The Meaning And The Curse Of Equality's Society

“It was not that the learning was too hard for us. It was that the learning was too easy. This is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick” (21). Equality 7-2521 is an exceptionally intelligent individual born into a society where intellect is considered evil. Though he originally believes that he was “born with a curse,” (18) he eventually comes to realize that his “curse” is intellect and individuality which he learns to love. Upon this realization, Equality denounces the leaders of his society, the Council, on moral terms. “I” believe that his decision to do so is correct as the people in Equality’s society are stripped of their right, and intellectuals are responsible for furthering their society. Equality’s actions parallels

Individuals are deprived their basic rights of individuality, mental freedom, and physical freedom. They are taught that “it is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them” (21). To further limit the freedom of individuals, the Council decrees that “everything which is not permitted by law is forbidden” (31). Though civilians are unware of what they are missing, they all live a dull meaningless life controlled by fear. Through their amoral means, the Council has successfully turned the suffering civilians of their world into mindless zombies, striped of their rights, oblivious to the joy once possessed by

Ayn Rand states that “Nothing can corrupt and disintegrate a culture or a man’s character as thoroughly as does the precept of moral agnosticism” (Rand). It is the thought that “one must never pass moral judgement on others,” (Rand) and that “good consists of never distinguishing good from evil,” (Rand) that led to the worship of the word “we”. Equality understands that “The worship of the word ‘we’,” (102) is what caused men to fall “lower than his savage beginnings” (102). By failing to distinguish good from evil, wise from fools, and strong from the weak, human beings are falsely perceived as equals. As people fail to differentiate between one another, individualism is lost, and the word “we” becomes their master. When joy can be reached by the unclean, wisdom can be controlled by fools, and the impotent can become masters, the talented and hardworking will have no reason to contribute, and thus begins the downfall of humanity. Both Ayn Rand’s and Equality’s views describe a different stage in this collapse of civilization. Both support the belief that individualism and differentiation, rather than grouping all humans together, are the path that will bring forth greatness for deserving