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Emotion Quote by George Orwell

“In the old days, he thought, a man looked at a girl’s body and saw that it was desirable, and that was the end of the story. But you could not have pure love or pure lust nowadays. No emotion was pure, because everything was mixed up with fear and hatred. Their embrace had been a battle, the…” quote by George Orwell
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““In the old days, he thought, a man looked at a girl’s body and saw that it was desirable, and that was the end of the story. But you could not have pure love or pure lust nowadays. No emotion was pure, because everything was mixed up with fear and hatred. Their embrace had been a battle, the climax a victory. It was a blow struck against the Party. It was a political act.””

George Orwell

About This Quote

Source Novel: "1984", 1949

Pure love and lust are impossible under oppressive regimes; emotions mix with fear and hatred, making intimacy a political act.

In simple terms: In totalitarian societies, love is politicized and never pure.

Key Takeaway

Guard personal emotions against political manipulation.

Themes

politics emotion purity resistance love

Mood

cautious thoughtful somber

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • personal relationships
  • repressive governments
  • social movements
  • psychological resilience
  • literary analysis

Key Concepts

totalitarianism psychology ideology humanity

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can love remain apolitical?
  • How does fear shape intimacy?
A Different Perspective

Even in freer societies, personal biases can taint emotions.

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