Since technology improves living conditions and greatly aids humanity, when society possesses a strong background of scientific knowledge, society flourishes. Citizens become creative, open-minded and innovative, and in these environments, humanity has the opportunity to reach new heights. However, in Ayn Rand’s futuristic novella, Anthem, Equality 7-2521, the protagonist who flees his society after suffering oppression at the hands of his totalitarian government, lives in a technologically primitive society that revolves around the idea that one should place others before themselves. Equality lives in an environment in which science cannot flourish. Anthem’s technologically primitive society implies that an oppressive, change-fearing, narrow-minded
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Equality’s government forbids forward-thinking citizens from improving society by assigning careers to each citizen. Since the “Council of Vocations tell[s citizens] who reach their fifteenth year what their work is to be for the rest of their days”(14), the government retains full control over citizens’ futures. Furthermore, the Council decrees “men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so”(5), portraying how the government restricts the spread of knowledge by dictating who can and cannot write and think deeply about society. By vilifying learning and limiting creative minds, this oppressive government decelerates technological advancement. Depicted through the counterexample of Anthem’s technologically primitive society, Rand suggests it is likely that rapid technological improvement would occur in societies where the government encourages lifelong …show more content…
Equality’s society revolves around a philosophy that one should place others before themselves, and the government bans the word “I” because it is the epitome of individuality. Therefore, when the “Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word” speaks this word aloud, the government orders his assassination (43-45). Clearly, a fear of change controls this society. After the discovery of this forbidden word, society panics about this word’s effects on their lives and kills a man simply because the word “I” contrasts society’s narrow-minded beliefs. This same fear paralyzes the Council of Scholars, a body of men tasked with making scientific breakthroughs, when Equality presents them with electricity. After demonstrating how electricity works, “terror struck the men of the Council. They leapt to their feet, they ran from the table, and they stood pressed against the wall, huddled together, seeking the warmth of one another’s bodies to give them courage”(68). Electricity terrifies the Council because each man on the Council fears change. The Council is too narrow-minded to appreciate Equality’s ingenuity, and they worry electricity would “‘bring ruin to the Department
Equality’s government forbids forward-thinking citizens from improving society by assigning careers to each citizen. Since the “Council of Vocations tell[s citizens] who reach their fifteenth year what their work is to be for the rest of their days”(14), the government retains full control over citizens’ futures. Furthermore, the Council decrees “men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so”(5), portraying how the government restricts the spread of knowledge by dictating who can and cannot write and think deeply about society. By vilifying learning and limiting creative minds, this oppressive government decelerates technological advancement. Depicted through the counterexample of Anthem’s technologically primitive society, Rand suggests it is likely that rapid technological improvement would occur in societies where the government encourages lifelong …show more content…
Equality’s society revolves around a philosophy that one should place others before themselves, and the government bans the word “I” because it is the epitome of individuality. Therefore, when the “Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word” speaks this word aloud, the government orders his assassination (43-45). Clearly, a fear of change controls this society. After the discovery of this forbidden word, society panics about this word’s effects on their lives and kills a man simply because the word “I” contrasts society’s narrow-minded beliefs. This same fear paralyzes the Council of Scholars, a body of men tasked with making scientific breakthroughs, when Equality presents them with electricity. After demonstrating how electricity works, “terror struck the men of the Council. They leapt to their feet, they ran from the table, and they stood pressed against the wall, huddled together, seeking the warmth of one another’s bodies to give them courage”(68). Electricity terrifies the Council because each man on the Council fears change. The Council is too narrow-minded to appreciate Equality’s ingenuity, and they worry electricity would “‘bring ruin to the Department