What is the unspeakable word in Anthem?
The first-person pronoun ‘I’ is the unspeakable word in Anthem.
Why is Anthem a collectivist society?
Collectivism, in Ayn Rand’s view, is the belief that the individual should be subjugated to the group and sacrificed for the common good. Anthem depicts the evils to which collectivism leads when implemented consistently. In Anthem’s totalitarian society every aspect of life is dictated by the state.
What is altruism in Anthem?
“The basic principle of altruism is that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that service to others is the only justification of his existence, and that self-sacrifice is his highest moral duty, virtue and value… which means: the self as a standard evil, the selfless as a standard of the good.”
What are the three holy words in Anthem?
It is my mind which thinks, and the judgment of my mind is the only searchlight that can find the truth. It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect. Many words have been granted me, and some are wise, and some are false, but only three are holy: “I will it!”
What is Ayn Rand’s message in Anthem?
The main theme behind Rand’s Anthem is the importance of self-discovery and self-awareness. Rand, like many in the twentieth century, was concerned with the loss of self if people were to give up personal rights that include the word “I”.
What is Equality’s goal in Anthem?
What does Equality now realize is the proper goal and purpose of his life? To make his own choices, and choose his own friends, rule his own life, find his own joy and freedom and be his own master.
Does equality kiss liberty?
Liberty 5-3000 says she will follow Equality 7-2521 wherever he goes and kneels before him in reverent admiration. Equality 7-2521 reaches down to raise her up, but is promptly seized with sexual desire. He kisses her passionately on the lips. After the kiss, they embrace and just stand there for a while.
Why does Rand use the word egoism in anthem?
Rand does not specifically use the word “egoism” in Anthem, unlike in some of her other works, but Equality 7-2521’s actions embody the idea of egoism. Rand dubs it egoism rather than egotism because egotism gives a negative connotation to self-interest, whereas egoism is the celebration of self and the source of happiness.
What are some quotes from the anthem by Ayn Rand?
It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose.” “The word “We” is as lime poured over men, which sets and hardens to stone, and crushes all beneath it, and that which is white and that which is black are lost equally in the grey of it.
What does Ayn Rand say about love and friendship?
For Ayn Rand, love and friendship are not simply an irrational attachment to another human being. Instead, they are the result of the mutual recognition of like-minded individuals, where Equality 7-2521, for example, sees that the Golden One has and fulfills his ideals.
What does Ayn Rand say about the virtue of selfishness?
“To love is to value. Only a rationally selfish man, a man of self esteem, is capable of love – because he is the only man capable of holding firm, consistent, uncompromising, unbetrayed value. The man who does not value himself, cannot value anything or anyone” ― Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism