Theme Of Egoism In Anthem By Ayn Rand

What do you think of when you hear the word “egoist”? many view egoists as selfish and self-centered. In fact, a common synonym for selfish is “egotistic”. They think they only care about themselves. This may be true of some who are on the border of egoism and selfishness. However, those who are egoists but are not selfish barely deserve to be called that.
The society in Anthem is centered around the idea that having an ego is immoral, and that all actions should be done pertaining to the interest of mankind. However, Prometheus’ actions are done pertaining to his own self-interest, which is the definition of an egoist. For example, Prometheus creates the light box, and he thinks he created it to benefit all of society. Yet later he finds he
created the box specifically for himself. This make Prometheus an egoist. In the society of the City, this is scandalous. Being an egoist goes against everything that the society and the Council stands for.
In that society, being an egoist is bad. But in an individualist society, being an egoist is good, up to a point.
Even today, as in Anthem, people oppose new ideas. In “The Soul of an Individualist”, Rand writes: “Every great new thought [of the great creators] was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced.” But what does this have to do with being an egoist? Everything. Since egoists do things pertaining to their self-interest, they often invent things no one else would have thought of, however, they do things from their own spirit and will, so people view them and their invention as selfish. This is especially true in Anthem: Equality invented the light box and tried to give his invention to the council, but one of the council said “How dared you… to hold yourself as one alone and with the thoughts of one…” (72). This demonstrates the ideas people have about egoists and their inventions: if they created it only from their own spirit and will, it’s a selfish invention and cannot benefit the general public. This is due to the general belief that humans, as a race, are inherently selfish. However, in “The Soul of an Individualist”, it says “The creator served nothing and no one. He lived for himself.” This supports the idea that
humans are characteristically selfish, and their ideas and inventions are concurrently so. Now, this may be true for some, and those people create inventions just for themselves, without being influenced by the public. However, it is often that their inventions end up benefiting mankind, even if that was not their intention. But since said inventions were created by an egoist - who was influenced by their own spirit and will, and not by the ideas or conditions of the general public - said public still rejects those ideas, and, in many cases, reprimands the creator. As it is said in “The Soul of an Individualist”, “…the first man discovered how to make fire. He was probably burned at the stake he brought his brothers to light. He was considered an evildoer… Centuries later, the first man discovered the wheel. He was probably torn on the rack he had taught his brothers to build. He was considered a transgressor who ventured into forbidden territory.” This supports the statement that inventions of an egoist, and the egoist themselves, are looked upon by scorn. However, if you continue to read in “The Soul of an Individualist”: “…thereafter men had fire to keep them warm, to cook their food, to light their caves… thereafter, men could travel past any horizon.” This shows that eventually the public accepts inventions egoists create. In conclusion, being an egoist may be looked upon as being “bad”, but in all practicality, it is a good thing.