Though society has reached a point where people have learned to stand by their beliefs and even act on behalf of the good of the whole, it has still failed to accept that perfection, and even progress, can be dangerous things to strive for. The ideal society is a myth, a legend, a dream meant to inspire progress and the pursuit of an ideal culture, and in reality it is an impossible goal. Bradbury exhibits this in the resolution of Fahrenheit 451. It is within the last few chapters that Montag escapes the city and unites with the intellectuals who have sought refuge in the countryside. For a brief moment, it seems that he has found a spark of hope. The reader is led to believe that in the end, perhaps there is a chance the society is capable of redemption, but this is merely a fluttering possibility as the final moments play out in slow motion, "Montag held the bombs in the sky for a single moment... The concussion knocked the air across and down the river... And in that instant he saw the city, instead of the bombs, in the air. They had displaced each other," (Bradbury, 153). Though the intellectuals who had fled to the countryside survived the bombing, Bradbury depicts the end of society as it was previously known. Based on the end to his novel, he professes that society will become so skewed that it must rebuild from the foundation; it must have a fresh start. Even then there is no guarantee that the next society will learn from the mistakes and flaws of the predecessor. If history is any indication, every society will suffer its highs and lows, and in some cases might never recover from rock bottom. Even before the destruction of the city, Bradbury depicted a society corrupted by its own pursuit of perfection. By trying to please everyone, the society in which Montag lived was devoid of meaning and ignorance was the equivalent to happiness; by not knowing what they didn't know, people were left with a limited perception of life, and they often had nothing to compare their emotions to. Due to this stagnant culture, the society morphed into a population numbed by self imposed censorship. Doctorow reaches a similar but more open minded conclusion which is formed around the idea that society can make progress yet it always comes at a cost. While he does not foresee the imminent downfall of civilization and chooses to focus on a more optimistic outcome, his writing reflects a society which could lead to its own destruction. As is portrayed by the events in Little Brother,only after he has been captured and tortured does Marcus grasp the risks involved in expressing discontent, "I did a little monologue, synched over that famous footage of me on the waterboard... 'This is me. I am on a waterboard. I am being tortured in a simulated execution. The torture is supervised by a woman called Carrie Johnstone. She works for the government'" (Doctorow, 361). With this scene, Doctorow relies on Marcus' experiences to convey the magnitude of the consequences that accompany controversial maneuvers. It illustrates the potential outcome when two opposing groups cross paths, especially when the government and its people are striving for conflicting goals. People will suffer and great personal sacrifices will be made. For many, experience is the closest thing to certainty, if not the only option, while the rest stand by in sympathy or confusion. The clipped sentences also portray a numb disbelief and a sense of trauma, partially due to the shock knowing that the government is willing to abuse its own people and its power if it suspects there is an enemy among them. To gain freedom, Marcus was forced to endure humiliation. The government, in an attempt to maintain security, violated basic human dignity. Though presented differently than Fahrenheit 451, Doctorow's work suggests the same conclusion that society can be its own worst enemy due to its damaging pursuit of perfection. Modern society also displays the destructive capabilities of perfection. Setting the bar too high can have an effect as negative as complacency and ignorance. A recent study revealed that the perfectionism can cause as much harm as good, "The study followed 450 adults aged 65 and older for 6.5 years. The participants completed an initial questionnaire to assess their level of perfectionism and other personality traits.Those with high perfectionism scores, meaning they placed high expectations on themselves to be perfect, had a 51-percent increased risk of death compared to those with low scores. The researchers suspect high levels of stress and anxiety, which are known to be linked with perfectionism, might contribute to the decrease in lifespan" (Rettner). By aiming for impractical goals, individuals and society as a whole is setting itself up for failure. If every accomplishment and each perception is made relative to a vision of perfection, nothing can be any more than imperfect by comparison. The reality is that perfection is never the result of these ambitions. Rather, people are infinitely more likely to develop a range of diseases and psychological disorders including type two diabetes, anxiety, eating disorders and other health issues. By buying into the desire for perfection, society can make decisions and goals for improvement, which can lead to positive changes, but too often society bites off more than it can chew. This is a plight made worse by the conflict between the individual societies that make up the whole of humanity. The biggest problem that society faces is the indecision and disagreement concerning nearly anything whether it is the solution to ending a conflict between nations or the rights of same sex couples. These are problems that can arise between countries or two individuals. The scale of perspective alone poses a conundrum. Perfection is not that answer to success, but society continues to follow this path. Unless it can learn to accept that flaws are an inevitable element of itself, society will continue to fall short until it breaks its own spirit and submits to self destruction.