Monday, November 12, 2018
Shall This Pass In "Anthem?"
How would This Too Shall Pass and White Knuckles by Okay Go violate the societal norms set forth by the councils in Anthem? Looking beyond the obvious, how do the videos exhibit the antithesis of what is valued in Anthem's society?
Would Equality be pleased with Okay Go's performances, designs, and
visions for their music and art? Please include one quotation from Anthem within your response to prove your view(s). This blog response should be completed in class after we view the videos.
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In Anthem, everything is so boring and plain. Everyone is the same, looks the same, acts the same, etc. There is no room for anyone to be their own person. You are given a role and forced to be a certain way. “And we felt torn, torn from some word we could not find” (Rand 87). This quote from the story shows that there isn't a lot of freedom in the story, and everyone has to act the same way. In the two videos, it shows the creativity and uniqueness of each person, unlike Anthem. It shows how everyone has their own personality unique to them, but in Anthem, you have to be like everyone else. These videos contrast Anthem because in the videos they have freedom and room for creativity, but in the book there's no freedom or creativity.
I think this could connect to the anthem because when equality created something and tries to show the society, in the video it took team work to build the great creation. Both wanting to do more. In the second video it shows teamwork again but this time with the help of dogs. This is defiantly compared to the anthem because it was the use of teamwork and in the anthem they only are allowed to work together except in the video they use creativity which is something equality yearns to have.
Ava Powell
Okay Go does take a more creative and imaginative take on what could've been an average video. The society would be very angered and displeased with this. They'd feel it stood out too much and was a waste of time and materials. They would distaste the individualistic take and how the band was putting themselves out there and to stand out. Equality would very much enjoy the creativity and beauty put into the video. He would grateful that there were all the different minds taking part in making it. A quote from the book states “The secrets of this Earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them” (Rand 52). The band members in the video use all their individual minds and personalities and being imaginative, adventuring the world to make something wonderful. Like in the quote, they didn't do what average bands would do, they sought for something crazy, exciting, difficult, and great.
This violates societal norms in "Anthem" because things have color and are progressing forward in one fluid movement. They also came up with a different way to do something, and in the "Anthem" society the council wants people to think there's only one way to do things, and they don't encourage creativity. Equality would like thi because it's creative and an example of thinking outside the box instead of just doing things in a certain, boring way, like his society forces. Equality says that "[I am not] the means to end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs." (Rand 95). This quote tells us that Equality wants to be an individual with his own unique ideas, and doesn't want to just be used by his society to accomplish a goal they have.
It would violate the societal norms by the councils in Anthem because Okay Go shows in the video that they destroy themselves to some degree by moving and getting it all in one shot. This relates to Anthem and Equality because they made it a very complicated scenario to make happen, so Equality, I feel does approve of this because they took a group of people and made them come together and they used all different techniques to have equality do whatever he wants to do and he wants to be in that society because then he can do whatever he wants. “Neither am I the means to end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice for their alters.” (Rand 95). This quote connects with this because, thematically, he yearns for them to do whatever they want and the names are changed and they are harvesting what they want to harvest. I feel like they want to show us that Equality is trying to get his own way and get what he wants to his liking, and the video shows that they can take a group of people and put them all together to make one unique group of people like Equality does with all of his friends.
The two films "This Too Shall Pass," and "White knuckles," relates to the story "Anthem," because in the text everyone looks the same and acts the same. In the two films all the guys looked the same and acted the same. The book isn't very creative, but in the two films they are and they are fun. In the films they tried to create come and in the book Equality created something to show the society. The two films and Anthem related together in a few ways.
This is connected to the book because in the book Anthem their life is bland, no fun or creativity, they are kind of like robots because they are the same, same in every way. In these videos, everyone is doing their own thing, their own style and they are being unique in a way almost as they are expressing themselves. The book everyone is forced to be the same, lifeless, boring, no one can really find who they are, but in the videos, they have freedom to express their true colors.
In the videos they have something they have to do but maybe they feel its getting old and they want to do something new. this is like Anthem because the characters were so done with the normal they wanted they wanted to do something else.
The videos would violate social norms set by the council because they are creating videos using a creative and different thing. The society equality used to live in wanted to have more common non out of the box thinking. “No single man can possess greater wisdom than the many Scholars who are elected by all men for their wisdom. Yet we can. We do” (Rand 54). Equality is talking about how the council selected this specific people to figure out everything, and that they are the only wise ones, but Equality is admitting that he thinks he's smart enough. Equality likes to be different with his ideas, just like the videos, so that leads me to believe he would give his stamp of approval.
In "This Too Shall Pass", there were many different inventions and ideas that went into the creation of the video. Instead of having only one way for something in the Anthem society, there were many different ways that all went into the creation of the video. It wouldn't have been as cool without all the different inventions put into it. In "White Knuckles", the dogs were going many different places and there were many different perspective for the dogs. In Anthem, they were only allowed to have one perspective, unlike the dogs in this video. Equality would approve of both of these videos because many different ideas were put into both of them and the creators were allowed to express their creativity. The people in the videos had freedom to create, which Equality would be pleased with. “The secrets of this Earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them”(Rand 52). I think this quote supports the videos because it illustrates how the people in the video were seeking for more ways to express their music, like Equality was searching for the answers of the Earth.
