How does the destruction of books lead to more happiness and equality, according to Beatty? Does his lecture to Month on the rights of a man sound like any rhetoric still employed today?

Beatty confesses his interest in books but decides that human beings want simple answers. They do not want contradictory ideas that challenge the mind. Man has a right to simple answers, even if those answers are superficial or meaningless. You might consider the rhetoric supplied by television commercials selling us the idea that products like a new car can change our lives or give us a new identity. Many people buy into the simple idea that consumption brings meaning to their lives.