Examples Of Utilitarianism In Fahrenheit 451

In a dystopian society where a government has the power to remain unquestioned as it rules with an iron fist, conformity prevails. While societies suggest that burning books and taking daily intervals of drugs will cure the world of all of its problems, those who comply are instead blindly supporting their government’s beliefs while being stripped of their freedoms and identities. Without the ability to express individuality through thoughts and opinions and experience emotions, people live in a society where their knowledge is fueled by propaganda and where they are unaware of reality and what it means to be an individual. The society controls what its people see and believe; without a way to revolt, many learn to tolerate the lives they have.

In order for a dystopia to successfully censor public sentiment in a society, it must remove emotionally stimulating material and objects that prompt feelings of unhappiness. Specifically, Fahrenheit 451’s society gives its people a false sense of happiness by replacing books with several forms of visual and audible “entertainment” that contain nothing but meaningless and uninspiring information. It is a lot of “funnels and a lot of water poured down the spout and out the bottom, and them telling us it’s wine when it’s not” (Bradbury 27). Essentially, the government is substituting healthy, beneficial “water” with what it wants its people to believe is a new, improved, and lavish “wine” when it is not. While this new form of “entertainment” solely distracts people from the world around them, books embody texture, quality, and allow for the generation of thoughts and opinions. Unfortunately, with books and the awareness they provide, many find it difficult to come to terms with the negative aspects of life. Bouts of unhappiness ensue; as a result, the government entrusts its firemen with the task of burning books, claiming that “fire is bright and fire is clean” (Bradbury 57). Dedicated firemen like Captain Beatty take pride

Society’s revisions of fundamental aspects of history are showcased within Fahrenheit 451 as Guy Montag doubts his occupation as a fireman and questions its role in society. His boss, Captain Beatty, takes the liberty of explaining and reading about the history of firemen, which were “Established, 1790, to burn English-influenced books in the Colonies. First Fireman: Benjamin Franklin” (Bradbury 32). Contrary to the rule books, “Benjamin Franklin” was the complete opposite of what the society regards as a “fireman.” In fact, he organized the first fire department and worked to prevent and stop fires. He was a prolific writer of specifically, “english-influenced books” who refined and popularized the printing press and founded the first library. By rewriting history and twisting Benjamin Franklin’s achievements, Fahrenheit 451’s government is able to fuel its people’s belief in the society by feeding them the information that they want them to hear and is able point to historical events to enforce the abolishment of books and the freedom they provide. The same practice of altering information in society’s favor is utilized within Kurt Wimmer’s Equilibrium. Throughout the movie, Father, the leader of Libria, addresses the public over television and broadcasts the government’s justification for the use of Prozium, a drug circulated by the government that