-29- [Video]

[happinessboys]

[The camera's turned on, but there's no much happening yet. Just a shot of the sky over the deck. Beatty sighs a bit off screen and then there's a soft sound, like a thud. Faint trickling of liquid and then the flick of a lighter. The camera still hasn't moved. It's not until the unmistakable sound of fire really starts to get going that his hand

Comments

video;

[buildindreemz]

Freedom isn't conformity to one set of ideals.

Freedom is precisely what you're railing against - the ability to think, and question, and judge for yourself.

You can burn as many books as you want; you won't convince anyone, or destroy any of the ideas they contain. Ideas are much tougher than that.

video;

[happinessboys]

I'm not trying to convince you. Or destroy those ideas.

Spout your ideals all you want, little girl. You'll never really understand.

video;

[buildindreemz]

They're not ideals; they're just facts. People have been thinking for themselves and rebelling against oppressive governments and oppressive social norms for all of human history. Not everyone, of course. That goes part-and-parcel with the whole "freedom" thing - it's about making choices for yourself.

The only thing your stunt will accomplish is to make some people angry with you - I guess if that's your goal, then congratulations, but I'm really not sure what the point is.

And the "little girl" thing? Goes a long way to telling me what kind of person you are.

video;

[happinessboys]

You know only what I allow you to know, unfortunately. And the inevitable end of society is not what has been. The end of society is where my people are. The past can be changed, you realize. Imagine what sort of power you can gain from that.

Ah, and my "stunt" as you call it...was not meant for the mass population.

[19centconstable]

But what if thinking is what makes us happy?

[happinessboys]

It depends on what you think about.

[19centconstable]

How so?

[happinessboys]

There are proper thoughts and...inappropriate ones.

voice

[happinessboys]

Your book?

voice

[happinessboys]

That's the point. I don't read them.

[timesbureaucrat]

Hmm.

I'm reminded of the flag burning shows powerless malcontents put on. All symbolism and provocation, but ultimately useless. The Admiral will replace the books. Or if he doesn't, people will buy new copies in the next Earth port, just to spite you.

Unless this is an historical reenactment of the Action Against the Un-German Spirit. But in that case, you need a lot more people with you if you're going for authenticity.

[happinessboys]

Just to spite me? What would that do? They don't care about me and I don't give a fuck about them.

[mrs_persson]

[Yes, so Una's recognised her friend's novels in the pile and she's not pleased. At all.]

How did you get all those.

[It's not a question. Also, she can be heard walking, briskly, because she's already put two and two together and is en route to chez O'Brien.]

[happinessboys]

I'm sure you can answer that for yourself.

[mrs_persson]

And here I'd thought he was concerned.

[happinessboys]

Oh? He?