As I mentioned on the air yesterday, lat week I read 1984 ... for the first time. Yep, I somehow didn't have it as assigned reading in any of my classes in high school, and it recently occured to me that it might be a relevant read, given the times. My suspicions were certainly correct. The maleability of reality, truth, belief, the changable nature of the past, the "memory hole" ... in a way, it's too bad Orwell titled the book with a year that would eventually pass, because it's perhaps the greatest cautionary tale of what could always come to pass in our future if we're not vigilant.

After mentioning on the air that I'd recently read the book, a listener wrote in to talk about the character of O'Brien. If you're familiar with the book, here's my question for you: was he always with The Party, or did they get him after he and Winston toasted their allegiance?