Orwell Quotes

Browse through our collection of quotes tagged with Orwell.

Political writing in our time consists almost entirely of pr

Political writing in our time consists almost entirely of prefabricated phrases bolted together like the pieces of a child's Meccano set. It is the unavoidable result of self-censorship. To write in plain, vigorous language one has to think fearlessly, and if one thinks fearlessly one cannot be politically orthodox.

Politics Language Orwell Writing Orthodoxy

One wants to live, of course, indeed one only stays alive by

One wants to live, of course, indeed one only stays alive by virtue of the fear of death, but I think, as I thought then, that it is better to die violently and not too old.

Death Age Health Orwell

A generation of the unteachable is hanging upon us like a ne

A generation of the unteachable is hanging upon us like a necklace of corpses.

Orwell Britain Nobility Royalty England Wwii Uk

He examined the chess problem and set out the pieces. It was

He examined the chess problem and set out the pieces. It was a tricky ending, involving a couple of knights.'White to play and mate in two moves.'Winston looked up at the portrait of Big Brother. White always mates, he thought with a sort of cloudy mysticism. Always, without exception, it is so arranged. In no chess problem since the beginning of the world has black ever won. Did it not symbolize the eternal, unvarying triumph of Good over Evil? The huge face gazed back at him, full of calm power. White always mates.

Philosophy Big Brother Orwell Chess

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four

Truth Freedom Orwell

TWO AND TWO MAKES FIVE

TWO AND TWO MAKES FIVE

Satire Orwell Authoritarianism Russian Revolution

Processions, meetings, military parades, lectures, waxwork d

Processions, meetings, military parades, lectures, waxwork displays, film shows, telescreen programs all had to be organized; stands had to be erected, effigies built, slogans coined, songs written, rumours circulated, photographs faked.

Satire Orwell Authoritarianism Russian Revolution

The educated man pictures a horde of submen, wanting only a

The educated man pictures a horde of submen, wanting only a day's liberty to loot his house, burn his books, and set him to work minding a machine or sweeping out a lavatory. 'Anything,' he thinks, 'any injustice, sooner than let that mob loose.' He does not see that since there is no difference between the mass of rich and poor, there is no question of setting the mob loose. The mob is in fact loose now, and--in the shape of rich men--is using its power to set up enormous treadmills of boredom, such as 'smart' hotels.

Equality Orwell Capitalism Poor Communism Rich Socialism Marxism

Fear of the mob is a superstitious fear. It is based on the

Fear of the mob is a superstitious fear. It is based on the idea that there is some mysterious, fundamental difference between rich and poor, as though they were two different races, like Negroes and white men. But in reality there is no such difference. The mass of the rich and the poor are differentiated by their incomes and nothing else, and the average millionaire is only the average dishwasher dressed in a new suit. Change places, and handy dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief? Everyone who has mixed on equal terms with the poor knows this quite well. But the trouble is that intelligent, cultivated people, the very people who might be expected to have liberal opinions, never do mix with the poor. For what do the majority of educated people know about poverty?

Equality Poverty Orwell Capitalism Communism Rich Socialism Marxism

Winston Smith: Does Big Brother exist?O'Brien: Of course he

Winston Smith: Does Big Brother exist?O'Brien: Of course he exists.Winston Smith: Does he exist like you or me?O'Brien: You do not exist.

Government Big Brother George George Orwell Orwell