In a scathing commentary for American Thinker, writer C.H. Howard draws unsettling parallels between George Orwell’s 1984 and contemporary American culture, where debates over gender, history, and ‘lived experience’ have replaced what he calls ‘public empiricism’—the shared sensory reality that once grounded society.
The Winston Smith Test
Howard anchors his argument in Orwell’s infamous scene where protagonist Winston Smith clings to the basic truth that ‘two plus two equals four’ despite totalitarian pressure to deny it. Today’s ideological battles, Howard suggests, follow a similar script: ‘Big Brother has become Big Other,’ where subjective identity trumps biological reality, and historical narratives bend to political agendas.
The ‘Red Light’ Problem
The essay’s most provocative analogy compares traffic signals to societal truths: just as drivers (mostly) agree red means ‘stop’ despite not knowing if they perceive color identically, shared facts once stabilized civilization. Now, Howard warns, institutions teach that ‘sex is defined not by science, but by a person’s internal self-awareness,’ undermining empiricism. He cites recent state ballot measures banning transgender athletes from women’s sports as rare victories for ‘objective reality.’
A Glimmer of Hope?
While Howard paints a bleak picture—noting Americans increasingly ‘vote themselves a share of someone else’s possessions’—he finds optimism in pushback against ‘gender ideology’ and critical theory. The alternative? A society where, like Winston Smith, citizens ‘love Big Other,’ surrendering truth to power. The piece closes with a call to resist before that fate becomes irreversible.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/11/have-americans-finally-learned-to-love-big-brother/