Ayn Rand:
"Anthem" Joins 1984/Brave New World Pantheon
- by Erik Fortman
(Posted here by Wes
Penre for Illuminati News, October
20, 2004)
There
are several excellent books that should be a part of every political junkies
library. The most obvious, 1984 and Brave New World, are so poignant because
they are written in very simple, concise terms. These books were (are?)
consistently taught in High Schools all across America. Yet, how are the kids to
understand these books in terms of reality if they are not taught the truth
about History? That, of course, is another subject. It is only later, as we gain
knowledge about the New World Order, as we understand that the globalists'
fascist dreams are being realized, that we can begin to comprehend the logic
behind these books. They are nothing short of a droid observation, which led to
almost prophetic treatises. This author has also summarized another great work,
Franz Kafka's "The Trial". In this article, Ayn Rand's(1)
book, the classic manuscript "Anthem"
,will be discussed. It is a beginner's guide to understanding the complete flaw
that is collectivism. Conversely, this book extols the virtue of individualism,
and love.
We meet Equality 7-2521, the hero of the story, in chapter one. He is writing,
which we discover is a sin in this future society. In fact, being alone is a
sin, and everyone lives for the community. There is one night a year for
procreation, so that all the kids can be born and taught together. Uniqueness is
looked down upon. From "Anthem" , the society's philosophy is a mantra spoken by
each child every night.
"We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed
our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen."
We discover that our protagonist is different. "All men are good and wise. It is
only we, Equality 7-2521, we alone who were born with a curse". Two things you
will notice. One, we are not specifically told what Equality 7-2521's curse
actually is. We know that his need to be alone, to experiment, to try new
things: these are what are considered sins. Second, always, even while speaking
in the 1st person, 'we' is used. For this alone - writing a whole book without
utilizing first person pronouns - Ayn Rand deserves great literary credit. Even
more so because the concept of only a 'we' is hauntingly innovative. The book
was written in 1937.
This is our premise, that society is based upon the collective. In "Anthem" ,
there is only the collective. Of course, we soon discover that there are
Scholars, and leaders - a proletariat - that
governs
this great commune. They are the law. Our hero discovers a tunnel with
scientific apparatus from before the "Great Rebirth". This is his great curse,
pursuing science alone. Also, Equality 7-2521 sees a woman, Liberty 5-3000, whom
he becomes attached to, even though love or coveting a woman is a great sin. The
night of procreation must suffice, along with the bliss of living in the
collective.
Equality 7-2521 discovers how to make electricity in his tunnel. He decides to
admit all his transgressions to the proletariat. He prefers to give his
individual creation to the collective, to better the society. The Scholars are
angered, however. "How dared you gutter cleaner to hold yourself as one alone
with the thoughts of the one and not the many? What is not thought by all men
cannot be true." This is the philosophical argument against the new technology.
However, the truth is more practical. As with any collective, it is the decision
making process that becomes stunted. It would bring ruin to the Department of
Candles It took fifty years to secure the approval of all the Councils for the
Candle.
This is the early climax of the story. Equality 7-2521 can either accept the
dogma of collectivism or go into exile in the Uncharted Forest. He chooses to
flee. I must note that one act was punished by death in Equality's society. This
act was to speak one word, but none knew it, save the Scholars. Liberty 5-3000
follows the next day, enters the Uncharted Forest, and finds her love. For the
first time, they are alone.
They trek for days and days, and eventually find a large house from before the
Great Rebirth.
They
are flabbergasted to learn it was home to only two people. Dorm living was the
norm in their collective society. They decide to rename themselves after
characters in books from the house's library. Equality becomes Prometheus;
Liberty becomes Gaea. (Yes, I know this has many different levels of symbolism.
Email for debate on that.) It is here that the forbidden word is learned. "We
love you," Gaea says to Prometheus. She amends. "We are one" alone "and only"
and we love you who are one 'alone' and only." Of course the forbidden word is
I. Prometheus takes his newfound, individual knowledge and decides to create an
entire society based on individualism. As Prometheus discovers true history, he
asks, "What disaster took their reason away from men? The worship of the word
WE. "
Ayn Rand wrote about past, present, and future patriots. I felt very emotional
reading this next excerpt. She is speaking about us, the Patriot community (and
all the other freedom-lovers that have been, and that will be.) About man s loss
of individuality: "Perhaps, in those days, there were a few among men, a few of
clear sight and clean soul, who refused to surrender that word (I). What agony
must have been theirs before that which they saw coming but could not stop!
Perhaps they cried out in protest and warning. But no men paid heed to their
warning. And they, these few, fought a hopeless battle and they perished with
their banners smeared with their own blood."
A point: although Rand espouses the virtue of individualism in "Anthem", she
subtly, correctly gives importance to the partner, the mate, the wife or
husband. Equality 7-2521 is happy alone. He is happier with Liberty 5-3000. Is
this not the case with most men and women?
Finally, Prometheus warns of a new war against collectivism. "I guard my
treasure: my thought, my will, my freedom. And the greatest of these is freedom;
I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them; I am neither
friend nor foe to my brothers, but such as each of them shall deserve of me. And
to earn my love, my brothers must do more than to have been born. For the word
'WE' must never be spoken, save by one's choice." Rand speaks of charity
instead of welfare. She speaks of respect rather than trust. The concepts that
Ayn Rand holds dear no longer have a place, show not their presence, in America
today.
"I shall steal one day, for the last time, into the Cursed city of my birth; I
shall call to me all the men and women whose spirit has not been killed within
them. To be free, man must be free of his brothers."
Finally, Ayn Rand gives her own personal battle cry. "Anthem" can be read in one
day. Yet, the concept is eternal. She is simple, poetic, intelligent, and most
importantly, Rand is correct in her analysis of collectivism versus
individualism. In closing, she writes the following.
"And the day will come when I shall break all the chains of the earth, and raze
the cities of the enslaved, and my home will become the capital of a world where
each man will be free for his own sake."
Ayn Rand speaks freedom and defines individual liberty. Ayn Rand's beautiful
book, "Anthem", should be a part of YOUR growing patriot library. Will YOU break
the chains when Rand and I come to raze the cities of the enslaved?
1)
They
are flabbergasted to learn it was home to only two people. Dorm living was the
norm in their collective society. They decide to rename themselves after
characters in books from the house's library. Equality becomes Prometheus;
Liberty becomes Gaea. (Yes, I know this has many different levels of symbolism.
Email for debate on that.) It is here that the forbidden word is learned. "We
love you," Gaea says to Prometheus. She amends. "We are one" alone "and only"
and we love you who are one 'alone' and only." Of course the forbidden word is
I. Prometheus takes his newfound, individual knowledge and decides to create an
entire society based on individualism. As Prometheus discovers true history, he
asks, "What disaster took their reason away from men? The worship of the word
WE. "