Staten Island Technical HS Ms. Peterson, Instructor
Mr. Erlenwein, Principal Blog #39
Mr. Erlenwein, Principal Blog #39
May 20, 2020
Shangmin Chen, Period 9, Sophomores 2020
Aim - How and why does Winston manage to resist the manipulative power of language and mob mentality?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do now - Instructions - Imagine we are in Room 102,
“Comrades” you have been selected for re-education by the Party.
To begin, I want you to observe 3 citizens and write everything they
do and what you believe they are thinking. Do not let them know
you’re watching them! You have 5 minutes!
My answer
Citizen one - laughing, covering his mouth, thinking/ saw about something funny
Citizen two - Stiff facial expression, serious, engaged in class
Citizen three - Smiling, holding in laughs, thinking/ saw something funny
Class answers for Do now:
Twisting hair, nervous, suspicious
Thinking about quantum mechanics
Looking away from the camera, hiding form something
Conclude of Do now
Many answers were about negative behaviors from others, by telling on others it makes you less suspicious, you benefit yourself by answering (getting class points in this instance.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BROTHER & 1984
- Biased and Unfair
- Influences and manipulates people’s responses with the rewards/punishments system.
- The use of Fabrication; manipulates people into saying what he wants to hear (places words into someone else’s mouth through false assumptions.
- Use of FEAR to force people to think a certain way.
- Manipulation of people to flatter/praise Big Brother
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Thoughtcrimes (Crime Think)
- INGSOC: Newspeak word for “English Socialism” The use of censorship by limiting language limits the possibilities of thoughtcrimes. If you are lacking the words for what you are thinking, then in the government’s POV, you can’t think to betray them by thinking something they don’t want you to think or know.
- “WAR IS PEACE; FREEDOM IS SLAVERY; IGNORANCE
IS STRENGTH”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TEAM ACTIVITY
Instructions - Imagine you’re the Mayor for NYC. Create “3” slogans/mottos for NYC, which you believe exemplify doublethink (contradictory/opposing statements).
My answers
- Technology is Intelligence
- Complex is Simple
- Failures are Achievements
Class answers
- Order is chaos, noise is silent, strength is weakness
- Mta is speed, smelly cheese is cream cheese, trashy streets are clean streets
- Bad pizza is pretty good
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLASS DISCUSSION
- Humans, in general, can be manipulated very easily
- It’s easy to take advantage of groups that are separated
- It’s easy to make people turn onto each other if it means they get a leg up
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra materials (ENRICHMENT)
"1984" Part 1 Chapter 2 Analysis
"1984" Part 1 Chapter 3 Analysis
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection
What did I learn?
I learned the meaning of doublethink and the meaning of INGSOC, INGSOC means censorship by limiting language, and doublethink means accepting contrary opinions and beliefs. The government thinks that by limiting words, you can’t think of something that you can’t describe. Citizens tell on others for their own benefits, the government manipulates by using techniques like doublethink. In all, I learned how society functions under such thought censorship, how the government plays their role under this society, how citizens play their role under this society, and what thought censorship is. To a broader term, I learned that you’re constantly under surveillance, this was demonstrated from the Do now in where we had to stair at 3 different classmates for 5 minutes. I also learned that your mind is always getting manipulated as well.
Why did I learn it?
This lesson was to help us better understand how a society functions under thought censorship and connect it to the book 1984. In the book 1984, the society is also under thought censorship and the main character Winston comes in conflict with this censorship. By learning this lesson, we get a better understanding of the setting inside the writing. To a broader term, I learned this to be more aware when getting manipulated.
How will I use what I learned?
If one day the environment around me tries to limit my thoughts or tries to change my thoughts, I wouldn’t fall for it and instead, I would resist it by noticing the different ways the environment is trying to manipulate my thoughts.
No comments:
Post a Comment