Classics of Conservatism - Part VII - Fahrenheit 451

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Today's classic book recommendation is Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451." Although I would bet that Bradbury would not call himself a conservative, he contributed greatly to conservative thought with his vision of future tyranny. The plot describes a world in which the firemen are required to start fires instead of put them out. The fires they must start are intended to consume whatever books are reported or found in private hands.

Fahrenheit 451 stands against modern PC culture, which turns every controversial thought into something bland and innocuous. To me, "451" shouts a loud "no" in the face of every self-proclaimed "moderate."

The MSM/DNC is many things, but one of its main functions is to act as a giant censor against dissenting opinions. Most of our discussions of MSM/DNC bias involve some attempt by the MSM/DNC to silence or ignore and distract attention from some dissenting viewpoint.

McCain-Feingold, attempts by the MSM/DNC to stifle the blogosphere, and long-running attempts by MSM/DNC to silence all competing and dissenting voices appear chilling in the context of "451."

As Bradbury writes, "There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches."

First published book length in 1950


[I don't remember where I read this, but Bradbury was quite critical of that propagandist that produced Fahrenheit 911 last year.]

"451" was one of several "negative utopia" books that were published in the wake of the worldwide socialist revolution in the middle of the 20th century. Books like 451, Brave New World, 1984 and Anthem projected the world of the future where creativity was stifled, all economic decisions were made by the government and the concept of self was completely eradicated. Taken together, they provide a powerful indictment of the direction in which MSM/DNC has taken and would continue to take America.