“ 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? ”
George Orwell, 1984 (1949). copy citation
| Author | George Orwell |
|---|---|
| Source | 1984 |
| Topic | madness reason argument |
| Date | 1949 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks01/0100021.txt |
Context
“A thousand times better than Winston he knew what the world was really like, in whatdegradation the mass of human beings lived and by what lies and barbarities the Party kept them there. He had understood it all, weighed it all, and it made no difference: all was justified by the ultimate purpose. What can you do, thought Winston, against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself, who gives your arguments a fair hearing and then simply persists in his lunacy?
«You are ruling over us for our own good,» he said feebly. «You believe that human beings are not fit to govern themselves, and therefore—»
He started and almost cried out. A pang of pain had shot through his body.” source
«You are ruling over us for our own good,» he said feebly. «You believe that human beings are not fit to govern themselves, and therefore—»
He started and almost cried out. A pang of pain had shot through his body.” source
Meaning and analysis
