Aim: How are the readers of 1984 warned about the power of manipulation?
Do Now: Winston thinks, “They could not alter your feelings; for that matter, you could not alter them yourself, even if you wanted to.” Think about and discuss the nature of feelings and emotions.
- Can you alter your own feelings by force of will? Why/Why Not?
I think you can’t alter your own feelings by force of will because your feelings are
subconscious and out of your control. You can do things that change your feelings, such as taking your mind off problems for a while or being around friends but you can’t just tell your own mind to be happy and have it stay that way. You can also change your mindset to help change your feelings, for example thinking more optimistically and looking at the brighter side of things can make you feel happier.
- Can someone else alter another person’s innermost feelings?
Someone else can alter another person’s innermost thoughts because people are very sensitive to pressure from others. This can be seen when someone who once believed against drugs gets convinced to start because of peer pressure. There have also been numerous studies that proved people begin to believe what people say about them, for example if someone always gets called stupid and is told they can’t do well in school they begin to believe that themselves.
Write about what you learned in your online English lessons:
During English class I learned that being manipulated or manipulating someone is a lot easier than people think. Memory is nowhere near as reliable as people think it is, which makes it very easy for people to manipulate them by exploiting that flaw. If you don’t remember something clearly, somebody can say whatever they want to say happened and you’ll believe them because you don’t have any proof against it. I also learned that you have a lot less control over your emotions than you would think. You can’t change your true feelings with willpower alone, you either need to solve the problem or constantly be taking your mind off of it. While some people try their best to hide their emotions, they will only come back stronger and more impactful towards your mental state.
What is it like working from home?
Working from home for me creates challenges but at the same time is very helpful. One of my biggest issues with school was having everything under somebody else’s control, such as my use of the restroom, when I can go get something to eat, when I can get up from my desk to pace around and think, and where I have to put my attention. Now I can feel the freedom to think in my way, and focus on what I think is most beneficial to me. Having a break between classes is also very helpful to recollect my thoughts from the class and to have a bit of downtime before going back to studying. This is helpful to me because I can clear my mind in preparation for my next class. Another benefit from working from home is my ability to choose the environment I work in. I can work at my own desk and in my own bedroom without the distractions of other students. I can also take my laptop outside and work from my backyard which is very calming and really lets me experience the main goal of school, which is learning and gaining new knowledge instead of sitting in an environment that makes me feel miserable to come to every day. One of the few challenges has been communicating with teachers and other students as I have to use email instead of talking face to face, which is always better and easier than any call or message. Another challenge is how difficult it has become to organize all the assignments I have and what I need to get done. In my opinion, the benefits of working from home greatly outweigh the challenges and I would have this as my permanent situation if I could choose between working from home or working from school.
What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?
The city of Moscow is recording over a thousand new coronavirus cases daily, but has lifted its stay-at-home order. This concerns me because the Russian government is willing to put the citizens of Moscow in this sort of danger likely for the benefit of the economy. Looking at the United States, coronavirus is taking its toll on the restaurant industry. During the nationwide lockdown, restaurants had no hope apart from food delivery apps, such as Uber Eats and Grubhub. These delivery apps employ drivers or bicyclists to order takeout from a restaurant and bring it to the customer’s home, allowing delivery for restaurants that previously had no delivery service or suddenly found their small delivery service overwhelmed. The issue restaurants are facing is these delivery apps take up to 40% cuts from the restaurant for delivery on top of the delivery fees and service fees they charge the customer. This has bankrupted many businesses over quarantine since this delivery is their only option and they can’t make any money or break even. As nursing homes are beginning to reopen, the workers are going to be required to get tested for coronavirus often. The debate is who should pay for the tests. Nursing home workers are some of the lowest paid workers in the entire medical industry. Nursing homes have received nearly $5 billion in federal stimulus funding to cover expenses, but they still say they won’t pay for tests unless the government provides more funding.
Reflection:
During English class I learned about the power of manipulating people and how leaders can use it to control entire societies. I learned that not only is this shown in the book 1984, but also we can see how nations manipulated their population in countries such as North Korea and China. I learned that we shouldn’t hide our emotions or try to use willpower to change them, but instead to see the real problem and look to fix the problem because you can’t change your feelings with willpower alone. I was taught also that memory isn’t as reliable as people make it out to be. As a class, we could barely recall what we had done only 3 days before. This unreliable memory is what lets people get exploited and manipulated.
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