The Role Of Ego In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Within the vast recesses of human emotion, the battle between the self’s interests and the good of all mankind is waging. Every decision one makes depends upon how the outcome could either benefit the ego or help the world. Some decisions are easier than others: ice cream helps my ego, but not my waistline; donating to food banks helps the community, and my pride; cleaning up my campus helps facilitate the safety of myself and others. Behind each of these decisions is the motivation that acts a flint to a flame, or (better yet) a filament to a light-bulb, lighting to path to the final destination. In Anthem, Ayn Rand uses ego to motivate her main character, Equality 7-2521 to not only experiment with various pieces of trash in his newly found

Equality wants to create a power within other people, within people like him. He creates an idea after he had escaped to go back, to go back and bring the people which know they have a power within themselves, with him, “ I shall call to me all the men and the women whose spirit has not been killed within them” (101) If everyone like him were to go with him, voluntarily, what kind of world would that lead to.? This newly founded type of world that Equality, amongst others, would share would be egotistical and “it will become the heart of the earth, lost & hidden at first but beating, beating louder each day” (104) Ayn Rand believes “a man’s ego is the fountainhead of human progress” this shows that she wants there to be a world full of ego - worry about yourself then others. This to me means take care of yourself first, then care for

I had thought that the power that Equality had held, was to rank himself above others. I had thought that this was wrong to feel, but it’s not. To feel a pride amongst yourself, to have belief amongst yourself, is never wrong. You must feel that towards yourself. In Equality’s case this is right feeling, Equality recreated a power, he deserves to feel an energy of being higher within him. Now, within feeling ego - inflicting, everyone within this motivation would seem a bit snobby, the world would feel a sense of self hatred within one another, this would make the world worse than what it usually can be. Maybe the world wouldn’t seem so bad, in which I believe, maybe if everyone had brought their ideas together the world would become great, Equality writes “[M]y home will become the capital of a world where each man will be free to exist for his own sake” (104) The world would hold a great power. The world wouldn’t seem snobby or a sense of self-hatred amongst others, the world would seem self-appreciated. Equality is willing to fight for that, “For the coming of that day shall I fight, I and my sons and my chosen friends. For the freedom of Man. For his rights. For his life. For his honor.”