Objectivism in Ayn Rand’s Anthem Ayn Rand established her philosophy of objectivism in order to eliminate the traditions she experienced while she was growing up under collective governments, and to emphasize the importance of the individual over the collective group. It can be defined as a philosophy for living stating that man himself is the greatest power, and man must decide what is best for himself based on reason. The four basic tenets of objectivism are reality exists as an objective absolute, reason is man’s only method of interpreting his surroundings, man must exist as an individual in order to pursue his own interests, with the ultimate goal being happiness, and the economy of an objectivist society should be laissez-faire capitalism, …show more content…
According to the principles of Ayn Rand’s objectivism, man must decide what is best for himself based on reason. This often plays a major role in the survival of that organism, as some decisions, if incorrect in the circumstance, can result in death. Frequently, the deciding factor in such circumstances is reason. Equality 7-2521 uses reasoning while traversing the Uncharted Forest outside of the City after he has decided to leave his old life behind. In the City, he did not have to care for himself nor provide himself with basic necessities, such as food and water. He had to learn how to survive without instruction from anyone else. He says, “We have made a bow and many arrows. We can kill more birds than we need for our food; we find water and fruit in the forest. At night, we choose a clearing, and we build a ring of fires around it. We sleep in the midst of that ring, and the beasts dare not attack us. We can see their eyes, green and yellow as coals, watching us from the tree branches beyond” (84). When he was living under the protection of the City, he was unaware of how to perform these tasks. However, once he left, he had to employ cognition to determine what he should do and how he should go about doing it. This was important to his survival, as Ayn Rand’s philosophy of objectivism states. The desire for individuals not to sacrifice themselves for others is present in
In Anthem by Ayn Rand International 4-8818 agrees to keep Equality 7-2521’s secret of the tunnel under the ground because much like Equality 7-2521, International 4-8818 is different than the rest of the people in the place they live in. This is because while Equality 7-2521 explains how he found the hole that led to the tunnel he talks about International 4-8818 and explains that, “they are a tall, strong youth and their eyes are like fireflies, for there is laughter in their eyes. We cannot look upon International 4-8818 and not smile in answer. For this they were not liked in the Home of the Students, as it is not proper to smile without reason. And also they were not liked because they took pieces of coal and they drew pictures upon the
Unlike during the Unmentionable Times, when men created “towers [that] rose to the sky,” it is an affliction to be born with powerful intellectual capacity and ambition in Ayn Rand’s apocalyptic, nameless society in Anthem. Collectivism is ostensibly the moral guidepost for humanity, and any perceived threat to the inflexible, authoritarian regime is met with severe punishment. The attack on mankind’s free will and reason is most evident in the cold marble engraving in the Palace of the World Council: “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (6). Societal norms force homogeneity and sacrifice among all people.
When people figure out what he has done he must flee into the woods where he discovers what it's like to be alone and do things himself. Throughout this book as Equality 7-2521 character changes, readers are shown that leading a life in collectivism can take away freedom and happiness, but you
Imagine a world where people are told to do for a living and having many strictly rules, would people want that? Ayn Rand the author of Anthem describes a dystopian place where everything is strict and bad. In these books they all have strict rules for the people like what job they have to have the rest of their lives. Teenagers relate to the Giver, by having strict rules on them. They all have a higher power above everyone.
Men are said to live for their brothers' happiness and one shall not be selfish. Equality strives away from society’s norms bit by bit and begins to reason that after discovering the lightbulb he was committing an act of selflessness. Later on when he runs away to the Uncharted Forest, he observes his surroundings and begins to reason with the world and why it looks the way it does. He says that he cannot change how the world is to be perceived and that facts are facts. In response to Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism, the first tenet is metaphysics.
In Ayn Rand's renowned novel "The Fountainhead," Ellsworth Toohey is a complex character who presents himself as selfless, advocating for altruism and self-sacrifice. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Toohey's actions do not align with his professed beliefs, and he engages in self-sabotage. This essay will explore Toohey's actions of self-sabotage and analyze whether the author agrees with his assessment of motivation. Toohey is portrayed as a cunning and manipulative character who uses his intellectual prowess to influence and control others. He presents himself as a champion of the common man, promoting collectivist ideals and condemning individualism.
Moral Assessment of Anthem In Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem, Equality lives in a communist society that believes everyone must work for and be exactly like one another. For much of the novel, he believes what the Council of Vocations tells him, despite his intelligence and independence. By the end of the book, he realizes that the idea that everyone is the same and must work for each other is flawed. He deserves to live his own life and enjoy himself.
Judging the morals in life regarding different societies expectations quickly became the focus of Equality’s thoughts, exactly as Ayn Rand had made it the importance of her own efforts. Objectivism is different from what many people live by, but it worked for Equality by the end of Anthem. It is important to realize everybody needs different things, which leads to thinking diversely. Some need self-respect to be able to give respect, and others live their life following instead of leading. It is impossible however, to say objectivism needs to vanish when it never has before, more so, the world would be unbalanced with only equal thoughts from all; there would be no innovation if all thoughts were for the same narrow concept.
Individuality allows every person to be themselves and be different from each other. However, In Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem, Rand describes a society where the people were not allowed to openly be themselves, or else they would be punished for being different. The main character, Equality, notices he is different slowly throughout the novella, but kept continuing to be like everyone else for awhile. These rules exist in this society to strip human individuality in order to achieve total equality.
How could losing individuality affect a society? The novel Anthem by Ayn Rand is about a guy named Equality 7-2521 who is trying to find himself in a society where everything is controlled and different. Later, he finds himself even though he will have to go through many obstacles to get there. The process behind losing individuality in an Anthem’s society are in forcing strict laws, brain washing of their citizens, and removing of family. The Anthem society in forcing of strict laws made it easy for everyone to lose their individuality.
Imagine living in a world where people are unable to think for themselves and can only carry out actions that will better everyone else. That world is a collectivist society in which Ayn Rand forces her characters to live in her book. Anthem can be defined as a dystopian book because of the setting characterization, and the amount of government control. Anthem is set in the future. Equality writes in his journal saying, “They whisper many strange things of the towers which rose to the sky in those unmentionable time,” (Rand 19).
The philosopher Ayn Rand believed that an individual’s life is of the utmost importance, as is her well-being. She knew that altruistic ethics require individuals to sacrifice their own wellbeing and lives for the sake of others. With ethical egoism, and will value their own wellbeing above all others. So, she was for ethical egoism. Ayn Rand also had an argument against ethical egoism believing it is a mistake to treat the interest of some individuals as being less important than the interest of others.
Collectivism and Selfishness in Anthem Imagine living in a world where everybody's lives are completely mapped out by the government. Where every decision is made without the input of the citizens it affects. In the novella Anthem, Ayn Rand depicts a completely collectivist society, where every idea, action, and invention is purely for the benefit of society as a whole. Everything is done with the entire population in mind, and individuality is extremely frowned upon.
We cannot stop now, even though it frightens us that we are alone in our knowledge (54).” Likewise, the book also reads, “so long a road lies before us, and what care we if we must travel it alone! (54)” Why is it that being a part of collectivism is viewed as a higher rank in society when it is really not? Ayn Rand is a person
His mindset soon becomes to be very selfish even by ignoring Liberty. Rand gives her theme of selfishness that she believes would benefit us all if we would only try