George Orwell Quotes

All the papers that matter live off their advertisements, and the advertisers exercise an indirect censorship over news.

it is a corrupting thing to live one's real life in secret. One should live with the stream of life, not against it.

What can the England of 1940 have in common with the England of 1840? But then, what have you in common with the child of five whose photograph your mother keeps on the mantelpiece? Nothing, except that you happen to be the same person.

ألا ترى أنّ الغاية النهائيّة للّغة الجديدة هي التضييق من آفاق التفكير؟ بحيث تصبح جريمة الفكر في نهاية المطاف جرماً مستحيل الوقوع من الناحية النظريّة، وذلك لأنّه لن توجد كلمات يمكن للمرء من خلالها أن يرتكب هذه الجريمة. فكل مفهوم يحتاج إليه الناس سيتم التعبير عنه بكلمة واحدة محددة المعنى وغير قابلة للتأويل، أما معانيها الفرعيّة فسيتم طمسها حتى تصبح طي النسيان (...) فالكلمات تتناقص عاماً بعد عام، كما يتضاءل مدى الوعي والإدراك شيئاً فشيئاً (...) ستبلغ الثورة أوجّها حينما تكتمل اللّغة ويتم إتقانها (...) مع حلول عام 2050 أو ربّما قبل ذلك، سوف تكون المعرفة الحقيقيّة باللّغة القديمة قد تلاشت، وسيكون كل التراث الأدبي قد اندثر. (...) إنّ المناخ الفكريّ سيكون كلّه قد تغيّر. وفي الحقيقة لن يكون هنالك تفكير على النحو الذي نفهمه الآن، فالولاء يعني انعدام التفكير، بل انعدام الحاجة إلى التفكير. الولاء هو عدم الوعي

Hermione always yawned at the mention of Socialism, and refused even to read Antichrist. 'Don't talk to me about the lower classes,' she used to say. 'I hate them. They smell.' And Ravelston adored her.

Man is not a Yahoo, but he is rather like a Yahoo and needs to be reminded of it from time to time.

It is just thinkable that books may some day be written by machinery....

If there really is such a thing as turning in one's grave, Shakespeare must get a lot of exercise.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

The most bitter insult one can offer to a Londoner is "bastard" — which, taken for what it means, is hardly an insult at all.

The choice before human beings, is not, as a rule, between good and evil but between two evils. You can let the Nazis rule the world: that is evil; or you can overthrow them by war, which is also evil. There is no other choice before you, and whichever you choose you will not come out with clean hands.

It could not have been ten seconds, and yet it seemed a long time that their hands were clasped together. He had time to learn every detail of her hand.

It is impossible to found a civilization on fear and hatred and cruelty. It would never endure.'
'Why not?'
'It would have no vitality. It would disintegrate. It would commit suicide.

His answer to every problem, every setback was “I will work harder!” — which he had adopted as his personal motto.

I have always thought there might be a lot of cash in starting a new religion.