Showing posts with label "modern tyrannies depend on state control of national memories". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "modern tyrannies depend on state control of national memories". Show all posts

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Putin goes full Orwell; Washington Post, 9/14/16

George F. Will, Washington Post; Putin goes full Orwell:
"Modern tyrannies depend on state control of national memories — retroactive truths established by government fiat. Which is why Russia’s Supreme Court recently upheld the conviction of a blogger for violating Article 354.1 of Russia’s criminal code...
The Democratic presidential nominee fundamentally misread Putin’s thugocracy, and her opponent admires the thug because “at least he’s a leader.” As the Russian blogger’s fate demonstrates, Putin practices what Orwell wrote: “ ‘Who controls the past,’ ran the Party slogan, ‘controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.’ ”
Back in the day, some analysts prophesied a “convergence” between the Soviet Union and the United States, two industrial societies becoming more alike. In our day, there is indeed a growing similarity: In both places, post-factual politics are normal."