Analysis Of The Anti-Knowledge Collective Society In Anthem, By Ayn Rand

The Anti-Knowledge Collective Society In the novella Anthem, by Ayn Rand, the society is set at an unspecified time period, made into a collective society to survive the dark, and unmentionable previous time period. “We loved the science of things.We wished to know. We wished to know about everything around us. We asked too many questions that the teacher forbid it”(Rand, 21). Anthem portrays a totalitarian world of the future where society is excluded from any means of knowledge, technology, and social nature. The author gives a sense of explicit irony by portraying the children in a way as if a robot was taking in coding, doing as it’s told, having only the knowledge given by his creator(s). The knowledge the creator gives to the robot

The society in Anthem doesn’t computers or smart phones, but they still have technology, just not as advanced as the modern age. Some examples of the un-advanced technology being, “iron bracelet and candle”(Rand, 18), “glass”(Rand, 24), “blankets”(Rand, 24).With this society situated in the future, the aftermath of the Unmentionable Times, it states “All the great inventions come from the Home of the Scholars, such as the newest one, which we found only a hundred years ago, of how to make candles from wax and string; also, how to make class, which is put in our windows to protect us from rain.”(Rand, 24). The newest one was found a hundred years ago; this alone expresses the slow advancement of technology inside the totalitarian society. With the small advancement in technology, there is a lack of age advancement over 45 , Equality states “it's very unusual for men to reach the age of 45”(Rand, 28). Ayn Rand does not provide information on how long this society has lasted, so it’s possible that this society has not made an advancement on new technology, only using old technology to support the human needs in

The society portrayed in Anthem is a society revolved around collectivism, which is the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it”(Source 3). The social nature is almost non-existent and becomes less the more you age. Equality states “we fought with our brothers. There are few offenses blacker than to fight with our brothers, at any age and for any cause whatsoever. The Council of the Home told us so, and all of the children of that year, we were locked in the cellar most often.”(Rand, 20). As a child under five years, in this society you are unknown to the laws of collectivism, causing you to have individuality. Equality states “we were locked in the cellar after fighting with our brothers, thinking of your brothers in a different way is showing individuality which is unallowed, causing you to be punished and un-humanized inside the cell. “It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think. It is base and evil.”(Rand, 17). Having individuality is base and evil, and mostly shown at five years and younger, punishing five year olds for fighting or thinking differently about