crimethink
Mentally opposing authority
Crimethink is a concept from George Orwell's novel *1984*, referring to thoughts that contradict or question the ruling Party's ideology—essentially, illegal thinking.
In the dystopian world of the novel, even unexpressed thoughts can be detected and punished.
The term has gained broader use to describe any opinion or idea that violates prevailing orthodoxy, often invoked sarcastically: Suggesting we cut the budget is crimethink around here.
Prohibited beliefs under authoritarianism
- doublethinkHolding contradictory beliefs simultaneously
- Big BrotherTotalitarian surveillance authority
- unpersonPerson erased from existence
- Ministry of TruthState falsification agency
telescreen · memory hole · Room 101 · Goldstein · vaporized · proles · Oceania · goodthink
Belief opposing official doctrine
- subversionUndermining established authority
- seditionInciting revolt against government
- nonconformityRejection of prevailing norms
- unorthodoxyDeparture from accepted belief
deviance · blasphemy · wrongthink · dissident · freethinker · rebel · counterrevolutionary · samizdat
Coercive psychological manipulation
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- reeducationCoerced ideological transformation
- conditioningLearned behavioral adaptation
- programmingWriting software instructions
groupthink · conformity · orthodoxy · dogma · thought reform · mind control · ideological · radicalization
Cultural or social prohibition
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
- verbotenProhibited by authority
- unspeakableBeyond verbal expression
- bannedOfficially disallowed
illicit · outlawed · proscribed · interdicted · anathema · unmentionable · contraband · impermissible
Forcible prevention or concealment
- silencingStopping noise or dissent
- redactionObscuring sensitive text
- sanitizationCleaning to remove pathogens
- blacklistingFormally marking for rejection
banning · gagging · stifling · bowdlerization · expurgation · quashing · concealment · hushing
thoughtcrime
Prohibited beliefs under authoritarianism
- doublethinkHolding contradictory beliefs simultaneously
- Big BrotherTotalitarian surveillance authority
- unpersonPerson erased from existence
Ministry of Truth · telescreen · memory hole · Room 101 · Goldstein · vaporized · proles · Oceania · goodthink · blackwhite
heresy
Belief opposing official doctrine
- subversionUndermining established authority
- seditionInciting revolt against government
- nonconformityRejection of prevailing norms
unorthodoxy · deviance · blasphemy · wrongthink · dissident · freethinker · rebel · counterrevolutionary · samizdat · resistance
brainwashing
Coercive psychological manipulation
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- reeducationCoerced ideological transformation
- conditioningLearned behavioral adaptation
programming · groupthink · conformity · orthodoxy · dogma · thought reform · mind control · ideological · radicalization
taboo
Cultural or social prohibition
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
- verbotenProhibited by authority
- unspeakableBeyond verbal expression
banned · illicit · outlawed · proscribed · interdicted · anathema · unmentionable · contraband · impermissible
suppression
Forcible prevention or concealment
- silencingStopping noise or dissent
- redactionObscuring sensitive text
- sanitizationCleaning to remove pathogens
blacklisting · banning · gagging · stifling · bowdlerization · expurgation · quashing · concealment · hushing · embargo
- Orwelliannewspeak, doublethink, Big Brother, thoughtcrime, Ministry of Truth
crimethinkgoodthink
State-approved belief
orthodoxy · doublethink · party loyalty · ideological conformity · groupthink
crime, think, crimes, criminal, criminally, criminality, criminalise, criminalize, criminalization