Welcome to The 1985 Report!
The 1985 Report is a free Substack newsletter with content on how propaganda, misinformation and bullshit shapes our views and actions, and how to fight back. It’s part of The 1985 Project, which was established in 2026 by Chris Bevolo, founder of Bearing 287, and the author of this newsletter.
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Why subscribe to The 1985 Report?
George Orwell’s 1984 is the story of a world blinded—truth bent, language twisted, people cut off from one another by fear and illusion. Today, we face our own version of that darkness: social platforms engineered for outrage, media incentivized by sensationalism or bowing toward authoritarian will, institutions warping reality, and a constant stream of bullshit dressed up as truth.
The 1985 Project was born from the belief that we can move beyond our modern Orwellian landscape and build a better world for all. Through content and connection, we explore how propaganda and misinformation work, how narratives shape collective understanding, and how individuals can reclaim their interpretive agency. It’s a place to learn, to question, and to move past distortion—toward truth, clarity, and meaningful connection.
The 1985 Report is how we will keep those who also want to fight propaganda, misinformation and bullshit educated and armed to fight back. While our political persuasion will no doubt be clear, we will be agnostic in calling out the nonsense no matter where it’s coming from - the right, the left or the center.
About the author
The 1985 Project was started by Chris Bevolo, who founded Bearing 287 after more than 30 years leading companies in branding, marketing and communications, primarily in the healthcare sector. His professional and personal experiences in the three years prior to launching Bearing 287 led him to an identity crisis - what he saw and experienced in healthcare, in the business world, and in the world overall convinced him he was not doing what he could to fight the injustices he saw and to make the world a better place. After years of benefitting from the system, it was time to give back. Bearing 287 offers brand, communications and audience growth strategies to organizations who are supporting the causes of human rights, democracy, social justice, civil rights and more.
Over his career, Chris has provided leadership and guidance in the areas of strategy, brand, marketing, digital, and change management to organizations across the country. During his 35 year career, he founded and led his own agency for nearly two decades, rose to the level of CEO for a $30 million company, and participated in the sale of four businesses. He has authored seven books, including the 2011 book, Joe Public Doesn’t Care About Your Hospital, which became a field guide for driving transformation in healthcare. His latest book is Joe Public 2030 (2022), which makes five bold predictions about consumer healthcare for this decade. Chris has been a frequent keynote speaker and featured presenter at dozens of conferences across the U.S. and has authored a popular blog and numerous articles and papers.
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