Canceling Culture

I watch with horror the latest episodes of people tearing down statues, deleting libraries of books and limiting a free flow of ideas. Even the statue of John Wayne wasn’t exempt, not to mention the “villains” of the Civil War which must be eradicated from memory. 

Do you remember the movie Fahrenheit 451?  The movie was based a book by Ray Bradbury first published in 1953.  Almost instant success.  It is rather on the order of George Orwell’s classic 1984.  Both speak of the destruction of society and how people were lead into false thinking by charismatic leaders.  There is also a newer movie which came out in 2017, although I have not seen it.

The movie is rather apocalyptic in that it foretells what could possibly happen to a culture/society which wants to destroy the past.  Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of a fireman whose job is to burn books in this dystopian world that suppresses creative expression, and destroying all remnants of a past culture, which are found in books, statues, museums. The protagonist, Montag, explores the mysterious power of books while evading the clutches of an authoritarian government.   I find it to be both literal and spiritual.  

It is a story about WHY the books are burned and WHAT the books represent.  It should open our eyes and minds to what we are witnessing today in our society.  However, it is so much more than just about books. There is so much in-fighting in society today because everyone claims that something they read or see offends them!! This also means that certain forces in the government are attempting to erase history.  Sound familiar? So to make everyone happy, the offensive materials are to be destroyed.

The year this was written (1953) Ray Bradbury could have not envisioned the internet or social media. If he had, it would have been heavily censored also. In 1953 ideas and knowledge were shared through print as they had been for hundreds of years.

For me the novel rings true.   It seems true today ….many people are offended by another person’s ideas, thoughts, actions, and beliefs.  So is all contrary thinking to be condemned and destroyed?  Isn’t history a part of our culture, despite the wrongs or rights of a previous society? Aren’t we are to learn from the past?  However, we should not want history rewritten, only depending on the views of current historians.  We need open discussions with all opinions welcomed.

Our hero is led into a secret place where he meets a renegade group of people called The Book People.  Each one is a walking book!  They have each memorized a whole book or novel which they are continually rehearsing in their minds.  It’s an amazing story. 

 The burden of society that continually condemns old heroes /old history takes us deeper into the age of suppression of the individual’s desire for serious and critical thinking.   Our response to literary suppression is one that will continue to significantly limit intellectual thought in the pursuit of a society free of offense at the cost of our beloved history; a society where ignorance is strength!!                         
                                                  Will our Bibles be far behind?