Individualism, Collectivism and Human Behavior

In the world created by Ayn Rand, where collectivism is favored by the leaders of society, self-government is denied. In her novel Anthem, the characters are forced to live in an imperceptible prison surrounded by wilderness. Being an individual, having self-confidence, and the freedom to choose are key pieces to a successful society, but some of these concepts are foreign to many. In numerous societies like this one, the citizens are under strict social rule and do not enjoy natural rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. While being independent is important, it is also crucial to be united and act as a group. If there were no common thought, there would be chaos. At the same time, common thought should not be forced upon

It is the future, and society has been ruined. The word “I” has been erased from society; the only replacement being the word “we”. Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem explores the effects of a horrific, totalitarian society. Children are separated from their parents at birth, careers are assigned, not chosen, and free will is the ultimate crime. Living within this structure, Equality 7-2521 finds himself lost in contradiction; collectivity should lead to happiness, but for him, individuality seems to be the key. Through vivid setting, a provoking major character, and symbolic details, Ayn Rand’s writing is focused on one thing: to show “the meaning of man’s ego.”

Ceaseless collectivism is not something that can be forced upon a community. Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem conveys this through the writings of Equality 7-2125, a man willing to stand up to the collectivism of the society he is confined to. Anthem not only shows how dull and lifeless a society can be with a lack of individuality in its people, but also reveals how one person can significantly impact a community. This novel displays the importance of individualism through Equality’s thoughts and actions. This includes when he reinvents electricity in the tunnel, falls in love with Liberty, and when he completely separates himself from society.

A crucial question people often find themselves asking is whether to live for themselves or to live for others and to what extent. Ayn Rand's novella, Anthem, explores a dystopian society that takes the theme of living for others to a whole new level. The sternness of this culture creates an emotionless and a bland society set on fulfilling collectivist principles. Anthem's society manipulates language to enforce collectivist doctrine by excluding words which cultivate a personal identity and merging religious and government views.

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 her novella Anthem, Ayn Rand describes a futuristic society in which the concept of self, even the pronoun “I”, has been eliminated. Members of this society are expected to submit to a barrage of rules. Ostensibly, these rules are set in place to help the society function as a unit; in reality, they serve only to subjugate its members, to keep them downtrodden and unable to resist their circumstances.

The book Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, celebrates the controversial and enduring legacy of her controversial prospective. The book is written in the context of a journal, in an age that had lost all trace of science and civilization. Anthem portrays a totalitarian world of the future along with being technologically primitive. The world of Anthem does not allow the people to think for themselves, but for each other. Not having the ability to think for oneself impedes man to be self-sufficient and in this case, to progress technologically. Because of the society’s ability being hindered, it causes the society to not be able to advance, which is seen consistently throughout the novel in many events.

Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a politically satirical novel is set in a future society that is so highly collectivized that the word “I” has been banned. The world is governed by various councils who believe that man’s sole reason for existence is to enforce the Great Truth “that all men are one and that there is no will save the will of all men together” (Rand, 20). Any indication of an individual’s independent spirit is swiftly and brutally put down, with the transgressors being punished with severe prison sentences or even death.

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

Throughout Anthem the reader’s perspective on Collectivism is persuaded to be negative due to the author’s point of view. “Collectivism is the idea that the individual’s life belongs not to him but to the group or society of which he is merely a part, that he has no rights, and that he must sacrifice his values and goals for the group’s common good”(Biddle, Craig. "Collectivism vs. Individualism." The Objective Standard. 2015. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.) Rand depicts the evils and negativities of Collectivism by showing how they aren’t allowed to think for themselves. They aren’t allowed to do things alone, have personal values, and love is also outlawed. Another negative aspect Rand portrays within collectivism is that all men must be alike and look out for their brothers. “We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen.” (Rand 21).

Today we live in a individual society, but also a collectivist as well. We have a happy medium. What is we had a complete collectivist society? After reading “Anthem” and “The Soul of a Collectivist” written Ayn Rand, most would feel it is the wrong way to live and rule. After reading the two writings, one may see the wrong ways and dangers of justifying a complete collectivist society and reflect differently on it in the era today.

Ayn Rand uses the theme of collectivism and why it is evil throughout Anthem. Collectivism refers to the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it. The main character in her novel is Equality 7-2521, and she talks about how he despises the society’s way of collectivism. I will be talking about the ways in which Ayn Rand uses Equality 7-2521 to show why collectivism is an evil thing, and what he tries to do when he wants to change the rule of his society.

Believing in yourself and the things you can do is what sets you apart from the others surrounding you. In a world of dystopian collectivism, rules and regulations have turned life negative for generations upon generations of people. The perfect world that they have created has begun to crack. Ayn Rand believed that collectivism was not beneficial to this dystopian life and showed her reasonings through the character Equality 7-2521, the exclusion of the word “I”, and fear.

Imagine a society where individualism is non existent to the extent that the word “I” is not found in one’s vocabulary. Every person in this dystopian world exists only to serve for the greater collective being of mankind and not for themselves . In the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand this is exactly what happens, although the main character Equality 7-2521 is not interested in these collectivist ways. In this society it is unacceptable and unthought of to be an egoist yet somehow Equality breaks through the collectivist restrictions and discovers the thoughts and feelings of himself and not those of everyone else. Because of this it is impossible to have a completely collectivist society where not one person thinks otherwise.