[redwitch]

There was required reading in my high schools but I'd already read them, so was a non-issue to me. Did love rereading Shakespeare's plays but was not a fan of his sonnets. California high schools had a bit of Steinbeck. New Jersey leaned more to the dystopian. New York to the Russians.

I do remember my favorite teacher of all time was my junior high English teacher, who did have a reading list which he handed out the first day of class. I went up to him and said I'd read all of those books. He made out a new list for me, introduced me to science fiction, took a few of us to movies made from books (such as War and Peace), would talk to me about books I'd read to help me better understand what the author was saying. Mr. Artz, wherever you are, thank you!

[redwitch]

As a snide aside, who could possibly consider Gone with the Wind a classic? Written awhile ago, yes. A fun read, most definitely. But, to me, a classic has to offer some substance, make me think. GWTW sorely lacks in that IMO.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by redwitch

As a snide aside, who could possibly consider Gone with the Wind a classic? Written awhile ago, yes. A fun read, most definitely. But, to me, a classic has to offer some substance, make me think. GWTW sorely lacks in that IMO.

I kind of agree with that. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_with_the_Wind

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by redwitch

I do remember my favorite teacher of all time was my junior high English teacher, who did have a reading list which he handed out the first day of class. I went up to him and said I'd read all of those books. He made out a new list for me, introduced me to science fiction, took a few of us to movies made from books (such as War and Peace), would talk to me about books I'd read to help me better understand what the author was saying. Mr. Artz, wherever you are, thank you!

[That's a great topic for two more threads--Who was your favorite teacher why? and How to you get a child to fall in love with books? I can't think of a better gift.]

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by tomwed

[That's a great topic for two more threads--Who was your favorite teacher why? and How to you get a child to fall in love with books? I can't think of a better gift.]

Mine was Mrs. Barbara Mitchell of Earl Wooster High School in Reno, Nevada. I have mentioned her often in the past. She was the first teacher who saw something special in me and challenged me to read books like Anna Karenina.

Before her I primarily liked Edgar Rice Burroughs, Louis L'Amour, Zane Grey, Alistair MacLean, and Ian Fleming. Order of Alistair MacLean Books - OrderOfBooks.com

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by tomwed

Doublespeak is language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. Doublespeak may take the form of euphemisms (e.g., "downsizing" for layoffs, "servicing the target" for bombing[1]), in which case it is primarily meant to make the truth sound more palatable. It may also refer to intentional ambiguity in language or to actual inversions of meaning (for example, naming a state of war "peace"). In such cases, doublespeak disguises the nature of the truth. Doublespeak is most closely associated with political language

that's true

The Thought Police (thinkpol in Newspeak) are the secret police of the fictional superstate, Oceania, in George Orwell's 1949 dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four. Orwell's Thought Police are charged with uncovering and punishing "thoughtcrime" and thought-criminals. They use psychological methods and omnipresent surveillance (such as telescreens) to search, find, monitor, and arrest members of society who could potentially challenge authority and the status quo—even if only by thought—hence the name Thought Police.[1] They use terror and torture to achieve their ends.

i'm not as sure as you are that this exists

rewriting of history
can you give me a modern day example?

With reference to the Thought Police, I originally had in mind "Political Correctness" as enforced by Liberal media organizations, rather than by governmental organizations. However, we are now seeing University governments, both private and state run, that are using coercive measures to force attitude compliance. And, of course, in other countries "re-education" camps exist for political dissidents.

Columbus leaps to mind as a modern subject of revisionist history. The once revered Discoverer of America is now a reviled subjugator of other races whose sole motivation was seeking personal riches. And in similar fashion many events of American history are being re-cast to reflect racism as their motivation.

Sadly, there is also the current attempt to remove from all public areas in the South any commemorations of the Civil War; erasing much of our awareness of our history.

Incidentally, public school history books are revised annually, reflecting new positions on the appropriateness or validity of historical events.

