Please don't post this sort of cheap flamebait crack here. It makes discussions poorer.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Orwell is the modern Machiavelli. In about 100 years, people will be wondering if 1984 was satire/criticism or an actual blueprint for effective government in the digital age, in the same way the real aim of Il Principe has been endlessly debated for centuries.

I came up with one of EFF Finland's t-shirt slogans: Orwell was an optimist.

Of course, I was soon outdone. It didn't take long for the adapted version to surface: Orwell was an amateur. Which, I have to admit, is an apt description of our times.

In contrast, Orwell's fundamental rejection of the totalitarian surveillance society is well known and documented. Even in 100 years, those who are interested can read it all.

The irony is, 1984 is used as a manual of sorts by some.

Unless, of course, such documentation will be surpressed. Which is pretty Orwellian, in fact, such operations are the protagonist's job.

Not if it gets Fahrenheit 451'd :-)

Machiavelli gets a bad rap. I read Il Principe and the primary message is moderation. I dunno how people contorted that into evil scheming.