Orwell in New York City
I was walking through the lively streets of New York City, enjoying the city’s vibrant energy, when I passed a wall next to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). At first, I didn't stop. In a city like New York, where creative expression is everywhere, it is easy to just keep walking.
But something pulled me back. I stopped, turned around, and retraced my steps to look closer at a piece of street art.
Underneath the artist's handle (@Kaito_xux), I read the painted words:
"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig..."
Suddenly, a wave of familiarity washed over me. I knew these words. They are the chilling final lines of George Orwell’s Animal Farm—a book that serves as a timeless warning about how the oppressed can easily become the oppressors once they climb into the halls of institutional power.
I do not know the original intent of the artist who painted this striking figure next to the FIT campus directory. The image shows a man pulling a raw, split carcass around his shoulders, literally wearing a pig's skin like a high-fashion coat. But whatever the artist meant, Orwell’s words struck me with a sudden, urgent reminder: we must always remain skeptical of those who hold power, in any form.
This reminder is deeply personal to me. As a political activist who was forced to flee Burma because of my pro-democracy activism, I have spent years analyzing why my home country has struggled so deeply to achieve true democracy.
The sad truth is that we have repeatedly seen Orwell’s warning play out in real life. All too often, those who were once oppressed become the new oppressors. Once they taste power, they begin to collaborate with the very systems of oppression they once fought against, trading their ideals for control.
Because of this, I have stayed away from active politics for the last couple of years. It has felt as though the entire world is becoming more and more politically polarized, focusing on winning ideological battles rather than actually achieving what is good for human beings.
Yet, this small, dusty note on a New York City street corner made my day. It was a quiet, unexpected reminder to keep my eyes open, to remain skeptical of political authority, and to never stop looking closely at the forces that shape our world.
