1984—the famous futuristic novel by George Orwell introduced the concept of ‘newspeak’ and ‘doublethink’—saying one thing and meaning another. It is about the totalitarian state Oceania which is perpetually at war with Eurasia or Eastasia. The war aims at scheming dissent with the support of dictatorship through raising general dread and disgust.
The lingo of doublespeak (misleading, distorted and ambiguous language) overshadows the mental landscape of the people. The posters carrying the three prominent doublespeak slogans of the state—War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength—are seen everywhere in Oceania. A kind of deliberate euphemism, which tries to drill the affairs of the people, gives antithetical meaning to notions and concepts.
Doublespeak remains the hallmark of the present era. Orwell’s prophecy has come true beyond measure. In the name of return to democracy, war is unleashed to gain control. Under the pretext of enduring freedom, slavery is perpetuated to shackle men and minds. And, ignorance is purported as strength in the persistence of any chronic status quo.
World over, states are increasingly obscuring the issues and hoodwinking people by doublespeak: Dodging accountability to fool the masses by simply corrupting the language. From internationally misconstrued slogans to speeches, the need for doublespeak is usually perpetuated by the elements who want to prolong their clout. The misrepresentation of realities is their fodder, and they cannot afford starving for truth or facts.
World, as such, thrives on doublespeak. A baggage of white lies and rosy concoctions, packed in misleading and ambiguous form, helps regimes to protract their hegemony. And, in eventuality of any public outcry, it’s only doublespeak by which they get away successfully. They plainly disown what they covertly and actually mean by reverting to real connotation. A tricky and equally arty play of words that camouflages fictional from fact.
Not only states, but even individuals make use of doublespeak. From Dubya Speak to Any Speak, persons take advantage of doublespeak to hide or manipulate things. ‘Either with us or against us’, the famous Dubyaspeak lingers.
In fact, the historically clever doublespeak statement came from US Armed Forces Press Officer in Cambodia Colonel David Opfer, who while talking to reporters, after the US bombing raid said-“You always write it’s bombing, bombing, bombing. It’s not bombing! It’s air support!” Similarly, during the Vietnam War, a US officer after ordering an entire village to be burned to disallow its use as a sanctuary by the Viet Cong, commented-“We had to destroy the village to save it”.
There are instances of brushing aside unfairness and wrongs committed by individuals as ‘Style of Their Working’. Very often, arrogance is termed as ‘administrative acumen’ and clumsiness is called ‘silent efficiency’. Manipulation is applauded as ‘mastery’. Favoritism as ‘strategic partnership’. Fraud as ‘finesse’. Craftiness as ‘charisma’. Gossiping as ‘sharing valuable insights’ Pessimism as ‘realistic skepticism’. Negativity as ‘critical analyses’.
Corruption is sugarcoated as ‘lobbying or networking’. Disorganization justified as ‘creative chaos’. Betrayal simplified as ‘premeditated disconnect’. Stubbornness portrayed as ‘firm resolve’. Indecision masked as ‘thoughtful deliberation’. Cowardice vindicated as ‘prudent caution’. Timidity demonstrated as ‘intentional restraint’. Apathy disguised as ‘detached objectivity’. Disrespect excused as ‘honesty without filter’.
Exaggeration presented as ‘colorful storytelling’. And, duplicity dressed in the language of ‘tactical ambiguity’. There is a plethora of labels/terms/phrases to delude others, and escape unscathed for any damn thing. This depicts the blatant use of inversions, those outright lies which testify the opposite of the truth.
Doublespeak rules us. Rules our affairs, day in and out. Nonetheless, we unwittingly become the victims of the sickness we are expert in. This is for sure. It happens eventually. We distort things only to be duped at some point of time by some other forces. We misrepresent facts only to be fizzled out in the scheme of things ultimately. We lie only to be laughed over by destiny. Perhaps, it is always just a matter of time. Time brings forth brutal disclosures.
Of course, Orwell was well-versed with the subtlety of speculation. He had anticipated the insidious reach of doublespeak and its adverse impact on the world. However, he had not taken the course of its backlash into account. Today, all of us stand witnesses to it.
Quite ironically! We have transcended the level of Orwell’s Doublespeak to a very malicious ‘Multispeak’—it’s not simply doublespeak, it’s beyond that because it carries the language of multiple motives. We dabble in the disguised discourse to make lies sound truthful, and still carry the shameless appearance.
Nauseating, indeed!