"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU"

On November 1st, 2024, the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapsed, taking lives of 16 people. This tragedy, as a symbol of government negligence and corruption, sparked ongoing protests in Serbia. Today marks 10 months since the tragedy, a reminder of the lives lost and the fight for accountability that still continues.

George Orwell’s "1984" is a dystopian novel, which portrays the future under the totalitarian dictatorship. It's set in the state of Oceania, where society is ruled by the all-powerful Party and its figurehead, Big Brother. While it doesn't directly reference them, several core themes can resonate in the protests, here's how:

Telescreens in the novel reflect an atmosphere of eternal surveillance. In modern contexts, people feel similarly watched, through media control, disinformation campaigns, prompting public pushback when privacy and autonomy are at risk.

The Party’s manipulation of history, and control over language (Newspeak) is a central theme. In the real world, this can manifest as disinformation, censorship, media narratives, or political spin, eroding public trust and amplifying demands for transparency and truth.

Criminalizing independent thought and punishing dissent through fear is a core tactic in the novel. When people are dismissed, labeled as enemies, or even face harsh reprisals for speaking out, it echoes Orwell’s concept of thoughtcrime.

The novel vividly depicts how repression can eventually lead individuals to rebel. Current protests in Serbia may stem from similar impulses, a desire for fairness, democratic rule, and protection of civil liberties against growing restrictions.

This novel also portrays a regime confident in its ability to crush resistance. This can breed public cynicism, but also galvanize protesters who feel the stakes are existential. If people perceive entrenched power structures as intransigent, this can either intensify the energy of protest or deepen despair.

Unlike the monolithic authoritarian regime in the novel, the current situation in Serbia involves democratic institutions, civil society, international influences, and historical legacies. The driving forces behind the protests in Serbia mainly involve corruption and election fraud, not a pure Orwellian thought-crime system.

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