Author: Ray Bradbury
Copyright: 1953
Copy: One of my closest friends let me borrow a copy of Fahrenheit 451 back in the late 1990’s when we were in high school. My friend always has cool books and cool ideas. Ideas from this book have been extremely influential to me throughout my life.
Gist: Guy Montag is a “fireman” in an age where firemen start fires, they don’t put them out. During this time period books have become illegal and anyone found with books in their home will be visited by firemen who dump kerosene on the books and house and light them up. Montag starts to question this notion that books are bad and decides to change things. Another important piece of this book is Montag’s wife. She is often heavily medicated and tries to distract herself from her worthless existence with constant music in her ears and interactive soap operas on her full wall TV screens.
My Thoughts: I’m not going to cite any portions of the text in this piece. I’m strictly going to talk about ideas that have been inspired by this book. Out of a slue of ideas this book has given me, I want to write a few brief lines about the following: The less you know the more disadvantaged you are, Self-censorship leads to disadvantage, and Ignorance is a form of control vs. Knowledge if a form of power. Also, this book inspired one of the best songs I’ve ever written and there’s a link to a youtube video of the music video we made for the song.
The Less You Know the More Disadvantaged You Are
The auto mechanic, the dentist, taxes, lawyers, car salesmen, the police, bureaucrats, history books, religion, certain types of education, and many more…can all take advantage of you if you are ignorant with regards to their subject of expertise. I get extremely frustrated with myself when I have to take my car into a mechanic and they start trying to explain to my why I need to drop $1,300 on something…and I don’t even understand what they’re talking about! I place myself at an extreme disadvantage due to my lack of knowledge on (insert any subject here). When I go to buy a used car from someone and I haven’t checked the Blue Book value of the vehicle and done my homework, I’m at an extreme disadvantage. My degree of knowledge directly correlates to my ability to avoid being used.
Self-censorship Leads to Disadvantage
We are in control of our knowledge. We can decide to read, study, seek out those who can provide knowledge on any subject – all of this is within our own power. The opposite is also true. Our ignorance is our own doing. I wrote the lyric many years ago, “We censor ourselves, when the books, we leave on the shelf.” When we choose not to learn about a subject we actively decide to place ourselves at the mercy of the knowledgeable. Our self-censorship, intentional or unintentional, is part of what creates an environment of disadvantage.
In Bradbury’s book, Montag lives during a time where the people have willing chosen to burn books and refuse to read. This wasn’t something that was put in place by a totalitarian government, the people WILLINGLY chose that path. In what ways are we willingly censoring ourselves? How am I willingly, yet unknowingly, setting myself up for failure? I often think about those who are afraid to expose themselves or their children to the realities of the world are at a greater disadvantage than those who experience life as it truly is. It’s one thing to protect you or your loved ones from harmful influences, however, it’s another thing entirely to live in a bubble or as Plato would put it, in a cave. When we censor ourselves, we don’t realize we are creating a false reality, and that when we are confronted with reality, it can to be a emotionally or physically violent experience.
Ignorance is a Form of Control vs Knowledge is a Form of Power
Governments as well as people in general use imposed ignorance to control people, while knowledge is a method of liberation and power. A local politician to Hawaii was encouraged to add funding to public education. The idea is that it would improve public support and provide a better foundation or employment opportunities. After this suggestion was made, the politician responded that he would never do that because the state needs to continue to provide a work force to support the tourism industry which is the lifeline of the state. The state of Hawaii’s horrible public education system appears to have a top down plan to control the public’s level of stupidity. By maintaining a poor public education system (DAMN FURLOUGH FRIDAYS!), the state knowingly creates an environment of control – it perpetuates a lack of knowledge that denies “high school graduates” real employment or opportunities for progress.
Knowing how a system, government, business, tool, or knowledge about almost anything in one way or another is a form of power. First off, you have power over those who know nothing about your subject or issue. Think about how that works in your own life. What is it that you have knowledge on that gives you power? Is it a skill set, historical knowledge, or something else entirely? Most people can see how their knowledge brings them power by looking at what your job is.
Comments: These are just a few of the ideas I’ve had about 451 over the years. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction like Brave New World. Read it with a lens of self reflection. How am I like those who think burning books is normal in 451? Also, if you want to hear the song I wrote years ago about 451 and see the music video my band did, here’s the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyELuTwyPQA
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