1984
Chapter 9
EveninusingthewordDOUBLETHINKitisnecessarytoexerciseDOUBLETHINK. Forbyusingthewordoneadmitsthatoneistamperingwithreality;byafreshactofDOUBLETHINKoneerasesthisknowledge; andsoonindefinitely,withtheliealwaysoneleapaheadofthetruth. UltimatelyitisbymeansofDOUBLETHINKthatthePartyhasbeenable—andmay,forallweknow,continuetobeableforthousandsofyears—toarrestthecourseofhistory.
Allpastoligarchieshavefallenfrompowereitherbecausetheyossifiedorbecausetheygrewsoft. Eithertheybecamestupidandarrogant,failedtoadjustthemselvestochangingcircumstances,andwereoverthrown; ortheybecameliberalandcowardly,madeconcessionswhentheyshouldhaveusedforce,andonceagainwereoverthrown. Theyfell,thatistosay,eitherthroughconsciousnessorthroughunconsciousness. ItistheachievementofthePartytohaveproducedasystemofthoughtinwhichbothconditionscanexistsimultaneously. AnduponnootherintellectualbasiscouldthedominionofthePartybemadepermanent. Ifoneistorule,andtocontinueruling,onemustbeabletodislocatethesenseofreality. Forthesecretofrulershipistocombineabeliefinone’sowninfallibilitywiththePowertolearnfrompastmistakes.
ItneedhardlybesaidthatthesubtlestpractitionersofDOUBLETHINKarethosewhoinventedDOUBLETHINKandknowthatitisavastsystemofmentalcheating. Inoursociety,thosewhohavethebestknowledgeofwhatishappeningarealsothosewhoarefurthestfromseeingtheworldasitis. Ingeneral,thegreatertheunderstanding,thegreaterthedelusion;themoreintelligent,thelesssane. Oneclearillustrationofthisisthefactthatwarhysteriaincreasesinintensityasonerisesinthesocialscale.
