Nearly all children nowadays were horrible. What was worst of all was that by means of such organizations as the Spies they were systematically turned into ungovernable little savages, and yet this produced in them no tendency whatever to rebel against the discipline of the Party. On the contrary, they adored the Party and everything connected with it All their ferocity was turned outwards, against the enemies of the State, against foreigners, traitors, saboteurs, thought-criminals. It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children.

Summary

This quote from George Orwell's novel 1984 highlights the paradoxical nature of the society depicted in the story. It emphasizes the indoctrination of children by the Party, wherein they are cultivated into becoming ruthless citizens loyal to the state. Despite their inherently rebellious and horrid behavior, they direct their ferocity exclusively towards external threats to the State, rather than challenging the inner workings of the Party. The quote further emphasizes that such conditioning instilled a sense of fear in adults, who, in turn, had reason to be apprehensive about their own children's allegiance to the Party.

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