Thoughtcrime

In the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, thoughtcrime is the offense of thinking in ways not approved by the ruling Ingsoc party. In the official language of Newspeak, the word crimethink describes the intellectual actions of a person who entertains and holds politically unacceptable thoughts; thus the government of The Party controls the speech, the actions, and the thoughts of the citizens of Oceania.[1]

In contemporary English usage, the word thoughtcrime describes the personal beliefs that are contrary to the accepted norms of society; thus thoughtcrime describes the theological practices of disbelief and idolatry,[2] and the rejection of an ideology.[3]

  1. ^ Orwell, George; Rovere, Richard Halworth (1984) [1956], The Orwell Reader: Fiction, Essays, and Reportage, San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, p. 409, ISBN 978-0-15-670176-1.
  2. ^ Lewis, David. Papers in Ethics and Social Philosophy (2000), Volume 3, p. 107.
  3. ^ Glasby, John. Evidence, Policy and Practice: Critical Perspectives in Health and Social Care (2011), p. 22.