Today, the war for power has resulted in a never-ending propaganda channel. The uneducated classes are allured by the temporary word of honor of the high-skilled orators, writers, and presenters, while selected educated ones, who speak up are thrown in hell-houses. 

Words, images, and voices have captured the intelligent senses of our minds. The same if pouring things, which are unnecessary and sham through the mediums we prefer for entertainment, procuring global affairs, etc.  

Orwell's Genius 

Animal Farm is a reflection of the world of the past, the present, and the future? Language, easily accessible mediums, and favorable voices have encroached with the thoughts of power, absolute power. 

This, rules a country, the world and, us.