Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

​In the society of Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem, it is a crime to show any individuality, and it is a reminder of how some people fear being themselves in today’s society. In the novel Equality 7-2521, the main character, knows that they are different from everyone else they know. However, they are forced to hide it because they know that they will be punished for these thoughts. When Equality 7-2521 has these thoughts, they must say to themselves, “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (Rand 19). Equality 7-2521 is forced to be a follower, which I can connect to my own life. Today, it can seem like it is wrong to be a certain way or to have certain interests. Because of this, many

Have you ever felt the need to complete a task because the people around you already completed that task? That feeling is caused by a phenomenon known as the bandwagon effect. Concepts such as the bandwagon effect are explored in Ayn Rand’s Anthem. In the novella, there is a collectivist society that believes more in the importance of the group instead of the individual. Personal preferences are suppressed, and people who question the collectivist ideals are persecuted by society.

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.

Anthem by Ayn Rand is a collectivist society. In Anthem the highest leaders are the World Council. The World Council forces them to say “we” instead of “I,” so that everyone will think they are one with society, but if anyone thinks or speaks as an individual they will be sent to the Corrective Detention or burned to death; but Equality has no fear and discovers that individualism is just.

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

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.

Individualism has been a common theme in novellas of the past and of today’s morals. Individuality can be expressed by showcasing one’s talents or setting one’s self apart from a group. In Anthem by Ayn Rand, Equality's experiments represent his desire for individualism within the collectivist society.

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.

A captivating novelette in which a man’s priority is to serve only for his brothers, Ayn Rand’s Anthem illustrates a society that has suffered the ghastly consequences of collectivism. She depicts an oppressive culture in which the word “I” is unheard of and men belong to the collective “We.” Men’s lives are determined through the Council of Vocations, a group that maintains a powerful dictatorship by subjugating the public from the beginning of their lives. The idea that “If you are not needed by your brother men, there is no reason for you to burden the earth with your bodies” (Chapter 1) has been forced into average mindset of the vehemently maintained society. In contrast, Rand mocks the totalitarian civilization through the main

“Nothin’ lasts forever and we both know hearts can change and it’s hard to hold a candle in the cold November rain.” (Guns N’ Roses “November Rain”). In Ayn Rand’s dystopian novel, Anthem, Equality 7-2521 learns about the power of individuality in a society that values the collective “We” instead of the “I”. Throughout the book, Equality 7-2521 discovers that he can have choices and preferences in his life, rather than letting those in charge decide that for him. Preferences, though looked down upon, are actually an intricate part of society as a whole and have shaped everyone in one way or another, for good or for bad.

Equality 7-2521, is a youth who writes, as he spends time alone, violating laws of his society. As equality 7-2521 discovers more about the past, through experimentation, he begins to question his individual self. Libertarianism is respect of individuals’ liberty rights through minimal state intervention in citizens’ lives. The novel Anthem, by Ayn Rand, shows support of libertarianism by displaying the beauty of relationships, the importance of discoveries, and the significance of individualism.

In a society where its people are encouraged to think differently and be unique, today’s culture may be headed down a path of no return. Will humanity become so self-involved that society begins to collapse? Will the government have no choice but to take away the freedoms America’s founding fathers bestowed upon their citizens? Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem, explores the negative possibilities that arise from self-expression being stripped away.

But is individualism all good? According to Ayn Rand it is, but what about society in general? In an entirely individualistic society, there would be no welfare or social programs, leaving those on the bottom with no choice but to stay on the bottom. It would be a society without compassion for one another, with every person for him or herself. A society that runs solely on this ideal only works for the few who rise to the top, not the ninety-nine percent who helped them get there.

Ayn Rand's Anthem shows us her view of our world united under what seems to be communist rule. For example their view of right and wrong; which Anthem portrays is a system of very strict rules which mainly make sure that everyone is involved in a collective role within the society in this system no one is considered an individual or that they can even think as an individual.

The collectivist society in which Equality 7-2521 lives is similar to the Nazi and Communist states of the twentieth century. The rulers of this society do not permit any individual to think freely; all must subordinate themselves to the state. "Collectivism," Ayn Rand notes, "means the subjugation of the individual to the