Conscious Distancing

When I hear the term “social distancing” I’m reminded of Gwyneth Paltrow’s “conscious uncoupling”, in her divorce from Chris Martin a few years back. We all mocked it then, but we seemingly have fallen for the bait this time. Both are equally examples of Orwellian Doublespeak, which governments (or individuals) use to maintain control. The terms intentionally speak in contradictory ways - socializing can’t be at a distance, for instance. They are simply propagandistic rhetoric, meant to obfuscate, and to confuse and manipulate a foolish or naive people. They are not about truth, but power, not about love, but enmity. They are an attempt at taking the personal realities of life and portraying them as impersonal. They are a hallmark of Modernism in its goal of absolute objectivism. They are Duchamp’s Nude Descending A Staircase. 

I can’t think of a much greater indicator of the worthlessness of government schools than the fact that we were all forced to read Orwell and yet somehow didn’t learn a thing from him, other than how to create the world he was warning against.