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Is equality the sameness
Describe what is meant by equality
Describe what is meant by equality
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Warren Farrell, an American author once said “Nobody really believes in equality anyway” and this is true because, equality among people is near impossible to create while still making everyone happy. For many years people have been striving to have complete equality in their everyday lives. Equality, to a certain extent is a wonderful characteristic, but complete equality is not. Not all people have the same talents or weaknesses, so therefore, you can never have true equality due to limiting other people's freedom. In the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand, they have created a society with complete equality, where no one is happy, especially the main character whose name is “Equality”. The rules of the society of Anthem exist because the government …show more content…
believes they will help create complete equality among the society's citizens. The society that Equality is starting to create toward the end of Anthem will not include the rules of his previous society. Equality felt that the rules did not allow himself and others to express themselves, and also took all of their individuality and freedoms away. Equality chose not to use the rules of his former society, because they took his right to individuality away and towards the end of Anthem he began using the word “I” which is a symbol of his individuality returning. The society in Anthem use the rule of no individual name and the fact that they had to say “I” instead of we because the government thought this would help them reach equality. To reach complete equality you have to take all person's individuality away from them. Towards the beginning of the book he said repetitively “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men, but only the great WE, one, indivisible and forever” (19) and towards the end he began saying “I am. I think. I will. My hands… My spirit… My sky… My forest… This earth is mine, ” (94). This shows that he believes he is no longer equal to all of his fellow brothers in his previous society and that he has individuality among them. He then shows that he is worth more than what others had told him by saying “I am man. This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard and mine to use, and mine to kneel before” (95). This made him realize how amazing his creation was and how this world was now his and he could go on and do what he wished to do with his own creation. Lastly, when he spoke to his significant other ‘The Golden One’ she said “ I love you” (98) and he then told her that they needed names, because that was how the people had lived before. They had their own names, which was another sign of individuality. When Equality found the word “I” he was elated, he had never felt a feeling like this to be able to have his own individuality among all the people. Equality wants to be happy, so therefore, another reason he would not use the rules of his prior society is because he and others were not happy under the rules of the previous government.
Equality stated multiple times that he and his fellow brother were not happy or satisfied and towards the end of Anthem Equality makes it very clear that happiness is important to him as a person. The first society he lived in didn’t have a specific rule that outlawed happiness, but it did say that smiling and laughing was frowned upon and things that would bring the citizens happiness was taken away. They had these rules because to reach complete equality you have to take happiness away or else one person will be happier than another. Equality and his fellow brother were not happy and it is proved when he said “We Equality 7-2521 were not happy in those years in the home of the students” (21). This implies that even as a child in school they already knew that this world they were living in was not a happy place. Equality and others were made to sit through these years of school to then be assigned a job and not even be able to choose for themselves what they had learned. He talks about others near him who were also very unhappy. Equality said “There are Solidarity 9-6347, who are a bright youth, without fear in the day; but they scream in their sleep, and they scream: "Help us! Help us! Help us!" into the night, in a voice which chills our bones, but the Doctors cannot cure Solidarity …show more content…
9-6347” (47) because the doctors had tried to fix them, they believe that being unhappy was something wrong with them and not due to what was around them. Once he has escaped this society, he said “I shall call to me all the men and the women whose spirit has not been killed within them and who suffer under the yoke of their brothers” (101) because in his new society he wants people with high spirits or in other terms people who are happy. Their whole lives are being wasted in this society of useless actions and lives. Equality will not use the rules/laws of his former society because; he and others were not allowed to express themselves, especially in the work field, as well as for the reason of being made to do useless work instead of making progress in their society.
The society had this law because if the citizens were allowed to pick their own individual job then one person might excel more and go farther than another individual person which would then defeat the purpose of the society. Towards the beginning of the book, not being able to express themselves was evident in the fact that happiness was frowned upon. However, then it soon reached the point of where they couldn’t select their own jobs. Equality stated “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 walls, and they were pictures which made men laugh. But it is only our brothers in the Home of the Artists who are permitted to draw pictures, so International 4-8818 were sent to the Home of the Street Sweepers, like ourselves” (29) this demonstrates not only the idea of happiness being frowned upon, but also people not being allowed to do what they were good at or what they enjoyed. At another point in the book he said “We wished to be a Scholar” (25) and then they were placed as a street sweeper. Being able to
express himself was clearly important to Equality because towards the end of the book he creates the light bulb and gains the courage to go to the World Counsel with it. Even after they denied his design and said “Many men in the Homes of the Scholars have had strange new ideas in the past, but when the majority of their brother scholars voted against them, they abandoned their ideas, as all men must.” “This box is useless” (73) he still wouldn’t give up the place as to where he had created it. Even as he was thrown in prison and being whipped every day he still wouldn't give it up because that was his way of expressing himself. After he realized this wouldn’t work, and they weren’t going to stop he ran out into the uncharted forest and began to create his own society with his own rules. Equality will not use the rules of his prior society in his new developed world because these rules were trying to reach equality, and in order to reach complete equality no one will be happy. Under these rules, no one was able to express themselves or to have any individuality at all. Being happy was looked down upon and being happy is a very important quality for Equality. Equality’s society will be a very free, open society with minimal rules as this is what will make people happy. Equality will not use the laws of his recent society and in his new one everyone will have their own name, with their own talents and their own chosen job. Which would then in turn create happiness among the people, which is all Equality desired.
