Anyone with a smattering of literary knowledge will perceive Apple’s ‘1984’ advert for their Macintosh computer, as simply a clever play on words – a play on an iconic image: the individual smashing the oppressor. However, it runs far deeper than that. The world of Dystopian literature is often based on very real human fears as a reaction to war, and it was given new life when the Nazis marched across Europe, thus invoking an image of tyranny, control and fear. The terror that gripped Europe during World War Two, meant that these three things because a very near-reality for millions of people and it drew attention to humanity’s tendency towards masochism and control. Two of dystopia’s most infamous works were written around this time: George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, written in 1948, and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, written in 1932. Both novels accurately captured the European mood and presented the base fear of the continent, in the wake of a few decades which changed the face of history. However, at the time of Apples ‘1984’ advert, America was locked into The Cold War with Russia and the fear of communism had swept rapidly across America with the perception being that a communist state is controlling and grey – much like the scene we see in the advert. This would have meant that that the advert caused an extra bit stir, given its reflection of the then-current fears of the public. As in all good dystopian novels, in spite of the protagonist’s struggle against the regime, the totalitarian government prevails but, in Apple’s advert, it is the individual who wins. Following his novel, Aldous Huxley wrote another book entitled Brave New World Revisited, which was first published in 1959. The book was a non-fictional collection of essays which discussed the main concepts from his earlier work and how they fitted worryingly well into the real world. The purpose of this essay is to critically discuss Apple’s ‘1984’ advert with regard to the thoughts of Aldous Huxley concerning rational and non-rational propaganda.
Before moving, it is first pertinent to discuss what exactly Huxley means by rational and non-rational propaganda. He outlines rational propaganda as being something which addresses the needs of those it affects and provides for: “rational propaganda in favour of action that is consonant with the enlightened self-interest of those who make it and those to whom it is addressed” (Huxley 43). Therefore, he is suggesting that rational propaganda is, in fact, an act that is widely considered to be ‘for the best’ of the masses. Whereas, non-rational propaganda is the exact opposite – it is focused entirely on deceiving the masses into believing what best suits the ruling power: “non-rational propaganda that is not consonant with anybody’s enlightened self-interest, but is unconscious cravings or fears.” (Huxley 43). He clarifies that whilst enlightened self-interest is not particularly well thought of with regard to the individual’s decision making (suggesting that it is actually perceived as being selfishness, in that instance), that it is best when a “collective action is to be taken in the fields of politics and economics” (Huxley 44).
From these definitions, it immediately becomes clear that Huxley is distinguishing between the rational democracy and the irrational tyranny. In Apple’s ‘1984’ advert, we are privy to examples of both of Huxley’s forms of propaganda. The scene opens with a typical dystopian scene: hundreds of men are trudging forwards – each wearing the same grey, shapeless outfits; each with the same bald haircut; each moving in time – each part of the machine: “From the moment when the machine first made its appearance it was clear to all thinking people that the need for human drudgery, and therefore to a great extent for human inequality, had disappeared.” (Orwell 197) On a screen, at the front of the room, a face is barking out propaganda to the faceless masses: this man is in control – he is angry and tyrannical and, by Huxley’s definition, his propaganda is non-rational: “we are one people – one whim, one resolve, one cause: our enemies shall talk themselves to death.” (Scott). It is clear from this statement that the tyrannical overlord is making decisions that benefit him and his government before the people: their propaganda perpetuates a message of hate and oppression whilst the people are grey and unhappy with their lives.
As the speech continues, and we are witness to more and more grey drones walking towards the speech-giving face, there are shots, intercut with it, of a young woman with a healthy tan, blonde hair, red shorts and a white vest top. In her hand, she holds a sledge hammer and she is running, full-pelt, towards the screen. As the face declares that “we will prevail” (Scott), she swings around and flings the hammer into the screen which explodes, filling the room with light and air. The drones’ eyes are wide-open, as if they are seeing for the first time. In Huxley’s definitions, the girl is a positive reinforcement of rational propaganda; the girl represents Apple and their Macintosh computer. The clear message is that in a world of boring, oppressing computers, you can be the attractive, colourful, plucky person who fights back against ‘the machine’ by buying a Macintosh – a new, flexible, fun way of computing. And just in case the audience doesn’t quite get that message, there is, what we would call a ‘teaser’, at the end of the advert that states: “On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like ‘1984.’” (Scott).
When Huxley wrote Brave New World Revisited and discussed his two definitions of propaganda, he undoubtedly did not have in mind that they would, one day, by utilised in one of the most infamous advertising campaigns ever. In that sense, the advert is undercut with a delicious sense of irony: Apple are presenting themselves as being the propagators of rational propaganda: ‘buy our product and fight the machine.’ However, although the Macintosh did change computing dramatically, Apple are still a corporate machine of their own with one real obsession: to sell their product and make lots of money. So, whilst Apple are presenting themselves as the over-throwers of oppression; in reality, they are actually more alike the face on the screen in as much as they have an “unconscious craving” to lure customers in and sell them their product. Their use of dystopian imagery is designed to present them as being the alternative option to ‘the machine’ but the discerning consumer would be foolish to not recognise that Apple are as much a part of that machine as the man on the screen.
Huxley defined rational propaganda as being actions taken for the greater good which, in the advert, the girl with the hammer represents: she is the only wholly rational form of propaganda in the entire advert: smash the system and reap the benefits. However, Apple are attempting to align themselves with the girl but their agenda is much more a non-rational one because they are not acting in an enlightened way which decides what is best for the masses – they are acting in a way that is best for them and their sales figures.
References
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. London: Vintage, 2004.
Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. London, Penguin Books, 1990.
Scott, Ridley, dir. Apple ‘1984’ Advert. Apple Inc, 1983 and 1984. Advert.
