Markus Hering / Su Yeon Kim

When George Orwell completed his novel 1984 in 1948, he was under the influence of developments in the Soviet Union under Stalin and Hitler's Nazi rule in Germany. Winston Smith, the main character of the novel, tries to rebel against the party elite of Big Brother, who run England in a dictatorial and totalitarian manner. His life is characterised by supply problems, fear, constant control and a lack of personal relationships. Orwell's novel is a powerful plea against totalitarian rule of any colour. It shows the devastating consequences of oppression and systematic surveillance of the individual. The famous quote »Big brother is watching you« makes us think of the unfortunate power of social media.