not near total, absolute total control - think new TVs that have their cameras always on, where its illegal to not have a TV and illegal to turn it off.
Just like the one that Winston had.
The government already has near total control over us, but its not quite there yet. Over the past few decades the government has expanded its role so that it now regulates, taxes, monitors, controls or otherwise influences every aspect of our lives. But what the government still wants to do is control our behavior. To do that it needs to impose things likes social credit scores, digital currency, mandates over retirement investments, etc.
That’s the next phase of control. And they will pay for it using our own tax dollars. We give them the rope to hang us so to speak.
Sadly the Republicans are allowing (and enabling) this all to happen.