Front Burner How Orwell’s words became our reality
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Nov 7, 2025 
Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck, known for his thought-provoking documentaries, delves into George Orwell's influence on today's world. He discusses Orwell's warnings about mass surveillance and propaganda, drawing parallels to modern events like the January 6th insurrection. Peck highlights the dangers of language manipulation and the assault on literature by authoritarian forces. He argues for reclaiming Orwell's original messages, emphasizing their relevance in understanding today's political landscape and the importance of history in avoiding past mistakes.
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Orwell's Language Framed Our Politics
- Orwell's vocabulary (Big Brother, thoughtcrime, doublespeak) shaped modern political language and helps name current threats.
- Raoul Peck argues these terms reveal how propaganda and surveillance erode democracy today.
Personal Roots Of Distrust
- Raoul Peck recounts growing up in Haiti and seeing Western democracies support dictators like Mobutu.
- That experience taught him to deconstruct political doublespeak and hypocrisy.
Erasing Facts Enables Authoritarianism
- Peck links January 6 to Orwell's warning about rewriting reality by erasing inconvenient facts.
- He shows how redefining truth enables authoritarian influence and violence.