In the book Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 had never seen his physical appearance. He was surprised to see such a strong individual staring at him. One day after escaping into the woods, he finally met himself at a flowing stream and gained new confidence. This was an essential part of the theme of "Anthem." This shows how Equality finally found himself as an "I" in order to help others see themselves as an "I." This is an important part of "Anthem" since it reveals Equality 7-2521's determination, bravery, and development as a person.
Equality is different from the other men in his world, and because of this he has lived most of his life concealing his emotions, being outcasted and punished by the leaders and teachers of his society, and stripping himself of his talents and uniqueness, therefore he has every right to criticize the leaders who kept the real Equality trapped inside for so very long. Equality expresses his love for science and aspiration to be a Scholar throughout the book and talks of how he wished to be sent to the Home of Scholars so badly his hands trembled under the blankets at night and he had to bite his arm just to stop the pain of wanting something so much (Rand 24). To want something so badly and have to conceal it everyday with no one to share it with is a very difficult thing for someone to have to do. Equality also struggled with concealing his friendship,“International 4-8818 and we are friends.
As Equality stops to devour the supper he caught, he notices a, “great satisfaction to be found in the food by which we obtain by our own hand” (Rand 80). For once, Equality puts the hunting skill he possesses to use, and the pleasure that comes with consuming an adequate meal made completely by him is far beyond that of meals prepared by others. And by residing in the Uncharted Forest, Equality experiences joy because he essentially is free and can pursue tasks he desires, like hunting, at any time. Furthermore, as Equality proceeds through his day he, “walks on til the sun had set” (Rand 80). Equality now does not have to conform his life to regulations, such as having a curfew, set by the World Council of Scholars. He has the power to choose where he wants to settle and the time at which he must be home, a decision that would not be left up to him back in the city. Ultimately, Equality for the first time broke the chains of uniformity that bound him since birth, and because of this he scoffs at the idiocy of the Scholars to realize that true happiness is achieved through liberty, not
Equality lives a great amount of his life as a follower because his conforming society establishes him to act a certain way. In fact, Equality follows the rules of his society as most men do. He follows the laws
In a word where the past is the future and every individual strives to be like all their brother men, there is no room for difference. From the time he was five, Equality knew he was different from his classmates. However, he was not the only one who knew of his difference. The teachers and the leaders of the community frequently reminded him that he was not like everyone else. They “ frowned and said: ‘There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the bodies of your brothers’ ”. (Rand 18). He was taller and much smarter than everyone, and this was considered a burden. When the Council of Vocations decided to make Equality a Street Sweeper, their choice was not due to error or incompetence, but fear. They were frightened of what could happen to their society if Equality became a Scholar. There were many reasons for the choice they had made.
