Egoism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Ego The word ego has a negative connotation and is usually associated with greed, and selfishness. However, in the book Anthem by Ayn Rand the word ego itself is not only frowned upon but is banned from the public by the collectivist government. Which makes Prometheus hated for he is an egoist. This means that Prometheus is independent, would rather create rather than copy others, and believes in self-interest above others. Although there is negative connotation for the word, I believe that egoism is something that has helped advance technology and civilizations. Prometheus is shown to be an egoist when he becomes independent and strays away from his brothers. For example, when he goes to his hidden tunnel, he goes alone and does his experiments alone. It shows that he, unlike his brothers, could be independent, and doesn’t need consent from the council or his brothers. Prometheus also shares some of his independent traits with the ones described in “The Soul of an Individualist.” “It is the whole secret of their power – that it was self-sufficient, self-motivated, self-generated.” Throughout the book Prometheus has shown that he is motivated to achieve for himself, and is able to sustain themselves without the help of others. Prometheus shows traits an individual or an egoist by being different from his brothers. …show more content…
For instance, when he remakes the lightbulb and creates something unheard for their time, he does this in spite of there already being the candle. In “The Soul of an Individualist” they mention two types of people those who create. Then there the people who oppose creators and are satisfied with current technological advancements. Prometheus is an individualist, an egoist, and a creator who would rather create something new than copy