The Overuse Of Technology In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

The novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, is a dystopian society where firemen are tasked with burning any books they find. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a complacent fireman who eventually finds purpose in society and uncovers the truth of the world he lives in. Bradbury touches on numerous aspects of life, but two stick out. Bradbury wants to modify how people are taught and the availability of knowledge and the overuse of technology which has negatively affected human connection.

How people are taught and the availability of knowledge is something that is believed shouldn’t exist in the society of Fahrenheit 451. Beatty tells Montag that “A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon” (Bradbury

Montag is talking with Mildred about what he’s experiencing “We need not be left alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long has it been since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?” (Bradbury 52). Montag is finally starting to realize that the world he lives in is not what it seems, and he is trying to convey that to his wife, Mildred. “How long has it been since you were really bothered?” Bradbury is not trying to show us the literal answer to Montag's question but show that in Montag's society, no one ever gets bothered by questions or bothered by other people’s opinions because they do not think at all. They do not think because they’re too busy rotting their brains with technology like TVs and other button pressing devices. People are busy isolating themselves around a screen that no one bothers to talk to one another and share thoughts and opinions. Montag once again is trying to open Mildred’s mind and trying to have her see the bigger picture "School is shortened, discipline relaxed, philosophies, histories, languages dropped, English and spelling gradually neglected, finally almost completely ignored. Life is immediate, the joy counts, pleasure lies all about after work. Why learn anything save pressing buttons, pulling switches, fitting nuts and bolts?” (Bradbury 55-56). Montag is trying to explain how school and its subjects within are neglected. All of the important aspects of school are being taken away and being completely dropped and forgotten. These subjects that are being neglected are the key foundations for people across the board and they provoke thought and make people think. Instead Montag says that life is immediate and people want joy instantly. Montag is trying to tell Mildred that you don’t need all of the button pressing and pulling switches ( tv watching, computers, remotes) or any