Did George Orwell accurately predict the challenges of writing today?

[Jared]

I just read this article in The New Yorker, which is about how George Orwell, author of the dystopian classic Nineteen Eighty-Four, forecast the problems associated with totalitarianism. Specifically, this article discusses how Orwell predicted the impact social paradigms would have on writing.

Almost a year and a half ago, there were ciritcs who objected to repeated analogies of today's political/social atmosphere to Nineteen Eighty-Four. One was Kyle Smith in The New York Post in mid-February 2017. After all, we are not in a totalitarian society yet. But others cannot ignore the new phrases such as "fake news" and "alternative facts," and their similarities to Orwell's novel. Clearly, Nineteen Eighty-Four had a surge in popularity back then, even becoming Amazon's 5th bestselling novel, and Paste Magazine said it inspired a new entourage of songs.

However you want to take it, there are disturbing signs in the political climate, and people who experienced the atrocities of the early 20th century have issued warnings.

What are your thoughts on the New Yorker article?

Does anyone (especially writers) feel that writing is influenced by the sociopolitical atmosphere, either positively or negatively?

Do you feel that Orwell was able to predict today's problems with writing?

Is anyone alarmed by the attack on credible journalism?