Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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From a struggling subordinate in a collectivist societal prison, to a strong independent on the path to forging a new society from the ground up, Equality 7-2521’s battle was long and hard until a few moments in the book, Anthem, by Ayn Rand, changed everything. What made this victory possible? The change was mostly internal, as the collectivist suppression was rooted in his mind, and was the very thing holding him back. This being said, Equality’s victory is made possible when he accepts necessary selfishness into his life, disagrees with the leaders of his city, and embraces independence.
The concept of struggling to overcome collectivism is an ongoing theme in the book, until the main character, Equality, escapes the societal prison that worships the word we, and embraces individualism. From the start, Equality had always strayed from the beliefs of his collectivist brothers, which his teachers and other higher-ups tried to correct. …show more content…
Brainwashed by the idea that it is wrong to think and act as an individual person, he constantly is guilty of breaking the laws of the society in which he lives in. As time goes on, two years later, Equality accepts that he is doing work “which has no meaning save that we wish to do it” (36). By hungering for answers pertaining to the secrets and science of the world, Equality is acting based upon his own selfishness. In the excerpt, The Fountainhead, Howard Roarke explains the necessity of individualism in society. Roarke dismisses collectivism and, in his court case, says the country was “based on a man’s right to pursue happiness...a private, personal, selfish motive”. Since Equality takes on a task that is purposeless aside from his want to do it, he takes his first steps into the realm of individualism, and his first steps away from

Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Anthem is a fiction novel that portrays what a strict and unkind society could be. Ayn Rand's dystopian novel Anthem was placed in a city where every aspect of every inhabitants life is closely controlled by a strict government. The protagonist, Equality , struggles with these rules as he is a man with many aspirations and cannot yet understand his worlds boundaries that were put in place for him. Throughout the novel Equality finds himself gaining independence and freedom. Later he then succeeds…

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Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

“Collectivism holds that the individual has no rights, that his life and work belong to the group and that the group may sacrifice him at its own whim to its own interests”(Ayn Rand). Anthem is a novella written by Ayn Rand, sets place in the future where individualism is cease to exist. A collectivist society that taught citizens to be the same and not be different. The citizens have no rights and remain the same. Ayn Rand was born Alissa Rosenbaum in 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia. When she was…

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Collectivism And Communism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

first paragraph of Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”, it is difficult to not immediately draw a connection to the multiple communist regimes throughout history. Multiple connections can be drawn, and external evidence can be used as well. Ayn Rand was very opposed to collectivism, and in turn, communism. She even designed a philosophy that directly opposes it. The idea that shall be expanded on in this essay is simple. The world of “Anthem” is essentially an elegant critique of collectivism and communism. A portion…

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The Role Of Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

willingly give up all the things they love and care about just to appease a societal view? Ayn Rand’s book, Anthem is showing how extreme collectivism can become in a society. The down falls of a society based solely on collectivism are Things that are used to show how outrageous these conditions can get are how it affects the way of life entirely with relationships, jobs, and education. Rand shows how extreme collectivism can hurt relationships by showing a community that is supposed to be entirely unbiased…

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Collectivism Vs. Individualism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Anthem "We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (19). This shows the ideal case of collectivism; thinking and acting as one mind, instead of individually. Ayn Rand’s book Anthem showcases the differences between collectivism and individualism. It starts off displaying an extreme case of collectivism and shows how nobody has their own name and cannot use words such as “I” or “me”, but only “we” and “them”. Throughout the book, the main…

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Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

These rules in Anthem were placed to ensure that everybody treated each other equivalent and lived for each other. They were required not to have illicit relationships with anybody. These principles supported collectivism and tried best to terminate individuality. The residents in Anthem were required to take after each and every decide existing in that society, or else it would be a serious discipline or they would be killed. Their present and what's to come are chosen by the board of jobs, who…

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Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem Equality

In the novel Anthem Equality had many struggles to free himself from his society full of collectivism. Equality was punished for hiding in the tunnel alone, and when he told the Council Of Home he was not going to tell them where he was. “We will not tell you.” The oldest did not question us further and said, and their voice was bored: “Take our brother Equality to the palace of Detention lash them until they tell.”(Rand 22). Equality struggled with the punishment for showing individualism and not…

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Theme Of Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

In the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, she in my view accurately represents collectivism and individualism. The definition of collectivism is “The practice of giving the group priority over each individual in it”(Google). In the novel she writes “ We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One indivisible and forever”(19). This is the motto that all people are taught in this society Ayn Rand writes about. They believe this and that everything they do should be for the greater…

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Role Of Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

the freedom of action for individuals rather than the theory of collectivism. A collectivistic culture, such as Japan and South Korea, encourages its people to work as a whole in order to do what is ‘best’ for society. This is a very random thing to add in without documentation. In regards to Anthem, Ayn Rand emphasizes on the theory of collectivism and portrays its idealistic views. How does she emphasize the idealism of collectivism? The author also stresses the importance and primacy of the individual…

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Collectivism And Individualism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Individualism is the driving force behind original thought. Original thought enables actions, giving purpose to life. However, collectivism ignores originality and highly values group mentality. In “Anthem,” originally published in 1938, Russian American Ayn Rand depicts both collectivism and individualism through the persona of Equality 7-2521 and later renamed Prometheus, a free thinking young man trapped in a communist modeled futuristic society. The government assures individuals are referred…

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