Moral of inspiring new novel is that you should blindly let government control your life
A powerful new book co-published by The Guardian and the BBC titled “The Path of Least Resistance” is dominated by themes highlighting the virtue of never engaging your brain and unquestionably allowing the government to control every element of your life
Reporting by literature correspondent Oonagh Vassell-Inkum
“When you read novels like 1984, Brave New World and Fountainhead you get no sense whatsoever about how important governments around the world have been in making life better for everyone.”
Those are the words of Joe Jughashvili, author of a stirring new novel in the mould of those aforementioned literary classics yet with a distinctive — and currently appropriate — twist.
“In the current coronavirus climate we are all experiencing how individualism is an outdated concept and how it is much more socially responsible to accept and follow everything your government asks of you.
“My protagonist begins as someone living during the coronavirus pandemic who rigidly sticks to what he believes in despite the impact it has on his personal relations.
“Throughout the course of the narrative he learns that it is best for society that he give in to righteous social shame to conform with every element of government guidance whether that be wearing a mask, social distancing, not seeing your family or staying in until you’re told it’s safe to breathe outside air again.”
While the novel frames its themes in contemporary events, it still manages to examine broader concepts like the many benefits of universal social healthcare, how government policy creates culture, using law to enforce social change and how government is far more efficient at running various services than the private sector.
“After WWII we’ve given classically liberal governance a go where the government’s role has been to have as little influence as possible and figuratively get out of the way of people as they live their lives,” said Jughashvili.
“We now know that hasn’t worked at all. Not because governments haven’t delivered on providing real freedom but because humans are inherently irresponsible when afforded such freedom.
“When I read 1984 I don’t see Winston Smith as the victim of a tyrannical ruling class, I see him as a dangerous individualist whose selfishness stands in the way of considerable benevolent social progression.
“This is why I hope after reading my book people will consider casting aside selfish concepts like freedom of speech, the right to choose what you do with your body and how you educate your children so we can all get along with allowing politicians to make all your life decisions for you and no one will ever die prematurely again.
“Do you really think you know more about vaccines than them? Of course not. So why wouldn’t you want them to tell you whether to take it or not?”
There have been some saying that systems with all-encompassing government control have been tried and failed before but no journalist, academic or expert we spoke to could think of one example where it has failed so there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work now.
The book is expected to be an instant classic with millions of readers likely to lose their final remnants of self-determination that has gradually and deliberately been eroded throughout the devastating coronavirus pandemic.
Appropriately, campaigners have also started putting pressure on Ofsted to force pupils to read the book alongside revised history books that properly reflect the enormous role people of colour played in creating Britain’s history.
The ideas of Orwell, Rand, Huxley and Solzhenitsyn have had their day — it’s time we all start living by the words of Jughashvili.
