Collectivism Vs. Individualism : Collectivism

Conform. Do not deviate. The only joy that one may experience is the happiness one shares with one's brothers. These phrases illustrate the world of Anthem, in which a young man struggles to find his place in a world of collectivism. Ayn Rand's dystopian novella Anthem employs effective metaphors and well-placed diction in order to ardently claim that individuality holds the key to separating those who justifiably earn the joys of life from those who demonstrate unworthiness.

Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, depicts a totalitarian society that oppresses the ideology of individualism. Within these societies children live apart from their families and grow up without any inherited characteristics of being an individual. Anthem is an example of this kind of society because it showcases the link between a totalitarian dictator’s power to the oppression of individualism found in a children that live apart from their families. Totalitarian Dictators enforce the arrangement of children living separate from their families because it oppresses individualism and allows for a better grasp of beneficial control over a society.

Collectivism is a very common theme in Ayn Rand’s writing. From Anthem to The Fountainhead, her opinion is very clear: individualism is the source of freedom and joy, while collectivism is the root of sorrow and slavery. In Anthem, the main character, Equality 7-252, has grown up in a collectivist society that has remained strong for centuries. In that society, no one has had the choice to do what they want to do, love what (or who) they love, and simply be who they are. That society praises the idea that men live only for each other. Living for oneself is evil, a Transgression. The idea of “I”, “Me”, and “Mine” has disappeared, dragging the precious words along with it. Throughout the plot, Equality 7-2521 is seen both unintentionally and intentionally defying his society. At first, he condemns himself, describing his evil acts and mind and labeling his different mindset as a curse. “We were born with a curse. It has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden.” (Rand 18) He is also condemned by others, for things he cannot control. He is taller than most other people, he has preferences for what he wishes to become, and he has ideas and opinions. Yet when his life assignment is Street Sweeper, he rejoices. He sees that as a way to pay penance for his sins. Later on, however, he embraces his individuality. “I am. I think. I will.” (Rand 94) He is the first to accept the idea of individuality for centuries, and helps others accept it, too.

Anthem by Ayn Rand is a dystopian novel written in the 1930’s. The novel displays a society that confines the human mind and body. The rights humans are restricted to what the government believes is fit. The characters are ruled by collectivism and communist. Communism is the belief that the government should own everything. Collectivism is the belief of a superior group that controls society. Rand reveals the nature of the main character’s society and the values of the main character, Equality 7-2521 by writing this excerpt of the novel in the character’s perspective in an assertive tone and beginning with the rights and wrongs of their society.

Individuality arises when an individual encounters and endures a life, taking their first step with their family which is the first society an individual faces. Through their lives, individuals promote their own exclusive originalities, while Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem characterizes a totalitarian society suppressing individualism. In the society depicted in Anthem, individualism is oppressed by the society imposing children live away from their families which is one form of totalitarian dictator’s authority. The intention of totalitarian dictators enforcing the arrangement of children living apart from their families is to impede individualistic society- avert dissimilarities transpiring in the process of family influences in education, forfend the enlightenment of emotions, and the establishment of collectivism.

In the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand the social classes are portrayed in a way that is very different from the way social classes are viewed today. The way the power is divided in the social classes is not very different from the way it is in our society. The government has exaggerated control in the novel, but as well in our society. Although the government’s control obviously differs from the novel to our society, in the novel the control has total control from what your name is to what you will do as an occupation. In this Dystopia the government’s reach is extensive, the fact that they chose these things for their citizens almost makes it feel like anarchy.

Collectivism is a word unheard of to many, but it happens to be quite a common thing in many lives. Ayn Rands book, “Anthem”, illustrates how one should break away from the addictive sense of collectivism to then achieve their own individualism.

Ayn Rand’s novel puts Equality in a great position to start his new life with his new family. Ayn Rand’s story gives hope to all who want not to be conquered by their government and to have a say in what they believe in. If your government or society doesn’t like what you have to say, then it shows you can also walk right out the door if you don’t like what is happening. When you become a collectivist, you lose your individuality and almost become a slave and or a robot to the government and society. You lose your creativity and

“Anthem and “The Soul of a Collectivist” both depict a collectivist society. In “The Soul of a Collectivist” the narrator let’s the readers in a how to shape a united society. He basically states that he ruins a man from the inside out taking away his happiness, crushing his values, and breaking his integrity leaving

