TWENTY-EIGHTY-FOUR

David Worboys Thinking Aloud

BY 1964 I had read all George Orwell’s novels, short stories and essays with the sole exception of ‘1984’. I left this for another 20 years, finally reading it in Luxembourgin 1984.

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Proper written and spoken English is no longer considered necessary, as teachers have surrendered in the battle against Twitter and the media. And what about the year 2030?

up with hormone therapy which Clive tongue in cheek says that every man should experience. He says that his empathy for women has increased enormously as he suffered a kind of PMS. The day following the show, Clive and some friends set out on a mini Triathlon to raise funds to provide vouchers for men to take up the offer of free PSA tests. They hoped to have raised €8,000 which will provide tests for hundreds of men.

The full interview is available on YouTube https://youtu.be/VUFRKK3 wAcE

He wrote it in 1948 and much of what he foresaw had come to pass by 1984. Orwell predicted the loss of personal freedom to supervision by the state autocracy (Big Brother).

By 2084, the UK will have split into four separate republics of England, Wales, Scotland and Ulster. King Kevin has abdicated and briefly became interim President of England, before being replaced following a referendum. But let’s look at 2048.

King William V is on the throne. The Prime Minister is tattooed up to the nostrils. The Archbishop of Canterbury sports a ponytail and an Alice band. The Church of England gives its blessing to any man who wants to marry his dog or horse. Public lavatories no longer discriminate between the genders (male, female and

After a film transmitted on television: “If you have been affected by any of the scenes of violence or any other issues in this film, you can obtain help and support which is available from the following organisations…” Yes, you’ve guessed it. The film is a classic Tom and Jerry cartoon transmitted in about seven years’ time, as our trembling society has degenerated further and lies in tatters.

Back in the late 20th century, ‘Spitting Image’ portrayed Margaret Thatcher clouting members of her cabinet round the head while, in ‘Fawlty Towers’, Basil inflicted slaps and kicks on the cringing Manuel. How on earth could such violence get past the censors in those days?