U.S. Society V.S. Anthem’s Society
What would happen if humanity abandoned its modern societies to return to primitive, collective society? Anthem is a novella written by Ayn Rand. Anthem depicts a future dystopia in which humanity has fallen slave to a great worship of the term “We”. The novella’s protagonist, Equality, begins his odyssey to dissipate collectivism and restore humanity to its former glory. In comparison with U.S. societies, modern-day U.S. society is much more progressive than Equality’s society because of social beliefs, technological levels, and life processes. Societies are usually based around a central belief(s), involve certain types of technologies, and have a common way of life. Equality’s society revolves around the belief in collectivism. “We strive to be like all our brother men, for all…show more content… The City infers that all men must be alike without any distinctions. “And those times passed away when men saw the Great Truth which is this that all men are one and that there is no will save the will of all men together” (20). The Great Truth was the cleansing and supposed enslavement of human kind to “We”. “What is not thought by all men cannot be true,” said Collective 0-0009. “What is not done collectively cannot be good,” said International 1-5537. Statements from members of the Home of Scholars identify collectivity as good, and Individualism as evil. Along with the belief of Collectivism, Equality’s society is composed of primitive technologies. “All the great modern inventions gone from the Home of the Scholars, such as the newest one, which we found only a hundred years ago, of how to make candles from wax and string” (24). The candle was invented centuries ago to civilians of U.S. societies, but to Equality and his society, it is relatively new. “Also how to make glass which is put in our windows to protect us from rain,” (24). Another ancient invention to