What George Orwell got right in '1984'

There may be no one who can say "I told you so" better than George Orwell, who was born today, June 25th in 1903.

In Orwell's novel "1984" — which was published in 1949 — the English author outlines a dystopian future that is eerily similar our world today.

"1984" is still considered a fictional piece of literature to many, but a lot of what appeared in the book is now a reality.

Like Big Brother: In "1984", there are TV screens and computer monitors that provide info and entertainment while simultaneously spying on those in front of them. Today, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as online retailers like Target are able to use your information to find out where you go, what you like, who you know and more. Not to mention the surveillance cameras on just about every street.

In Orwell's "1984," the Party that rules the nation of Oceania is in a constant state of war with surrounding nations. The same can be said about the world today, taking into consideration wars in Afghanistan and Syria — as well as several countries having atomic weapons -- and others that are accused of trying to build them.

On a lighter note, the protagonist, Winston Smith, uses what's called a Speakwrite: A dictation machine that transcribes speech into text. Can we give Orwell credit for Siri too?

How about Newspeak? The limited and constantly shifting vocab mentioned in "1984" basically gives Orwell the credit for coming up with the majority of our instant message conversations.

Click through the gallery below to learn more about the life of George Orwell: