The Serious Long-Term Danger Of Limiting Knowledge And Memory

(MIP-3) Even though it is a short term answer, limiting knowledge and memory will ruin any society. (SIP-A) When the citizens have limited knowledge and memory, they cannot help out in a serious crisis that is going on around the country, and the government is essentially running the country by themselves. (STEWE-1) In this society, there is a serious war going on, and no one really cares. People partially understand that the war is going on, but they do not care at all, because they are selfish and only care about what they want. This is the serious long-term danger of controlling knowledge and memory. It causes people to become selfish and lazy, and that is horrible for a society in the long term. Most every good society takes some sort of
input from their citizens, input that makes them a more successful society. In this society, it would be impossible for any citizen to give useful advice to anyone, because they do not have a full memory, and they do not contain any useful knowledge. Montag is describing to Mildred how people view the war when he says, “‘Jesus God,’ said Montag. ‘Every hour so many damn things in the sky! How in hell did those bombers get up there every single second of our lives! Why doesn't someone want to talk about it? We've started and won two atomic wars since 2022. Is it because we're having so much fun at home we've forgotten the world? Is it because we're so rich and the rest of the world's so poor and we just don't care if they are? I've heard rumours; the world is starving, but we're well-fed. Is it true, the world works hard and we play? Is that why we're hated so much? I've heard the rumours about hate, too, once in a long while, over the years. Do you know why? I don't, that's sure!’” ( 69-70). People in this society just sit in their houses, watching their “family”, instead of realizing that their whole city will be completely ruined if they do not start to help out! But it is basically impossible for anyone in this society to help out someone else, because there is no relationships in this society, due to the government limiting the knowledge and memory of the citizens.
(STEWE-2) Limiting the knowledge and memory of the citizens is a horrible idea in the long term, because the citizens are useless in the society. Yes, the government has total control of their society, but more arguing and thinking leads to ideas, and ideas can save any society. This society did not have any ideas, because no one in this society thinks, because their knowledge and memory are being controlled completely by the government. In the long term, this society was ruined by the decision to limit the knowledge and memory of the citizens. Nobody saw the collapse of the society coming, because people were too busy caring about themselves. “‘It's flat,’ he said, a long time later. ‘City looks like a heap of baking-powder. It's gone.’ And a long time after that. ‘I wonder how many knew it was coming? I wonder how many were surprised?’” ( 155). The city was completely destroyed, and no one saw it coming. This is why controlling the knowledge and memory of the citizens is a bad idea. In the short term, it might give the government more
power. But in the long term, it will ultimately ruin the society. (SIP-B) In the long-term, the population of this society will diminish if the government keeps limiting the knowledge and memory of the citizens. (STEWE-1) People in this society do not care about one another, so therefore, they do not care if they hurt one another. Violence happens a lot for people in this society, and for most people it is a form of entertainment. People are murdered, and no one cares at all, it is almost encouraged.
There is no punishment for murder, so everyone does it. People genuinely enjoy killing animals, it is a way to pass the time. This sort of behavior will easily ruin any society in the long-term if it is not punished or corrected. People do not have the knowledge to understand that murdering is bad, so they do it. When Clarisse is talking to Guy about her school, she mentioned how she was scared there because of the violent nature of this society. "’Sometimes I'm ancient. I'm afraid of children my own age. They kill each other. Did it always used to be that way? My uncle says no. Six of my friends have been shot in the last year alone. Ten of them died in car wrecks. I'm afraid of them and they don't like me because I'm afraid. My uncle says his grandfather remembered when children didn't kill each other. But that was a long time ago when they had things different.’” ( 27). If everyone goes around murdering each other without consequence, the society will surely be ruined in the long term. (STEWE-2) Parents in this society are naturally resentful towards their children, because of the fact that they do not have the knowledge and memory to keep a normal
relationship. If this sort of behavior keeps being shown to the kids of this society, the kids will grow up worse than their parents. And after many generations, the people will be so hostile and violent to everyone that the society will be ruined. Mrs. Bowles shows how she treats her children when she says, “‘I plunk the children in school nine days out of ten. I put up with them when they come home three days a month; it's not bad at all. You heave them into the ‘parlor’ and turn the switch. It's like washing clothes; stuff laundry in and slam the lid.’ Mrs. Bowles tittered. ‘They'd just as soon kick as kiss me. Thank God, I can kick back!’” ( 93). This is how a normal household works in this society. Children go to school nine days out of ten, watching TV and filling their heads with useless knowledge that they will soon forget, because their memory is being controlled. If this keeps happening, the generations of humans will get worse, and more violent, and there will be more killing, and soon the society will be destroyed. (CS) Despite the fact that limiting knowledge and memory may give the government more control, but in the end, it will ruin any society.

(RTS) The author in Fahrenheit 451 shows that limiting knowledge and memory may be a short-term solution, but it will also destroy everyone’s humanity, and eventually destroy the entire society. (BS-3) Any society will be completely ruined by limiting knowledge and memory, in the long-term. (BS-2) Even in the short-term, emotions disappear, relationships become fake, and people become selfish and lazy. (BS-1) Even though it has many downsides, the government does gain total control of their citizens, by limiting their knowledge and memory. (R) How would you feel if you were not living your life, and not reaching your full potential, because your government was limiting your knowledge and memory?