Almost thirty years ago, cultural critic Neil Postman argued in Amusing Ourselves to Death that television�s gradual replacement of the printing press has created a dumbed-down culture driven by mindless entertainment. In this context, Postman claimed that Aldous Huxley�s Brave New World correctly foresaw our dystopian future, as opposed to George Orwell�s 1984.
Contrary to Postman�s critique, however, the principles of Newspeak and doublethink dominate modern political discourse. Their widespread use is a testament to Orwell�s profound insight into how language can be manipulated to restrict human thought.