Fahranheit 451: Beatty's Explanation of History

In Guy Montag’s world, history is an unknown subject. The spread of TVs the size of a wall was extremely rapid, so slow moving books gave people a sense of boredom instead of pleasure. The government completely took control of what people thought by using the TVs as an instrument to have total control of thought, to brainwash the citizens of their country. Political situations were proposed with complete propaganda showing either one-sided information—therefore the only information—or nothing at all. When Montag is unsure of the life before him, Beatty explains that they started the condensation of everything: books, newspapers, classes, the need for discipline, and one unmentioned condensed thing was free, creative thought. Although Beatty has been informed of the past, he still passionately believes that their present life is the correct lifestyle and that it’s better for the community to be unaware of any real things that happen or have happened. “Why learn anything…” (p. 55) Beatty accepts what the government tells him and believes it must be true, agreeing that with the society unaware, nothing can go wrong; the ironic thing is that “perfect” life has reached complete insanity.