Doublethink Quote by Dennis Glover
““Orwell could see that Burnham, was nothing but a naked power worshipper, and one of those annoying writers, typical of Marxists and former Marxists, who kept half a dozen directly contradictory ideas active at all times, sustaining the complex trick by means of subtle adjustments of his earlier definitions and prophesies. Dialectics, they called it; but Orwell had coined his own term for it: Doublethink. We could all be geniuses, he thought, if we could invent our own logic and adjust our predictions after the fact.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Unpublished essay by Dennis Glover, 2023
The passage critiques how some writers, especially former Marxists, manipulate contradictory ideas and constantly revise their doctrines, creating a self‑reinforcing system of doublethink.
In simple terms: Writers can twist logic to fit changing beliefs.
Key Takeaway
Question your own assumptions.
Themes
politics
philosophy
logic
critical thinking
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- media analysis
- personal belief revision
- political discourse
Key Concepts
dialectics
doublethink
ideological flexibility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you recognize when you’re adjusting logic after outcomes?
- What safeguards prevent doublethink in your work?
A Different Perspective
Such self‑justifying logic can erode truth and accountability.
