On Orwell's "Pleasure Spots"

In Orwell's 1946 essay Pleasure Spots, he warns against a world fixed on the achievement of convenience and "pleasure". In his classically pessimistic view of the Atomic Age, he believes that it is unlikely that the "pleasure resorts" of tomorrow "will be finished - world events will see to that". Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for Orwell, his prophecy here was not fulfilled. Plethoras of these resorts line the coasts of the Mediterranean and the Arabian Peninsula, and all other tropical regions of the world. 'All-inclusive' is the catch-all term for these residences - and residences is indeed the right word, for some of these resorts have begun offering timeshared villas to the exuberant holidaymaker.

However, Orwell was absolutely correct in every other one of his predictions. He provides a simple list of five characteristics associated with "pleasure resorts":

• One is never alone
• One never does anything for oneself
• One is never within sight of wild vegetation or natural objects of any kind
• Light and temperature are always artificially regulated
• One is never out of the sound of music

The first two characteristics are, of course, a given in most all-inclusive experiences. The third is especially apparent in the newer Arabian resorts - or indeed the very cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, within which most of the vegetation is carefully manicured and perfectly maintained to fit a certain aesthetic. Hawaii also has this similar quality of absolute landscaping perfection (resort Hawaii, that is, the wilderness still exists elsewhere on those islands). Similarly, the most remarkable aspect of walking around Dubai is the fact that the air-conditioning is blasted at you when you are outside. Later in his essay, Orwell writes extensively about "man's power over nature", and whilst his observations are more broad (and, as usual, atomic-focused), this insistence that one can somehow outdo the natural desert climate with some air-conditioning feels very reminiscent of Caligula's war on the sea.

It is Orwell's final point, about the pervasive nature of music and noise more generally, which is most relevant to culture today and thus worth spending the majority of the time in this essay on. He quotes Auden's September 1, 1939, and whilst I am reticent to 'double-quote' Auden via Orwell, I feel on this occasion it is necessary, so forgive me.

"'The lights must never go out.
The music must always play,
Lest we should see where we are,
Lost in a haunted wood,
Children afraid of the dark
Who have never been happy or good.'"¹

Auden's view that if the lights were to "go out" and the music to stop playing, the darker reality of our world would set in, draws strong parallels to modern society's never-ending quest for escape - in particular escape in the auditory form. Whilst the relevancy of podcasts waxes and wanes over time, they have become increasingly popular (alongside audiobooks) as a way to escape one's own thoughts. Whether when walking the dog, loading the dishwasher, or driving the car, there is always an incessant background noise that accompanies everyday actions - a noise which drives out thoughts that we'd rather not deal with.

So pervasive is this use (or overuse) of headphones, that societal etiquette has changed substantially. It is no longer considered rude, by the youth at least, to have a conversation with headphones still in. Indeed, makers of these headphones have built-in "conversation awareness" which will lower volume and pause whatever is playing so you can keep your headphones in and have the audio resume so you never have to be a moment with your own thoughts.

Orwell argues, in the concluding portion of the essay, that "man needs warmth, society, leisure, comfort and security: he also needs solitude, creative work and the sense of wonder". In a society which doesn't permit for a moment of silence, and in a world where privacy has become a symbol of luxury, solitude is an almost unattainable thing. In London, or any other major city, one can look up at the sky and see a hazy greyness. Light and sound follow you wherever you go, even at 3am there are still people wandering around the streets - drunkards and/or late-night workers. The solitude which Orwell deems so necessary to just be is impossible to have in an age where to be alone is the pinnacle of luxury and success. The wealthier you are, the more distanced you can make yourself. Slums such as the ones surrounding Mumbai or in the Kowloon Walled City are the most high-density human population centres on the planet. Meanwhile the billionaires and trillionaires of the world build exclusive, end-of-the-world style bunkers and retreats as far from human civilisation as they can get. All whilst avoiding using the very same technologies that we have integrated into our daily lives.

You may think you are not guilty of an attempt to drown out your own thoughts, but I can almost guarantee you are. Perhaps you leave the TV on in the background as you work or perhaps you watch some YouTube whilst you eat. I'm not saying I'm innocent of this act either, I haven't had a quiet shower in some years...