Human Nature: A Defense of Modernism

By Ethan Adler
Our society stands in perpetual war. Since those beginnings of civilization eight-thousands years
ago when man freed himself from nature, and the collective that existed within primitive tribes, the rate
of innovation has leaped forward at insurmountable pace; but sadly, not without some remnants of
archaic deindividualizing trends. From then history is rife with examples of that central conflict between
individualism and collectivism—what today might be termed Randian Objectivism and Kantian
Postmodernism. As can be seen from its namesake Rand assumes the side of the former to demolish the
ideology of the latter in one of her seminal works: Anthem. Prometheus breaks those chains of an
oppressive society and achieves true freedom. A victory made possible through the clear and inevitable
triumph of human nature over collectivism.

We should then view Anthem not as merely a political or cultural piece, but as an ideological
one. It is Ayn Rand’s warning against the horror’s that can be wrought from altruistic ideals. As
Collective tells Equality, “What is not thought by all men cannot be true.” and that idea of a collective
delusion equaling reality first proposed by Kanti is what Rand warns so fervently against. Such denial of
reason and logic termed postmodernism threatens the very foundations of western civilization.

However, before one examines the natural triumph of individualism, one must first understand
the force which fights against it. Marxism, Communism, Fascism and every ideology to ever bring mass
destruction stems from the same malevolent root of altruism. They are systems which apprehend
individuals and view them merely as subjects to be sacrificed for a greater collective, or Sovereign as
Rousseau might have termed it. Such only ever led to destruction.

In anthem, Rand examines this at the individual level. Indoctrination into service of the state
yields unproductive and unhappy individuals due to the very basis of human nature. People seek things
for themselves. To hinder them in this pursuit, to demand that they sacrifice their property and labor for
society fights against objective human nature. It is then human nature that must defeat collectivism.

Sadly, altruistic ideology has become common. Orwell made a similar observation to Rand in the
book 1984 when he stated that if “The Party” wished 2+2=5 it might as well, for in a collectivist world
there is no truth outside the collectivist mind. Indeed, this helps illustrate the gravity of the problem
because even as Orwell was liberal and Rand conservative they both wrote against postmodern ideology
in favor of objective reason. It is objective reason which then leads to Rand’s brilliant conclusion: egoism
leads to success. In other worlds, Gustave’s observation that “there is no truth” is false, because one can
prove that 2+2=4; and when reason exists, reason proves Rand’s conclusion.

Thusly, the question of why collectivist ideas exist at all is begged. Such ideals exist, as Rand
wrote in The Fountainhead, because parasites wish to rob the work of creators. Though, as time moves,
such parasites are defeated and more freedom is gained, and as more freedom is gained more
innovation is experienced. Individuals then invent the airplane, and the car, and medicine, and improve
society. We must note, however, that they did not create such things for the good of society, but rather
for themselves. It is for this reason that freer nations create more, while societies based upon principles
which contradict human nature (like the U.S.S.R.), tend to dictatorship and eventual collapse.
 Though, we might ask: what if the parasites succeed? It is hard not to interpret Anthem as a
possible warning against such a future, but with the warning comes the solution. The triumph of
Prometheus is the triumph of the individual in a collectivist society. Even when a parasitic bureaucracy
has destroyed innovation and degraded technology to its form in centuries past, one cannot change
human nature. Human nature is individualist as one works for one’s self. This is the logic which proves
Rand’s philosophy.

As Prometheus brought fire to mankind against the will of the collective of gods, Equality brings
light to those who are willing to see it, and such is why he names himself Prometheus at the book’s
close. Even in a society conquered by the most infectious of evil ideologies an individual may triumph.
As a collective stagnates it begins to rot along with its oppressive chains, and such allows individuals to
break those chains. This idea is symbolized when Equality escapes the Palace of Corrective Detention. It
is the inherent evil within altruism that leads to societal stagnation; therefore, individualism triumphs—
not merely once, but inevitably.

Such may sound ludicrously optimistic at first; after all, if one allows for a dichotomy between
individualism and collectivism and finds the latter predominate, how can objectivist victory stand
inevitable? The answer is that human nature is unconquerable. Since the dawn of time individuals have
destroyed primitive ideals of tribal egalitarianism and fulfilled objectivist ideals of innovation, and this is
conceptualized when Equality triumphs over his collectivist society.

The manifestation of such theory is clear: Free societies which deny the categorical imperative
and accept logic over feelings succeed while those which accept collectivism fail.

Yes, postmodernism may steal the minds of many youths as their professors feed them the
writings of Lacan and Foucault, but we also see many youths objectively agreeing with the works of
Rand, and Bastiat. Collectivism has yet to triumph, and when one looks at historical trends one sees
them moving from collectivism to freedom. Therefore, Equality frees himself from his society. Human
nature makes his triumph inevitable. Even, if as the pessimists’ fear, postmodernism consumes Western
civilization, human nature means that it’s only a matter of time before individualism returns. There will
be some man, who as Prometheus, accepts his nature as counter to the nature of the collective because
individuals shall realize the inherent logic and objectivity of Randian egoism.

In the most basic sense: truth exists, therefore ideologies counter to the truth must eventually
succumb to ideologies with the truth. As Equality breaks his oppressive chains, so can individuals fight
for human nature. All because objectivism is inevitable, does not mean that individuals recognizing this
should grow lazy and allow cancerous Kantian ideals to manifest themselves and grow; rather, it is in
their best interests to work towards an individualist society as quickly as possible so that they can
experience such a society which has been the basic goal of individuals since civilization began. Thusly,
we trend towards freedom. It is the inverse of Anthem’s world which creates the freest society, and the
society which can be logically concluded the best society. Egoism is not a philosophy of greed as is
altruism which demands sacrifice, but rather a philosophy of respect. If everyone respects everyone’s
rights then everyone is free to selfishly create their success. Then, Prometheus’ symbolic victory shall
become manifest and individuals truly experience what Jefferson termed their “inalienable right to
liberty”.
Bibliography:

“Kant, Immanuel.” Ayn Rand Lexicon, aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/kant,_immanuel.html.

Rand, Ayn. Anthem. Kalpaz, 2017

Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. New American Library, 2017

Orwell, George, and Erich Fromm. 1984: a Novel. Signet Classics, 2017.