| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from 1984 by George Orwell: regrouped itself, as always, into High, Middle, and Low. But the new High
group, unlike all its forerunners, did not act upon instinct but knew what
was needed to safeguard its position. It had long been realized that the
only secure basis for oligarchy is collectivism. Wealth and privilege
are most easily defended when they are possessed jointly. The so-called
'abolition of private property' which took place in the middle years of
the century meant, in effect, the concentration of property in far fewer
hands than before: but with this difference, that the new owners were a
group instead of a mass of individuals. Individually, no member of the
Party owns anything, except petty personal belongings. Collectively, the
Party owns everything in Oceania, because it controls everything, and
1984 |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: whether I may not be right, for you were acknowledging that the courage
which is shown in the rescue is honourable? Now is this courage good or
evil? Look at the matter thus: which would you rather choose, good or
evil?
ALCIBIADES: Good.
SOCRATES: And the greatest goods you would be most ready to choose, and
would least like to be deprived of them?
ALCIBIADES: Certainly.
SOCRATES: What would you say of courage? At what price would you be
willing to be deprived of courage?
ALCIBIADES: I would rather die than be a coward.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Sarrasine by Honore de Balzac: Italy----"
She realized that my words were heavily charged with bitter irony;
and, thereupon, without seeming to notice it, she interrupted me to
say:
"Oh! you describe me to suit your own taste. A strange kind of
tyranny! You wish me not to be /myself/!"
"Oh! I wish nothing," I cried, alarmed by the severity of her manner.
"At all events, it is true, is it not, that you like to hear stories
of the fierce passions, kindled in our heart by the enchanting women
of the South?"
"Yes. And then?"
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