a tilting of air

It wasn’t a book I wanted to finish. Ironic….reading a book with a plot about the importance of books, and I wanted to quit half-way through. It’s also ironic that a book centered on the burning of books and censorship of information was, itself, censored by both its publisher and other institutions (namely, schools).

The book, written by Ray Bradbury, made me angry…sad…and a little disheartened. It wasn’t that I was emotionally connected to a character or got caught up in the story’s drama. What I got caught up in was the reality of the story…the realization that we are there…or nearly there…standing at a tipping point in our society where truth is hard to distinguish. Fake news to one person is heavily documented truth to another. “Right” and “good” is indoctrinated (hasn’t it always been that way?) and if you’re definition isn’t in line with those holding the cultural reins, you’re ideas of right and good are actually wrong and bad, and must be corrected, shut down, canceled, or publicly shamed.

It wasn’t a book I wanted to finish. I’m glad I did. It will be a medicine to inject from time to time…to remember. Bradbury was on to something in writing this book – clearly for the time he wrote it (Cold War), and with a lingering aftertaste even to now.

If, in reading this post, you feel I’m getting a bit too overblown: breathe. Just imagine us sitting in a quiet room with a fireplace crackling, a tasty beverage (craft brew…some Red Breast…), having a calm, insightful conversation and sharing of ideas. That’s really what this is. Reflection.

“If you don’t want a house built, hide the nails and wood. If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don’t give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none.” – Captain Beatty, Fahrenheit 451

Captain Beatty seems to have some of the best quotes of the book. In the quote above, we have Montag’s fellow firefighter-now-nemesis explaining why they do what they do. He’s quite clear. Crush opposing viewpoints into silence or, better yet, crush viewpoints altogether. Control of the masses. Create the truth you want them to believe (or at least feel they have no option but to believe).

Doesn’t that feel somewhat too familiar? With the fully integrated reach of information at our disposal, those who want to control the narrative of any situation know that they need to control the source, the content, and the vehicle by which the narrative is communicated, and then the regulations and ability for people to respond, react, and provide their own perspective. Silence the opposition. Condition the population by narrowing the message. A new type of warfare? Winning battles without bloodshed? What replaces bloodshed? Mindshed? Thoughtshed?

Beatty has another quote just as poignant:

“School is shortened, discipline relaxed, philosophies, histories, languages dropped, English and spelling gradually neglected, finally almost completely ignored. Life is immediate, the job counts, pleasure lies all about after work. Why learn anything save pressing buttons, pulling switches, fitting nuts and bolts?” – Captain Beatty, Fahrenheit 451

So many questions that lead to difficult answers. I guess it depends on the endgame of society. If it’s about building as much tech as we can to automate everything (okay, a little hyperbolic, but…for the sake of argument…), then what’s the point of learning how to problem solve? Why learn what others in history had to do to solve problems if our problems are solved for us – either through media, politicians, regulations, and automation? Why learn to express ourselves when that expression can now lead to public online shaming?

I don’t have an answer. Just posing questions for thought. And…if you’re getting angry, rolling your eyes, or in full agreement with me…I invite you to contemplate taking a breath and thinking about the source of that reaction, and why you think that source is the right source. Maybe it is. I don’t know. Just think. We’ve become marvelous at reacting to things, but have – I believe – lost much of our ability to think critically. We too often equate truth with how something makes us feel. My feelings often deceive me, so seems a tricky path to truth.

Montag grew on me as a character. I was often frustrated with him – only then realizing he’s so many of us (me, included). My two favorite characters were Clarisse and Faber. Poor Clarisse – always asking questions and exploring ideas with no one willing to play along…until Montag came along as an unexpected companion. Her fate is a sad one. Faber, however, is hope. He represents a group of people who have the grit to bide their time, retain the stories, poems, plays, and knowledge of their forebears, and hope and strive to a better day when the freedom to think – even to offend – is granted back to the people.

In our pursuit of peace, are we dumbing ourselves down to a collective silence…numbness? Will the poems and novels of today, if not in full alignment with regulated, approved language and standards, find themselves in even a proverbial ash heap?

“The books are to remind us what asses and fool we are. They’re Caeser’s praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, “Remember, Caeser, thou art mortal.” Most of us can’t rush around, talking to everyone, know all the cities of the world, we haven’t time, money or that many friends. The things you’re looking for, Montag, are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine per cent of them is in a book. Don’t ask for guarantees. And don’t look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore.” – Faber, Fahrenheit 451

This last quote (above) loses me somewhat at the end. I don’t believe in saving myself. I believe that the only truth that really matters is in God’s Word – the rest of it becomes a mental playground. This is not closed mindedness, rather, it provides an unwavering anchor from which I can explore the world freely, knowing. And if that bothers you, we have the freedom to discuss it. Praise God!

However, what captures me is that words – books, poetry, songs, plays, biographies, memoirs…all of it – provides a treasure of perspectives and lessons learned, worlds to discover, loving or hating a character and then realizing that’s me! They tell us about the experiences of being human – the good, bad, and ugly of it all.

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If you’ve never read Fahrenheit 451, I recommend it. It’s tough reading. Aside from the travesty of the story, I wasn’t all that keen on some of the style choices Bradbury made. That aside, it had such a palpable meaning to our world today that I couldn’t ignore it. I had to finish. Are we there? No. Does the book fire warning shots across our bow? Yes. I believe it does, and it’s well worth paying attention.