Ideology in Anthem
According to the Human Rights Watch, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) is an unequalled source of human rights violations in the modern world. Lacking almost all basic freedoms, North Korea finds itself as the archetypal oppressive dictatorship. In Rand's novella Anthem, communist and socialist ideas present in North Korea are portrayed as fundamentally backwards and regressive. The ideologies that the Kim family has latched onto in order to justify their tyrannical rule in North Korea are alarmingly similar to the ones adopted by the leaders in Anthem. The leaders in Anthem appeal to ideals of total equality, self-sacrifice, and altruism in order to rationalize their agendas. These ideals are present in communist regimes from Lenin's Soviet Union to the present day North Korea. The connection between Rand's proposed Communist society and communist states in the real world isn't always valid; seeing as Rand's portrayal is generalized and simplified to the point where often the book seems more like a caricature than an actual commentary.
Throughout history, many groups have strived to …show more content…
Almost every major religion and world power promotes the giving one's self for the betterment of others. In Anthem, the leaders incentivize working with supporting the greater good society (Rand 21). Through this incentivizing, all of the citizens work, but they reap no benefits. Rand is showing that in the end, the giving of one's self will ultimately lead to time wasted. In The Fountainhead, Toohey describes self-sacrifice as giving up. Self-sacrifice isn't an ideal confined to the communist world. The now cliché quote from John Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country," has been used as a moral compass for many. Rand believes that humans aren't meant to be giving, instead humans are their peak when they are bettering
According to the Human Rights Watch, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) is an unequalled source of human rights violations in the modern world. Lacking almost all basic freedoms, North Korea finds itself as the archetypal oppressive dictatorship. In Rand's novella Anthem, communist and socialist ideas present in North Korea are portrayed as fundamentally backwards and regressive. The ideologies that the Kim family has latched onto in order to justify their tyrannical rule in North Korea are alarmingly similar to the ones adopted by the leaders in Anthem. The leaders in Anthem appeal to ideals of total equality, self-sacrifice, and altruism in order to rationalize their agendas. These ideals are present in communist regimes from Lenin's Soviet Union to the present day North Korea. The connection between Rand's proposed Communist society and communist states in the real world isn't always valid; seeing as Rand's portrayal is generalized and simplified to the point where often the book seems more like a caricature than an actual commentary.
Throughout history, many groups have strived to …show more content…
Almost every major religion and world power promotes the giving one's self for the betterment of others. In Anthem, the leaders incentivize working with supporting the greater good society (Rand 21). Through this incentivizing, all of the citizens work, but they reap no benefits. Rand is showing that in the end, the giving of one's self will ultimately lead to time wasted. In The Fountainhead, Toohey describes self-sacrifice as giving up. Self-sacrifice isn't an ideal confined to the communist world. The now cliché quote from John Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country," has been used as a moral compass for many. Rand believes that humans aren't meant to be giving, instead humans are their peak when they are bettering