To begin, Ayn Rand shows the negative side of collectivism with the creation of the main character Equality 7-2521. Rand’s strong beliefs had her create a whole character that is against the large idea of collectivism. In Anthem, it starts off by saying, “It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil” (Rand 17). Collectivism portrays the idea of being an individual as a sin. Because Rand is being derogatory, she makes collectivism seem wrong. The character is breaking the rules that he grew up learning and being forced to obey. Throughout the book, Equality 7-2521 continues to take his own path and become an individual against collectivism. Rand explains in the story Anthem, “This is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick. It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them” (Rand 21). The word “evil” is often associated with demons and the devil, so Rand's use of that word sets the tone of negativity. Collectivism makes the people feel guilty for being born with the ability to learn and comprehend schooling at a faster rate than others. This dystopian world is warped; instead of being praised and acknowledged for being advanced, they have to keep it to themselves and pretend to be normal when they aren't.

In the book Anthem, one of the main themes is collectivism, the ideology that you, as the individual, is not what is important, but instead, it’s the society that is what matter, or at least what should matter. Many of the people who read it say that this book is crazy and where there is no love or personal opinions, the society is bad.

In life, you are born into societies where various ideas or things are thought to be normal and the customs are already established. The novel Anthem by Ayn Rand has many themes, but what I believe the theme of the novel is, to think for yourself. To think for yourself means to make your own decisions and opinions, without depending on other people. I also think that if you are going to think for yourself you can’t worry about what other people will think of what you believe in. Whether you believe that you should only have school a few days a week or you believe in a certain god, no person should feel ashamed for what they believe in. In today’s society and in the society of Anthem, people don’t think for themselves and they just follow people blindly. In the media, today we see what celebrities are saying, who they like, who they dislike, what they use, what they endorse, and we follow them because we want to be like them. Sometimes you don’t realize that you’re not thinking for yourself, but not being able to think for yourself can make you miserable and that is what Equality 7-2521 realized in Anthem.

One thing that has not changed significantly over the decades has been individualism and collectivism and how they shape who humans are. The natural instincts to survive as individuals and within groups have existed since the beginning of time. In the author’s forward of Anthem, Ayn Rand states that social gains, social aims, and social objectives have become bromides of our language (Rand 15). By stating this she implies that society embraces collectivism and community ideals and has lost sight of individualism. Anthem describes a dystopia, a horrendous imaginary world through which Rand speculates on the eventual result of society’s negative aspects. She introduces the World Council who acts as a Communist like dictatorship of the future, where an individual has no rights, existing solely to serve the state. A man named Equality ultimately proves the need for individualism through his banishment. This writing will define individualism and collectivism; identify the pros and cons of each in a society, and give examples of how the existence of both creates a healthy a natural culture.

Individualism was notable in Britain in the 17th century by Hobbes. In “The wealth of nations” (1776), Adam Smith has claimed that individualism is a free expression of individual’s will and interest which creates natural harmony and maximal efficiency. However, in British Empiricism, Bishop Berkeley, David Hume and John Locke have considered individual experience is the only source of knowledge (Kagitcibasi, 1980). Descartes also pointed the same concept that individual mind is the source of all knowledge in his “Cogito ergo sum” theory. Hobbes and Descartes’s theories have created a philosophical trend in Western Europe which later contributed to the individualistic human model which was reinforced further by Spencer’s Social Darwinism in

Every government the world has ever known can be categorized based on two simple categories. Individualism, or collectivism? Many might say governments can be categorized as any number of things, from monarchies, to democracies, to autocracies, and so on. However, every form of government stems from the decision of whether it will be focussed on individualism or collectivism. The ideal government, however, will promote individualism in the end. Why will this ideal governing body choose individualism? Individualism is at our very core as human beings. Individualism is the emphasis of the moral worth of each and every person individually, rather than collective ideologies. Human beings are complex creatures, and thus cannot be seen as a collective. Human beings must be seen as unique individuals, and any government failing to do so will surely fail in every other area as well. What are we without recognition of our uniqueness? We are simply cattle being bred for the government’s convenience if they fail to recognize us as individuals. As Hunter Hastings, from the Center for Indiidualism, said in reference to how we achieve order, “Law and order is the current way: command-and-control by the state, based on the laws the state manufactures through the political process. Unfortunately, under these conditions, a society tends to drift towards the worst forms of state control.”