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74 George Orwell Quotes on Freedom, Power, Truth and Society

Eric Arthur Blair (born 25 June 1903, Motihari, Bengal Presidency, British India – died 21 January 1950, London, United Kingdom), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist and critic. His novels, Animal Farm and 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) are among the most influential novels of the 20th century.

Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.
Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.
In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever.
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever.
You are free to be a drunkard, an idler, a coward, a backbiter, a fornicator; but you are not free to think for yourself.
You are free to be a drunkard, an idler, a coward, a backbiter, a fornicator; but you are not free to think for yourself.
Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.
Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.
Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
Big Brother is watching you.
Big Brother is watching you.
The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.
The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.
Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.
Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.
The best books... are those that tell you what you know already.
The best books... are those that tell you what you know already.
The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.
The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.
If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.
Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.
Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.
The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.
The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable - what then?
If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable - what then?
Perhaps a lunatic was simply a minority of one.
Perhaps a lunatic was simply a minority of one.
We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.
We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.
But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.
But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.
If you loved someone, you loved him, and when you had nothing else to give, you still gave him love.
If you loved someone, you loved him, and when you had nothing else to give, you still gave him love.
The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.
The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.
The imagination, like certain wild animals, will not breed in captivity.
The imagination, like certain wild animals, will not breed in captivity.
No book is genuinely free from political bias. The opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude.
No book is genuinely free from political bias. The opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude.

For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable – what then?

George Orwell
We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.
We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.
Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.
Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.
Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.
Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
In the face of pain there are no heroes.
In the face of pain there are no heroes.
On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.
On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.
Men can only be happy when they do not assume that the object of life is happiness.
Men can only be happy when they do not assume that the object of life is happiness.
To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.
To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.
Man is the only creature that consumes without producing.
Man is the only creature that consumes without producing.

Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.

George Orwell
Being in a minority, even in a minority of one, did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.
Being in a minority, even in a minority of one, did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.
It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.
The distinguishing mark of man is the hand, the instrument with which he does all his mischief.
The distinguishing mark of man is the hand, the instrument with which he does all his mischief.
I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind except that you happen to be insane.
I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind except that you happen to be insane.
A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices.
A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices.
In general, the greater the understanding, the greater the delusion; the more intelligent, the less sane.
In general, the greater the understanding, the greater the delusion; the more intelligent, the less sane.
Orthodoxy means not thinking--not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.
Orthodoxy means not thinking--not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.
Four legs good, two legs bad.
Four legs good, two legs bad.

A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: 1. What am I trying to say? 2. What words will express it? 3. What image or idiom will make it clearer? 4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

George Orwell
Crimestop means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought.
Crimestop means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought.
Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimetres inside your skull.
Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimetres inside your skull.
We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.
We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.
Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesn't matter; only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you-that would be the real betrayal.
Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesn't matter; only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you-that would be the real betrayal.
Sanity is not statistical.
Sanity is not statistical.
The only good human being is a dead one.
The only good human being is a dead one.

Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.

George Orwell
To die hating them, that was freedom.
To die hating them, that was freedom.
Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments.
Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments.
This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.
This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.
That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there.
That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there.
The object of terrorism is terrorism. The object of oppression is oppression. The object of torture is torture. The object of murder is murder. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?
The object of terrorism is terrorism. The object of oppression is oppression. The object of torture is torture. The object of murder is murder. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?
One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.
One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.
Those who 'abjure' violence can do so only because others are committing violence on their behalf.
Those who 'abjure' violence can do so only because others are committing violence on their behalf.
Happiness can exist only in acceptance.
Happiness can exist only in acceptance.
The very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history.
The very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history.
Oceania was at war with Eurasia; therefore Oceania had always been at war with Eurasia.
Oceania was at war with Eurasia; therefore Oceania had always been at war with Eurasia.
Sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious.
Sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious.
What can you do against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself, who gives your arguments a fair hearing and then simply persists in his lunacy?
What can you do against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself, who gives your arguments a fair hearing and then simply persists in his lunacy?
There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them.
There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them.
The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.
The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.
Early in life I had noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper.
Early in life I had noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper.
Patriotism is usually stronger than class hatred, and always stronger than internationalism.
Patriotism is usually stronger than class hatred, and always stronger than internationalism.
Mankind is not likely to salvage civilization unless he can evolve a system of good and evil which is independent of heaven and hell.
Mankind is not likely to salvage civilization unless he can evolve a system of good and evil which is independent of heaven and hell.
Your worst enemy, he reflected, was your own nervous system. At any moment the tension inside you was liable to translate itself into some visible symptom.
Your worst enemy, he reflected, was your own nervous system. At any moment the tension inside you was liable to translate itself into some visible symptom.
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