Totalitarian Novels: Science and Bureaucracy in That Hideous Strength

Totalitarian Novels: Science and Bureaucracy in That Hideous Strength

Author: Hillsdale College April 23, 2025 Duration: 38:46

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss how easy it is for nefarious forces to influence the "educated" before introducing Hillsdale College president Dr. Larry P. Arnn.

Totalitarian novels depict regimes that exert complete and pervasive control over the lives of their subjects. George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Arthur Koestler, and C.S. Lewis imagine the terrible possibilities of unchecked modern tyranny. Join Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, and Hillsdale College students in this exploration of 1984, Brave New World, Darkness at Noon, and That Hideous Strength.

The course includes four lectures and four conversations, each about 30 minutes long. It is structured with one lecture about each book followed by a conversation between Dr. Arnn and the students about themes from that book. 

Lewis exposes the dangers of substituting scientific expertise for wisdom and bureaucracy for politics as the ruling impulses of a nation. Mark and Jane Studdock discover the importance of marriage, family, friendship, and faith.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast delivers the core of a classical liberal arts education directly to your preferred listening app. Hosted by Online Learning Directors Kyle Murnen and Juan Davalos, this series transforms the college's foundational mission into an accessible audio format. Each episode serves as a lecture or discussion drawn from Hillsdale's complete, free online courses, covering enduring topics in history, government, culture, and the principles of a free society. You'll hear in-depth explorations of the ideas, events, and figures that have shaped Western civilization and American institutions, all presented with the clarity and depth of a classroom setting. The podcast is designed for lifelong learners seeking substantive content beyond the headlines, offering structured education through the convenience of an audio feed. Listen for thoughtful commentary that introduces each course's themes, followed by the full lecture material, allowing you to engage with rigorous academic content on your own schedule. This is more than a series of talks; it's a curated curriculum aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of the philosophical and historical foundations necessary for informed citizenship and personal enrichment.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Totalitarian Novels: That Hideous Strength and Faith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:12
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss C.S. Lewis' unique approach to the totalitarian novel before introducing Hillsdale College president Dr. Larry P. Arnn. Totalitar…
Totalitarian Novels: Loyalty and Confession in Darkness at Noon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:09
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the nature of loyalty before introducing Hillsdale College president Dr. Larry P. Arnn. Totalitarian novels depict regimes that e…
Totalitarian Novels: Darkness at Noon and Regret [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:04
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss discuss what distinguishes Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon from the rest of the novels covered in the course before introducin…
Totalitarian Novels: Drugs and Genetics in Brave New World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:23
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss how important struggle is in forming a human person before introducing Hillsdale College president Dr. Larry P. Arnn. Totalitaria…
Totalitarian Novels: Brave New World and Pleasure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:24
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the power of pleasure to control a population before introducing Hillsdale College president Dr. Larry P. Arnn. Totalitarian nove…
Totalitarian Novels: History and Language in 1984 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:28
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss how totalitarian states destroy the human spirit before introducing Hillsdale College president Dr. Larry P. Arnn. Totalitarian n…
Totalitarian Novels: 1984 and Pain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:45
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan introduce the course "Totalitarian Novels." Totalitarian novels depict regimes that exert complete and pervasive control over the lives o…
Marxism, Socialism, and Communism: Cultural Marxism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:36
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss Communism's transformation into a popular political position in the United States. In “Marxism, Socialism, and Communism,” profes…
Marxism, Socialism, and Communism: Yugoslavia and China [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:20
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the strange and deadly history of Communism outside of the Soviet Union. In “Marxism, Socialism, and Communism,” professors of hi…
Marxism, Socialism, and Communism: Solzhenitsyn, Mises, and Hayek [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:11
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the deeply personal and precinct writings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. In “Marxism, Socialism, and Communism,” professors of histor…