Place every telescreen under private control, and the masses will wallow in filth far worse than the rubbishy entertainment and spurious news the Party supplies today. But others will use their new power to choose wisely. In the cataract of information of the telescreened world, the most important right will be the right not to listen, not to speak, and not to share one's thoughts, words or gestures. That is the promise of the telescreen. By encouraging necrophilic reveries, a depraved artist may do quite as much harm as by picking pockets at the races.
Private pornography inspires public violence.
Private scheming and conspiracy culminate in fraud, extortion, or blackmail. The individual's freedom becomes the community's slavery. Freedom is slavery. The telescreen will give us necrophilic reveries, but it will also create room for the art of angels. It will supply passion but also reason.