F451 pages 40-68

Captain Beatty clearly thinks that it is better to be ignorant of all thats going on, but happy. He makes a strong point of this in his speach to Montag, but it is clearly not his original thoughts. While it may be what he strongly believes to be none other than the truth, these ideas were put into his head at some point by someone believing them to be true, and that person in turn believed them to be true because of what someone jammed into their head. And on and on the continous cycle of what could be considered brainwashing. All this said, Captain Beattly is still more informed and less ignorant, so to say than the average person in this futuristic society. People such as Montag's wife are devastated at even questioning the thought that everyone is important and happy and serves a purpose. This opinion held by the general public is demonstrated in the way she reacted to what Captain Beatty said to Montag. The idea of there being more to life than "having the girls over to watch the parlour" is completly absurd to her.