Equality deserves the right to be motivated in his own way, and the people in the world today would or would not benefit from being motivated in all the same ways. Firstly, the main character was creating electricity to finally be added into the House of Scholars. Next, he deserves the right to be motivated in this way because he is his own person. Finally, in today’s world if everyone was motivated in the same way we would not be our own person anymore. In conclusion, every man has his own
At the start of Anthem, Equality is a collectivist who knows there is something wrong with the world he lives in. This allows him to evolve into an individualist. Equality says , “It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own” (Rand 17). Equality admits he has committed a transgression and hopes to be forgiven. Equality, at this moment, is living to the standards of others because he lives in a society where no man is to think differently than another. This contradicts Rand’s philosophy because she says that a man is entitled to his own happiness and that you are in charge of it, but since Equality is living to the rules of his society, he cannot find his own happiness, for he is almost forbidden to do so. Likewise, it states in the text, “I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man’s soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet” (Rand 96). Equality realizes that he is not to live nor commit himself to the standards of others. He has come to the understanding, as Ayn Rand says in her interview, “That he cannot demand that others give up their lives to make him happy, nor should he wish to sacrifice himself for the happiness of others.” Equality finds his own happiness because he has found himself, and he has learned that he cannot put his happiness in the hands of others nor put the happiness of others in his own hands. This allowed him to find himself, and to find
In a year that remains undefined beneath a small city lit only by candles, a young man is working. He works without the council to guide him and without his brothers beside him. He works for his own purposes, for his own desires, for the dreams that were born in his own steady heart and bright mind. In his society, this is the greatest transgression. To stand alone is to stand groping in the dark, and to act alone is to be shamed by one’s own selfishness. The elegantly simple society that Ayn Rand has created in the novel Anthem has erased all segregation and discrimination by making every man one and the same with those around him; only Equality 7-2521 defies the norm with his ruthless
He defends not only his rights but his society’s. There is a quote by a Greek poet, Sappho, that says “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” The Council of Scholars gives every resource available to the society so they will be able to survive in a world where the word “I” does not exist. A person should not go against someone that has done everything for them. It is supporting that Equality should not become critical of his leaders, but his moral values were stronger than the fact that the Council helped him to become the human he is today. The leaders of Anthem select the best decisions according to them to be able to provide resources for people. Equality decides go to against them and bring a new perspective to his society, which puts the leaders’ moral reputation in doubt about how secluded they keep the society. Furthermore, Rand stated in her essay, “There is no escape from the fact that men have to make choices; there is no escape from moral values; ...” (Rand, 7). It does not matter the situation, men have to make choices even if others disagree with them. Equality makes multiple choices to improve his society, while the leaders make choices that only helps them to be in control of every single thing happening in Anthem. At some point Equality started to realize that there was more to learn and enjoy, it was not just to work with his “brothers” and support each other. He
When Equality 7-2521 turned fifteen, he writes that he was told that “you shall do that which the Council of Vocations shall prescribe for you” (Rand, 22). He says that although he knew it was sinful, he had a desire to become a scholar and learn the “science of things.” In Equality 7-2521’s world, it was immoral and illegal to prefer one subject or person over another because everything was supposed to be equal. Equality...
Equality 7-2521 embodies this essential idea throughout the story because of his eternal struggle with not quite being able to conform to society’s expectations. He is physically different from the others (Rand, 1946, p. 2) as well as mentally different as he disagreed with others even as a child (p. 4) and was smarter than the rest (p. 5), and this mental sharpness is carried into adulthood as he is able to discern the feelings of oppression and fear that weigh over all men in this time (Rand, 1946, p. 30). Rather than acting as a machine, he feels preferences and desires within himself. Equality 7-2521 enjoys science, dreams of being a Scholar, likes a pretty girl, and wonders about himself. Since these things are not shared by all, they are forbidden, and despite how simple they may be, they define
People in every Society are placed in categories according to gender, religion, race, and age from which one of these categories includes social class. In the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, people are placed in social classes according to the government's liking and instead of race, age, gender etc their social class depends on the job they are given by the government. This was done to treat everyone equally in order to keep peace in the society. However, sometimes equality can cause rebellion and this idea is portrayed through the protagonist of the novel, Equality 7-2521. Ever since the unmentionable times had caused destruction to the society of Anthem, the government had taken away all the free will and individuality of its people.
The evolution of the world's society is in a large part based on inventions and progression of human kind. If there is no one to invent new ways to ease ways, then there is no reason to try. This however does not mean that one should try to ease the way of men to do nothing at all. For if that happens, there is no reason to live anymore save for only being. The society Equality 7-2521 has grown up in is caught on thinking that no one man can do good for others, only if in a group of all. This way of thinking has set them far back in the terms of society and inventions. Everyone has to agree upon the same idea, even though that it not a way to progress. The motivation to do new things and invent new ways is a simple but very compelling instinct
In Anthem’s current society, it is only correct to be a coherent group. If you work alone, it is a transgression, if you work for the good of yourself, it is a transgression, and if you work to change the current society, then it is too a transgression (17). Equality believes these laws that are set in place by the Council, but by the end of the novella, he believes different. He believes that everyone should be allowed to utilize their skills and talents, and that everyone should live in a society, but
In Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem, a world of rules and lack of individuality is described and shown in full detail. The strict rules and commandments set by that society are there to ensure that no man stand out more than the other. However, in this world some stand against the commandments set and go along with their own rules. The main character of the novel Equality was always driven to learn, and it was viewed as a curse to the society he was born in. Equality fights back his curse for as long as he can, but loses that battle and breaks away from that cursed world. He sees things as his own now and plans on building a new world with commandments of his own. Equality’s world will be entirely different from the one he left, and he will not share any of the rules of that place. Instead of building on every man being the same, his society will be built on the one word “ego” and man can be free to do anything.