When I teach the novel Fahrenheit 451 to my grade 10 English classes, I have to literally bite my tongue so that I do not say what is really on my mind. Total control over what you read? Banish or burn the rest of printed literature? Gee, who does that sound like? If it doesn't come from Watchtower, it doesn't deserve to be read, apparently. I remember a sister doing a talk once (of course with another sister) and it was admonished that reading novels was a bad thing because "the Awake! and Watchtower" has all the right food to nourish our minds.
I was lucky: I was educated before I started attending meetings with my husband. Then, when I was attending meetings and at the same time applying for a Ph.D. program, it was made very clear to me that I must not bring my further education up at the Hall whatsoever. He told me that I would be hauled in the back room and would be marked for not putting Jehovah first.
Again, back to Fahrenheit 451: there is a reward for keeping people stupid. That way they cannot question the authority above them, in this case the GB. (The rank and file can't anyway, for fear of reprisal; but keeping them stupid is just another way of guaranteeing that people won't question what's being said to them.)
Watchtower is just propaganda at its best. [email protected]