Comments on: The George Orwell personality cult http://www.perplexicon.net/2009/08/the-george-orwell-personality-cult/ Contrary to what you might think, a blog about what's contrary to what you might think. Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:41:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: David Michael http://www.perplexicon.net/2009/08/the-george-orwell-personality-cult/comment-page-1/#comment-3208 David Michael Mon, 31 May 2010 12:19:42 +0000 http://www.perplexicon.net/?p=247#comment-3208 Are you saying that I invented a cult just so I could write a blog post about it? It doesn't make any real difference that the major focus of the piece is 1984, since the point is that Orwell's ideas tend to be reappropriated for convenience by people all over the political spectrum. This is a fact testified to by experts such as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNEgAuRYy9c" rel="nofollow">John Rodden</a> and others. He certainly was a great political thinker, but this doesn't change the fact that people -- in a manner of speaking -- use his name in vain. Are you saying that I invented a cult just so I could write a blog post about it? It doesn’t make any real difference that the major focus of the piece is 1984, since the point is that Orwell’s ideas tend to be reappropriated for convenience by people all over the political spectrum. This is a fact testified to by experts such as John Rodden and others.

He certainly was a great political thinker, but this doesn’t change the fact that people — in a manner of speaking — use his name in vain.

]]> By: Barry Larking http://www.perplexicon.net/2009/08/the-george-orwell-personality-cult/comment-page-1/#comment-3207 Barry Larking Mon, 31 May 2010 09:13:10 +0000 http://www.perplexicon.net/?p=247#comment-3207 Orwell is not the author of this "cult". You are. He wrote a great deal more than 1984 (however, I do not think him a great novelist) and had the misfortune to die shortly after. His characteristic writings are miles away in tone and subject from 1984 and to isolate one aspect of his output – a very large one on many topics – is disengenuous. His outstanding ability was not political prediction, a fateful occupation, but as a thinker with an extraordinary gift. Orwell is not the author of this “cult”. You are. He wrote a great deal more than 1984 (however, I do not think him a great novelist) and had the misfortune to die shortly after. His characteristic writings are miles away in tone and subject from 1984 and to isolate one aspect of his output – a very large one on many topics – is disengenuous. His outstanding ability was not political prediction, a fateful occupation, but as a thinker with an extraordinary gift.

]]> By: David Michael http://www.perplexicon.net/2009/08/the-george-orwell-personality-cult/comment-page-1/#comment-3136 David Michael Tue, 18 May 2010 22:26:37 +0000 http://www.perplexicon.net/?p=247#comment-3136 Glad I could be of assistance! Glad I could be of assistance!

]]> By: Matthew http://www.perplexicon.net/2009/08/the-george-orwell-personality-cult/comment-page-1/#comment-3129 Matthew Tue, 18 May 2010 12:13:33 +0000 http://www.perplexicon.net/?p=247#comment-3129 Excellent article. I must admit, when I probably shouldn't have done so, I used the word "orwellian"; it was used to describe a sudden increase of CCTV cameras in my local area, but, in reality, it showed my ignorance. Orwell is one of my favourite authors, but your fantastic article will now make his books clearer for me. I'm off to read his books again. Excellent article. I must admit, when I probably shouldn’t have done so, I used the word “orwellian”; it was used to describe a sudden increase of CCTV cameras in my local area, but, in reality, it showed my ignorance.

Orwell is one of my favourite authors, but your fantastic article will now make his books clearer for me.

I’m off to read his books again.

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