What are some examples of technology dehumanizing the society in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury?
In Fahrenheit 451, there are lots of examples of how technology has dehumanized society. Firstly, take a look at Mildred's overdose attempt in Part One. Mildred is treated by two operators (not doctors) who have a machine that pumps the stomach to remove the drugs. Notice how Montag describes them as "impersonal," and one of the men is even smoking a cigarette during the procedure. For these operators, treating an overdose is an everyday, common event, and Mildred is just another piece of flesh. The following quote sums up this dehumanization:
The entire operation was not unlike the digging of a trench in one's yard.
Similarly, in Part Three, Montag is pursued by the Mechanical Hound, and the chase is broadcast on live television. This transforms Montag from a human into a piece of prey, waiting to be sniffed out by the Hound. In the end, Montag makes his escape from the city, but the government sacrifices an innocent man because the public's thirst for entertainment must be quenched. His brutal execution is broadcast on the parlor walls for people like Mildred to enjoy, further proof that entertainment has a higher value than human life.
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