This One Proves that Orwell’s “1984” Really is Here Now! By Richard Miller (Londonistan)

George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four has long served as a stark warning against totalitarianism, state surveillance, and the insidious control of thought. But in a twist that could have been plucked straight from its own pages, the very estate entrusted with Orwell's legacy now stands accused of enacting a form of ideological policing on the novel itself! The latest US edition of the dystopian classic comes with a new preface, essentially a "trigger warning," that has ignited a fierce debate about censorship and the very nature of literary interpretation.

As reported by The Telegraph, this new introductory essay describes the novel's protagonist, Winston Smith, as "problematic" and cautions modern readers that his views on women may be found "despicable." Written by American novelist Dolen Perkins-Valdez for the 75th-anniversary edition published by Berkley Books (an imprint of Penguin Random House), this preface has drawn widespread criticism for undermining the novel's core message: a chilling exposé of thought control by the state.

The irony is palpable. In Nineteen Eighty-Four, citizens of Oceania live under the constant threat of the Thought Police, punished for any subversive ideas. Now, in a real-world parallel, the guardians of Orwell's work are facing accusations of engaging in their own form of "thought crime" enforcement. As novelist and critic Walter Kirn powerfully articulated on Matt Taibbi's America This Week podcast, "We're getting somebody to actually convict George Orwell himself of thought crime in the introduction to his book about thought crime."

Kirn further warns that while we may not yet be in a world where classic books are being "excised or eliminated," this Orwell estate-approved edition of Nineteen Eighty-Four has been "published with an apology for itself."

Perkins-Valdez explains her approach, stating she aimed to read 1984 as a new reader, admitting that, given Winston Smith's problematic views (such as his dislike of "nearly all women, and especially the young and pretty ones"), she might have abandoned the book entirely. While she eventually concludes that Orwell was portraying misogyny as a feature of totalitarianism, her comments have still triggered a significant backlash. She also touches on the novel's handling of race, noting her own difficulty connecting with characters in Oceania as a Black woman.

The inclusion of this new preface is particularly puzzling given that the anniversary edition already features a foreword by the reclusive and highly acclaimed American novelist, Thomas Pynchon. Kirn's exasperation is evident: "If you have a foreword by Thomas Pynchon to a book, you don't need another foreword, right? You got maybe the greatest living novelist of our time, who's also a recluse, to come out and write something. That's all you need."

"But no," Kirn concludes, "these people felt they needed an introduction before the old white man's introduction. So this version of 1984 has a trigger warning!" He starkly labelled it "the most 1984-ish thing I've ever f—— read."

This incident serves as a stark reminder that the battle against censorship and the struggle for intellectual freedom are ongoing. When even the definitive warning against such dangers is subjected to ideological prefaces, one can't help but wonder if Orwell's chilling vision is not just a cautionary tale, but is here in the West right now.

https://dailysceptic.org/2025/06/08/orwells-1984-now-comes-with-a-trigger-warning/

"George Orwell's estate has been accused of attempting to censor 1984 by adding a 'trigger warning' preface to a US edition of the dystopian novel. The Telegraph has more.

The new introductory essay describes the novel's protagonist Winston Smith as "problematic" and warns modern readers may find his views on women "despicable".

Critics claim the preface, written by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, an American novelist, and included in the 75th anniversary edition published in the US last year, risks undermining the work's warning against control of thought by the state.

In 1984, citizens of the superstate Oceania are punished for subversive thoughts by the Thought Police.

Now, in a real-world twist, the estate that oversees Orwell's literary legacy stands accused of ideological policing.

"We're getting somebody to actually convict George Orwell himself of thought crime in the introduction to his book about thought crime," said Walter Kirn, a novelist and critic, on America This Week, a podcast hosted by journalist Matt Taibbi.

"We're not yet in a world where books and classic books are being excised or eliminated," Kirn added, but warned that the Orwell estate-approved edition of 1984 had been "published with an apology for itself".

Ms Perkins-Valdez's preface is included in the anniversary edition of the 1949 classic, published by Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

In it, the award-winning novelist said that she aimed to approach 1984 as a new reader, and admitted that, given the protagonist's views, she might once have abandoned the book entirely.

"I'm enjoying the novel on its own terms, not as a classic, but as a good story, that is, until Winston reveals himself to be a problematic character," she wrote. "For example, we learn of him: 'He disliked nearly all women, and especially the young and pretty ones'."

The novel follows Winston Smith, a minor bureaucrat who secretly rebels against the regime with Julia, a fellow party member. Their doomed affair is cut short when they are arrested, tortured and brainwashed into betraying one another.

Although Ms Perkins-Valdez eventually concludes that Orwell was portraying misogyny as a feature of totalitarianism, her comments have provoked a backlash.

Her preface also takes issue with the novel's handling of race. As a black woman, she says she finds little to connect with characters in Oceania.

Mr Kirn questioned the need for Ms Perkins-Valdez's introduction, pointing out that the anniversary edition already included a foreword by Thomas Pynchon, one of the greatest living American novelists.

"If you have a foreword by Thomas Pynchon to a book, you don't need another foreword, right? You got maybe the greatest living novelist of our time, who's also a recluse, to come out and write something. That's all you need.

"But no, these people felt they needed an introduction before the old white man's introduction. So this version of 1984 has a trigger warning!"

He called it "the most 1984-ish thing I've ever f—— read"."