Very, Very Sad

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is often described as a book about censorship, but that is not truly accurate. It's a book about apathy, indifference, and how persons in power can use those attitudes to their advantage. If the government is censoring something that no one is interested in seeing in the first place, what are they doing wrong?

One awfully prophetic passage in the novel has the fire captain explaining the justification for burning books to Montag, the protaganist:

"If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none. Let him forget there is such a thing as war. If the government is inefficient, top-heavy and tax mad, better it be all those than that people worry over it. Peace, Montag. Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals..."

Oh dear. Thank you Fox!