1984 | Ch. 20 – Freedom Is Slavery (And Other Lies)

In this episode of Banned Camp, the comedy podcast where we read banned books and try to understand why they were censored, Jennifer and Dan dig into the first part of Chapter 20 of 1984 by George Orwell. Winston enters the so-called “understanding” phase of his interrogation, where O’Brien finally reveals the Party’s true motive: power for its own sake.

Through a chilling monologue, O’Brien explains that there is no revolution, no utopia, and no noble purpose behind the torture—only the endless pursuit of power. Jennifer and Dan debate whether this is more terrifying than the lies of past dictators and connect it to modern authoritarian propaganda. If you’ve ever wondered how totalitarian regimes justify their cruelty, this part of 1984 shows exactly how they sell it as virtue.

Things To Listen For:

• O’Brien’s confession: the Party doesn’t care about justice, only control
• Why “freedom is slavery” feels disturbingly relevant now
• The difference between “understanding” and “learning” (and why it doesn’t matter)
• Jennifer’s theory about dictators just wanting power after they get all the “goodies”
• Dan’s rant about how cruelty is the point

Banworthy to Bingeworthy:
This week, we recommend Good News for Lefties, the podcast that reminds you democracy still has a fighting chance, and Here’s the Scoop, MSNBC’s daily look at politics, censorship, and the stories behind the headlines.

Featured Clips:
Featured clips include a few seconds and commentary from Cruel to Be Kind, written by Nick Lowe and Ian Gomm, produced by Nick Lowe, and distributed by Columbia Records. We also played a segment from Billy Madison, performed by Adam Sandler, distributed by Universal Pictures, including the “everyone in this room is now dumber” speech.

All rights and copyrights are the property of their respective owners and are used here for entertainment and educational purposes under fair use guidelines. No copyright infringement intended.

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Disclaimer:
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of 1984 by George Orwell for the purposes of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines. Some passages may be lightly abridged for pacing, but we remain true to Orwell’s intent. To experience the full work, purchase a copy here. We are not affiliated with Orwell’s estate or publisher.

Topics Covered:
1984, George Orwell, totalitarianism, banned books, censorship, power and control, freedom is slavery, authoritarianism, free speech, comedy podcast