[tomwed]

[QUOTE=Carl in Tampa;1166277
Columbus leaps to mind as a modern subject of revisionist history. The once revered Discoverer of America is now a reviled subjugator of other races whose sole motivation was seeking personal riches. And in similar fashion many events of American history are being re-cast to reflect racism as their motivation.
[/QUOTE]
Take a look at this and see if this history sounds valid.
Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

With reference to the Thought Police, I originally had in mind "Political Correctness" as enforced by Liberal media organizations, rather than by governmental organizations. However, we are now seeing University governments, both private and state run, that are using coercive measures to force attitude compliance. And, of course, in other countries "re-education" camps exist for political dissidents.

Has anyone been arrested and punished? Like in the book.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

Sadly, there is also the current attempt to remove from all public areas in the South any commemorations of the Civil War; erasing much of our awareness of our history.

I'd like to read about that. Can you point me in the right direction?

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by tomwed

Has anyone been arrested and punished? Like in the book.

You are apparently thinking locally rather than globally. Remember the locale for 1984 was not the United States.

Examples of arrest and punishment? The Soviet Gulags and Chairman Mao's "re-education" camps leap to mind.

In a similar vein, the post-war (WWII) Soviets were known to have re-written history books and altered historical photos to make certain people into "non-persons."

[Carl in Tampa]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa
Sadly, there is also the current attempt to remove from all public areas in the South any commemorations of the Civil War; erasing much of our awareness of our history.

Originally Posted by tomwed

I'd like to read about that. Can you point me in the right direction?

I suggest you simply keep up with the news and/or use the web browser on your computer.

One example (among many) would be the action of the city of New Orleans to remove four statues, including a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that has stood at the center of a traffic circle for 131 years. (They are removing it from Lee Circle; haven't gotten around to re-naming the street yet.)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.2469436

And, you will find movements throughout the country to obliterate the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia (often erroneously identified as "the Confederate Flag") from public view. There have even been arrests for displaying the flag. (Shades of the Thought Police.)

Use your web search browser and read to your heart's content.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by tomwed

Take a look at this and see if this history sounds valid.
Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?

The essay makes my point, that Columbus was transformed from revered to reviled as history accounts were revised and rewritten.

If you will use your web browser you will find accounts of many efforts to rename Columbus Day, which has actually been done in Seattle. One proposal is Indigenous Remembrance Day.

Is Columbus Day destined for Winston Smith's "memory hole?"

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

You are apparently thinking locally rather than globally. Remember the locale for 1984 was not the United States.

Examples of arrest and punishment? The Soviet Gulags and Chairman Mao's "re-education" camps leap to mind.

In a similar vein, the post-war (WWII) Soviets were known to have re-written history books and altered historical photos to make certain people into "non-persons."

You're right. I wasn't thinking globally.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa
Sadly, there is also the current attempt to remove from all public areas in the South any commemorations of the Civil War; erasing much of our awareness of our history.




I suggest you simply keep up with the news and/or use the web browser on your computer.

One example (among many) would be the action of the city of New Orleans to remove four statues, including a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that has stood at the center of a traffic circle for 131 years. (They are removing it from Lee Circle; haven't gotten around to re-naming the street yet.)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.2469436

And, you will find movements throughout the country to obliterate the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia (often erroneously identified as "the Confederate Flag") from public view. There have even been arrests for displaying the flag. (Shades of the Thought Police.)

Use your web search browser and read to your heart's content.

I try to keep up with the news and I do use the web browser. Now I can read to my heart's content. Information is ubiquitous. Remember using the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature in high school? Online I got 12,600,000 results (0.55 seconds) on the Confederate Flag. Writing position papers in high school for me required taking a bus to big city libraries that had the resources to stack the periodicals. Now we have it at home for the price of the internet. It's interesting talking to you.

[Chatbrat]

Catcher in the Rye, Arrowsmith, Beowulf, Vanity Fair--Brooklyn Tech--class of 59