There aren't many 'chef's kiss' moments these days, but The Telegraph just came close.
In a widely panned article, The Telegraph, which is owned by British elites, just tried to cancel George Orwell for being a "sadistic, misogynistic, homophobic and sometimes violent" person whose life was "at odds with the "decency" of his writing."
George Orwell was ‘sadistic, misogynistic, homophobic and sometimes violent’ https://t.co/GAps4MA8pM
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 15, 2023
The claims come from the biographer of Orwell's wife, Anna Funder, who took some serious liberties in drawing her conclusions.
Funder includes in her book letters that O’Shaughnessy wrote to a friend, Norah, discussing her marriage.
In one, she said that she wanted to visit Norah but found it difficult because Orwell would either claim to be ill, requiring her to stay at home and tend him, or contact her while she was away, requesting that she come home again.
Funder cited it as evidence that O’Shaughnessy was being kept in a “controlling environment”.
There's no other evidence presented for any of the claims in the headline, but hey - we guess you'll just have to buy her book.
Reactions to The Telegraph's attempt to cancel Orwell were severe and warranted, and the outlet's original post on "X" received a blistering 'ratio' (more comments than 'likes').
Step 1. Identify behaviors that were once accepted but no longer.
— Alexandros Marinos 🏴☠️ (@alexandrosM) October 16, 2023
Step 2. Find some figure from the past that is inconvenient and you want to erase
Step 3. Identify now-problematic behaviors the figure may have been engaging in
Step 4. Tar figure's reputation
Truly Orwellian https://t.co/nviji1OxQM
You are the bad guys
— George Alexopoulos (@GPrime85) October 16, 2023
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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 16, 2023
Delete yourselves.
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Brought to you by the… pic.twitter.com/J8n5iUDzAs
— TimOnPoint (@TimOnPoint) October 15, 2023
No irony at all in cancelling 1984… pic.twitter.com/nuYfUMYwBW
— Xill (@Xil_llix) October 16, 2023
— BrunoNation (@TonyBrunoNation) October 16, 2023
Clickbait or an open admission that the MSM is thinly veiled propaganda? pic.twitter.com/TFfLh59aQU
— Steve Stevenson (@AverageSteveS) October 16, 2023