Technology In Fahrenheit 451, By Ray Bradbury

The effects that technology has on society is one of the criticisms in Bradbury’s writing and is still relevant today. In Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, one of the main criticisms is directed towards the abuse of technology. “And in her ears the little Seashells, the thimble radios tamped tight, and an electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk and music and talk coming in, coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind.” (Bradbury 10). While technology has helped change the lives of people worldwide for the better, it can be dangerous if over-indulged in. “The good news is that, nowadays, the Oji-Cree no longer face the threat of winter starvation, which regularly killed people in earlier times. They can more easily import and store the food

Since the arrival of new technologies, the population has suffered a massive increase in morbid obesity, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Social problems are rampant: idleness, alcoholism, drug addiction, and suicide have reached some of the highest levels on earth. Diabetes, in particular, has become so common (affecting forty percent of the population) that researchers think that many children, after exposure in the womb, are born with an increased predisposition to the disease.” (As Technology Gets Better, Will Society Get Worse?). In Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, one of the main criticisms targeted is the abuse of technology. While technology has helped reconstruct the lives of people worldwide, it can be dangerous if over-indulged in. Technology has indeed helped the Oji-Cree change their lives for the better, but on the other hand, health conditions are at an all time low while mental problems such as depression and suicide are at record levels. As for other examples, like the quote from Fahrenheit 451, people are infatuated with technology and the convenience and comfort that it brings. While technology can be beneficial, it can also be detrimental to society if not used

The people of Guy Montag’s society have become so obsessed with their technology, that it’s actually brainwashing them. Media is this government’s most powerful and controlling form of propaganda. “It is immediate, it has dimension. It tells you what to think and blasts it in. It must be right. It seems so right. It rushes on you so quickly to its own conclusions your mind hasn’t time to protest, ‘What nonsense!’”(Bradbury 80). Something similar is happening all around us. Although it may not be the government’s doing, it's still a major problem that is affecting people on a global scale. “An estimated 5 to 10 per cent of internet users are thought to be addicted – meaning they are unable to control their use.” people are becoming so addicted to technology, it’s like an electronic drug. “The results showed impairment of white matter fibres in the brain connecting regions involved in emotional processing, attention, decision making and cognitive control. Similar changes to the white matter have been observed in other forms of addiction to substances such as alcohol and cocaine.” (Addicted! Scientists Show how Internet Dependency Alters the Human Brain). Younger generations have become so hooked on electronics that it is literally damaging their minds. The irresponsible use of devices such as smartphones and computers has caused screen-time to not only become a major distraction, but also a