Happy 60th birthday to 1984

Big Brother Book Club

Here is video taken from the BBC's Culture Show, here is a mix of ex-BB housemates from both the normal and celebrity series brought together around big leather chairs, to discuss their personal experience in the BB house and comparing it to the George Orwell book on witch the series is obviously based.

The discussion made me think about the fact that both the UK and US governments, like the fictional Big Brother, use fear of attack by unknown foes who may or may not be a real threat to our societies to paralyze any criticism. This in itself fosters xenophobia and racism. If anybody dares to criticise that is seen as being unpatriotic. Then there is spying on our Email conversations and watching our every move.

The resonance that the book has now in the UK as the 'most watched nation in the world', I think comes through clearly (There are 2.5 million CCTV cameras in the UK). We are all now contestants in our own life-long episode of Big Brother. Bart and I were both surprised at the conversation, it was actually interesting. It made me want to revisit the book that I barely read at school in 1984. Much more so than watching the current series where I can't find one interesting person to even contemplate supporting.

Anyway have a look at the video for yourselves I found it interesting. I may even encourage me to read something. Click here to view the video.

Participants include: Germaine Greer (writer and academic), Vanessa Feltz (broadcaster and journalist) and Derek Laud (speech writer and political analyst), all of whom have taken part in the series.