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About this quote

What does it mean?
Orwell advocates for individuals to act with autonomy rather than as mere functional parts of an economic system.
In plain terms
People should act as individuals, not just workers in a system.
What can you take from it?
Preserve individual agency within economic structures.

Where it applies

  • workplace culture
  • economic policy
  • social reform

Putting it to work

  • humanize work
  • value individuality

Questions to consider

  • How much autonomy do workers have?
  • What is the value of an individual?

Another view

It assumes capitalism inherently reduces humans to cogs, which some economists debate.

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