Scene I'd Like to See Re: 1984

Setting: A sterile room.

Mr. Obrien paces before the subject.: It is very important that you understand that you are here to get better, to become sane. You must learn to trust the Party, Mr...

Subject: Joker, the Joker. And, it's very good that you recognize the difficulties of your insanity, Mr. Obrien.

(The camera pans over as the Joker speaks to note that he is bound and affixed with electrodes.)

Mr. Obrien: Oh, but I am the sane one. I am the one who has total trust in The Party and in Big Brother.

Joker: That's no good. You're lying. Saying you trust the party isn't enough. You have to truly choose to trust The Party.

Mr. Obrien: But, I'm not lying-

Joker: You are if The Party says you are. And, the Party tells me you are.

Mr. Obrien: The Party only speaks to you through me, today, Mr. Joker.

Joker: The Party tells me otherwise, Mr. Obrien.

Mr. Obrien: No, obviously, it didn't. You have no means of hearing anything that I do not personally tell you.

Joker: Oh, denying the truth of the matter will get you nowhere, Mr. Obrien. You'll never be released from this table if you don't learn to be honest.

Mr. Obrien turns a dial, causing a charge to course through the still-smiling subject, who laughs until the dial is turned back to zero.

Joker: I hate to do that to you. But, you have to learn.

Mr. Obrien: No, I'm the one who did that to you.

Joker: I'm the one who did that to you, the Party says so.

Mr. Obrien: There's no possible way that you could have heard that from The Party.

Joker: There is if the Party says there is.

Mr. Obrien: But, before the Party can tell you such a thing, it has to have a means by which to tell you that thing.

Joker: Logic, Mr. Obrien? Really? You trust your logic to give limits to The Party?