F451 #2

                My favorite quality of Dover Beach is its idea that religion destroys us. Not because I agree with it, but because that’s the idea of the government in Fahrenheit 451. Personally, I think that, while religion can destroy us, it is the only thing that can truly save us. In Fahrenheit 451, it is believed that “sugar coating” religion so that it offends no one will created peace. Well, that worked out well, didn’t it? Religion is more or less the basis of human existence. When religion is manipulated, human beings become manipulate. An example is the “Jesus” figure that is fed to the people to sell them things. Manipulate their religion, and you can manipulate their purchases. One message I took from the book (and I may have taken the message the complete wrong way) is that we need to spend more time thinking instead of speaking and fighting. We need to cherish our thoughts and our culture because the world as we know it now is a privilege that we take for granted on a daily basis. If we remain so focused on becoming a utopia, we will spiral into a dystopian society.  Sometimes it’s okay to unplug your iPhone and sit down with your family just to talk or curl up in bed and read a book.  If we as a race don’t defy technology to continue intellectual growth, who will? And if not now, when?