In episode 37 of Dystopian Fiction Has Been Moved to Current Affairs, Clare and Masha are delving into the 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

We start looking at censorship and book-banning, including the worrying spread of pressure-groups from the US to the UK. We consider Bradbury's presentation of books as symbols for free-thinking and intellectual rigour, and its link with the theme of happiness at the cost of liberty in 20th C dystopian novels, in particular Huxley's Brave New World.

We explore the value of challenging media, and the nature of media consumption. Masha gives an overview of the latest research into the impact of screen-time and social media, and how it contributes to diminishing concentration, anxiety, and limitation to broad-mindedness.

In particular, we look at the importance of third-spaces and human relationship, especially communities for free-thinking and debate, and the way in which conversation like those we have on the podcasts can create better thinking and work against apathy.

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