To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete…
““To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it, to believe that democracy was impossible and that the Party was the guardian of democracy, to forget whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again: and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself -- that was the ultimate subtlety: consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed. Even to understand the word 'doublethink' involved the use of doublethink.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage describes the mental discipline of holding contradictory beliefs and manipulating truth, a core concept of doublethink in a totalitarian regime.
In simple terms: Holding opposite ideas at once while controlling truth.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and resist self‑deception.
Themes
politics
psychology
control
truth
ideology
Mood
cautious
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
psychological
When to use this quote
- authoritarian governance
- media consumption
- personal decision making
- education
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
cognitive dissonance
doublethink
propaganda
memory manipulation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you notice when you accept contradictory ideas?
- What safeguards can prevent manipulation of truth?
A Different Perspective
It may oversimplify complex mental processes and ignore individual agency.