Dystopian stories depict a society where there is great injustice and suffering, which are caused by powerful figures who crave power. When one can control every aspect of society critically, totalitarianism results. Dystopias are marked by the infringement of human rights and the surveillance of society. Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopian novel that depicts a society under totalitarian control, which strips away the freedoms and rights of individuals. This leads to an unjust state. Gilliam’s film Brazil portrays a science-fiction society ruled by a “Ministry of Information” that employs a large bureaucracy, centralized by a figure of authority who relies heavily on paperwork. As compared to America today, these fictional stories seem to be so false. However, the continual fabrication of fiction and technology has been given the benefit-of-the doubt in order to bring about the improvement of society. The citizens of the world are being forced to sacrifice their privacy in order to advance.
The BBC’s “Is privacy dead online?” article reveals that privacy is not a priority in our society. It’s a result of technological advances. Knowledge stored in technology has advanced at an incredible rate. This knowledge is now available to anyone with a single click. In the novel “1984”, Oceania is constantly monitored by the government.
Big Brother monitors each person’s behavior using telescreens. These devices are a combination of a television, securing cameras and microphones. “It is dangerous to let one’s mind wander while in a public place or near a telescreen. You could be exposed by the smallest of things. Oceania is a place where people are always in fear of being observed. In Oceania, people are restricted in their freedom of expression because “Reality can only exist in the human mind.” Oceania’s citizens are unable to express themselves freely because their opinions and thoughts are constantly monitored. Oceania has a lot of oppression and people are afraid of “Vaporizing” if they stand up to defend their rights. It is important to note that this shows how Big Brother controls the Oceanian population.
Terry Gilliam combines the issues of our society, including privacy and technology, in Brazil to create a controlled, regulated society. The film shows that technology’s abuse of humans is a problem, as shown by the “two main character being nudged” by machines. The technology is in fact working against the human society. Brazil shows that even man’s inventions, like technology, can be turned against humanity. When technology is used as a tool to oppress citizens, it can cause great distress.
At the beginning of the movie, before Buttle is detained, a family watches television and suddenly the electricity is cut. The main provider for the family was captured, bagged, and taken from the house. The family realizes how much technology affects people and is shocked by the dystopian nature of the society. This connection between awareness and technology appears throughout the movie. For instance, when Sam Lowry comes back to Buttle’s house to deliver the refund check to Mrs. Buttle and Jill Layton they are confronted. The film is filled with people who appear to have a deep understanding of the corrupt system in which they must live, yet coexist, without even turning on a lightbulb. It is true that the Buttles are living in a neighborhood where technology seems to be lacking.
Sam’s car exploding as he tries to help an elderly widow is a good example of the technology working against humanity. It is evident that even a simple act of kindness can be ruined by technology. These sources show the effects of technology on dystopian society. BBC’s report suggests that big corporations are stealing people’s personal information like their sexuality, health conditions and other basic details. This has led to a backlash. In the aftermath of the Equifax hack, which exposed people’s “social insurance numbers, dates of birth, telephone number ….”, there was a backlash. Some cases included credit card and driver’s license numbers. This is one of the biggest data breaches ever. Everyone had been questioning the security of online information up until now. Information is safe online today. Businesses and governments can do this because it is “financially and technologically feasible”. They store records of their activities for personal use. This example is transparent and shows that despite technological advances, the cost to society of releasing personal data is high.
In these dystopian societies, technology is used to violate human rights. But it also shows the people’s dependence on technology. In 1984, Big Brother & The Party are solely reliant on telescreens as a means of monitoring the citizens of Oceania. The novel is replete with telescreens. The voice of Winston sank slightly when he turned a dial, but it was still discernible. The telescreen was dimmable, but not completely shut off. These technological advances have led to a decrease in privacy for each individual.
A dystopia is created, where each individual does not feel satisfied with the circumstances in which they are forced to live, even if it means surviving. Brazil, a movie that shows the same thing, shows us that machines become more prone to breakdown when they get complex. In light of this, if the machines have become our life, we are also bound to break. This argument is illustrated by many examples: “Lowry’s coffee machine spills liquid onto his toast”, “his air conditioning breaks down” and “plastic surgery procedures”, which “stretch the skin of people to temporarily capture youth, making them prematurely older and then killing”.
The issues that happened in Brazil and the year 1984 can be compared to those of today. Brazil Quote. In the BBC article, it’s clear that technology is advancing so quickly that everyone is at risk. Privacy is a myth. With the rapid technological advances, it’s becoming harder to live without creating any data. Some people are fine with the idea of creating more data and think that it is a good thing. Many people worry about “losing their sense of sensitivity and becoming resigned” when they learn that their data has been harvested. They also fear that criminals who want the data could get it. In Europe, for example, new privacy regulations have been introduced to stop governments and companies from stealing data.
Dystopian fiction reveals a reality that can be compared to. The dystopian society in “1984” is evident through the overwhelming authority figure, the lack of freedom and the distress that is present. Brazil says that while technological progress is a boon, it also comes with a cost. The futuristic machines will inevitably deteriorate. Globally, we will continue to lose privacy due to the fast-paced technological development that is difficult to control.
