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People On Twitter Are Mocking Trump Supporters For Misinterpreting George Orwell’s ‘1984’ After He Got Banned

On Friday night, two days after his supporters stormed the Capitol building, leading to five deaths, outgoing president Donald Trump was permanently banned from Twitter. The reason, the company said, was “due to the risk of further incitement of violence” — a reaction to him spreading baseless conspiracy theories about voter fraud that have whipped his base into a violent frenzy. The reaction among his base was predictable: They weren’t happy. Soon the hashtag #1984IsHere began trending, referring to George Orwell’s classic novel about an authoritarian dystopia. The reaction to that, however, was that many of the people tweeting that probably haven’t actually read the book.

One frequently made point was that Twitter is not the government. They are a company. And if the government itself has not taken away Trump’s freedom of speech, there is no first amendment violation. Therefore invoking a book — one written by a virulent anti-fascist — was a moot point. Some posted useful explainers to help his fans realize the difference between the government and a social media company.

Others pointed out that Trump still has a voice.

Many questioned that Trump supporters have actually read George Orwell’s 1984.

Or maybe they have.

Others were annoyed about the overuse of “Orwellian,” when Orwell wrote many other books not about a grim dystopian hellscape. (Keep the Aspidistra Flying, about a frustrated wannabe novelist, is pretty good, too.)

Some anti-Trumpers quoted Orwell back, with lines that they probably wouldn’t enjoy.

There was some general mocking, too.

Others pointed out that it’s that Trump — and some of his minions — is being “censored.” What they experiencing is what happens after wrongdoing.

Others simply reminded people about the actual 1984.