Our class party today was fun, with cookies and music, but it had a little twist in it. From the beginning, it was evident something was off. Mr. Rivers emphasized the fact that the whole class had decided that Spock was the best character and that everyone needed to show support. Every student had to write explaining why Spock is better than the character we picked. Then we could draw Spock defeat our character. Then there was a page for poem writing and an article on the board to edit and make more Spock friendly. Then there was the Spock loyalty pledge. It really started getting serious when people dissented, and Mr. Rivers had to put students on patrol.
This classroom dystopia was very similar to that in Fahrenheit 451. Like in that world, everybody in the class was encouraged to conform. Those who did were rewarded with food and privileges. Those who didn't were shunned and told to sit in the corner. Those people often wrote dissenting opinions on the board and the poem paper, or they blatantly refused to follow along with what the class was supposed to do. Others, like myself, rebelled in ways that couldn't put them in trouble, like pretending not to be able to do something, or quietly not participating. In general, everyone who had a different view were silenced, and all writings that were against Spock were censured or changed. This is strikingly similar to the world where books are burned, and dissenters are quietly taken care of. Studying history and simulations like this help us remember, learn, and grow.
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