Anthem Chapters 11-12

"The word which will not die, should we all perish in battle. The world which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning and the glory. The sacred word: EGO"

I didn't think the sacred word would be ego. I thought it was simply "I". I think "I" is more important than "ego". "Ego" is not an every day word. I rarely hear it, but I use the word "I" hundreds of times a day. Even in this post I've said "I" six times already. It is more important for Equality to learn the word for a singular person. Throughout the novel he is trying to become his own person, to distance himself from the whole. "I" is the most important word he can learn.

Two Ayn Rand Quotes

"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality"

I can relate to this quote right now as a senior in high school. I spent the first few months of this school year basically in denial/disbelief that I have to go to college next year, and to go to college I need to apply. I put it off as much as I could because I didn't want to admit to myself that I have to leave Bishop Kearney, on of the only two school I've ever attended and the school I've gotten use to in the last six years, in a few short months. Because I avoided applying for colleges as long as I could, I spent Thanksgiving break panicking about getting my application in by one of my top college's deadlines. I would have saved myself a lot of stress if I started the process at the beginning of the year.

"Never think of pain or danger or enemies a moment longer than is necessary to fight them."

This quote is basically saying not to dwell on the bad things in life, always move forward. I agree with this immensely. My mentality is to forget the past and live for the future. Don't let anything bring you down, especially people (I hate people). When something bad happens to you, move on. When someone makes you angry, be angry for a little while and then let it go. Don't let outside forces decide whether you are going to be happy or not. If you choose to brush things off and be happy, you will be happy. Only I have the power to control my emotions.

Ayn Rand Quote

Ayn Rand is saying in this quote that people spend their whole lives searching for happiness but never truly find it because most people are tricked by society's definition of happiness. I agree with this quote. It is hard to tell the difference between what I want to do or what society wants me to do. I think I want to be a nurse for the rest of my life, but is that really my dream? How does anyone actually know what they want to spend their life doing? I think I want to go to college for nursing, I think I will be happy pursuing this career, but I honestly have no idea. My judgment is too clouded by society.