Yes, they do violate the societal norms because they keep trying and trying until they get an outcome that they like but it has to be first. The councils in "Anthem" want something to be perfect, they don't give second or third chances. This video is also very different because it sounds like in the book nothing is that creative whereas in this video, there's a lot of things going on and it's very interesting.
The videos and Anthem connect together because in the book the council makes their world run in one way and if it does not run in that one way it does not work well. In the videos, we watched they needed every little thing to work so the music video worked in a specific way. If one thing in the music video went wrong they had to reset it and then redo the whole video from the begging so that it all flowed in one amazing video, same with the other video if the dogs did something wrong or did not do something right they would have to start all the way over. That is how the videos and Anthem relate.
This Too Shall Pass and White Knuckles by Okay Go violate the societal norms because in the book Anthem, it would not allow any of this individual stuff to be allowed. It all happened so fast and seems like it all happened for a reason. But in the other video, it seems like everything happened in sink and was very calming just like Anthem. And it took it's time while going through it.
The councils in "Anthem" have set forth a certain set of social norms that are completely restrictive and in almost all aspects, not necessary. The videos by Okay Go violate these specifications by showing an enormous amount of creativity and uniqueness. This video takes a group of people and incorporates and absurd amount of work to accomplish one goal. These tasks completed to accomplish a simple goal are not completely efficient but very creative and entertaining. In "Anthem", creativity is restricted and unavailable but towards the end of the book, Equality finds his creativity and begins to understand that his creativity is not a curse. In the last chapter, Equality shares his findings. He says, "I understood why the best in me had been my sins and my transgressions; and why I had never felt guilt in my sins" (Rand 98). This is when equality comes to find that his differences are not sins, but the best parts of him.
I feel like the videos can connect to Anthem because in the book Equality made something in hope of the society liking it while in the videos the 4 men create something very difficult hoping that it would turn out amazing. But also I feel like they all wanted to do much more to their creation like the 4 men wanted to add more to make there videos even more fun. In this case they wanted to add dogs to their performance. This goes to the book because equality wanted to keep trying to make something that is even more powerful than what he has already created.
The videos This Too Shall Pass and White Knuckles violate the social norms of the councils in Anthem because in the story everyone acts the same and dresses the same, it just seems like everything is so boring in their lives. But in these videos, these guys are doing really different and creative things that so interesting to watch. I think that in anthem society the council values being the same and everyone should act the same and be controlled by them. One quote from the book that describes this is, "We strive to be like all our brother men, for all men must be alike." This quote is showing that all of the people were raised to all be the same and they have been taught that all men should be alike. From reading the book, I feel like Equality would really enjoy all of the creativity in these videos.
In the "Anthem" society, the councils and main society would not sanction of a majority of the things shown in the story. They might approve of the collaboration the group used to complete their task, but that's the only thing that they might not completely hate. The society would not support how creative and unique the music video. The video separates the band from many other bands, which the "Anthem" society would not permit. On the other hand, Equality would likely be intrigued by the individualism and use of science found throughout the videos. In the book, Equality says, "The secrets of this Earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them" (Rand 52). Similarly to Equality, the band is also willing to experiment with their ideas to better understand their questions.
The videos would violate the social norms in Anthem by Ayn Rand because it shows that we can do pretty much anything in today's world. Equality would probably look at these videos and think that it would be great to have the freedom to let his imagination run wild. In the book, for most of it, the society says no to any creativity. However, after Equality runs away, he discovers that the imagination is a beautiful thing and it shouldn't be restricted. “We made it. We created it. We brought it forth from the night of ages. We alone. Our hands. Our mind. Ours alone and only” (Rand 59). Equality would like the videos because they showcase creativity, which he was not allowed to have. Now that he is free, he is capable of exploring what the human mind can actually do. The videos are a great example of what the mind can do when there aren't any limits.
The book Anthem and the videos by Okay Go are almost opposite. Okay Go is creative and shows what they are doing in a more artistic and fun way when in the book Anthem everything in their society is boring and dull. “And we felt torn, torn from some word we could not find” (Rand 87) This quote shows that they were just looking for something different in their society. I feel like if they were able to have more freedom and creativity in their society the whole book would be different. Equality wanted it his way and he wanted it to go right. In the video, a lot has to go right for everything to work out but they were able to use their creativity to get where they got to.
In these two videos, they use creativity and individualism to create something new and unique. In Anthem, Everybody acted the same and nobody was unique. In Okay Go's performance, everybody has a different and special part to play to make their videos. In Anthem, everyone was assigned certain things and couldn't choose or do anything different. In Anthem, the end of the book is the only time when they could be different or unique. "I shall live my own truth" (Rand 100). This shows how anyone can live the way they want and create something new like they did in the video.
In the video, "This too shall pass" it shows that equality was the ball and kept going, even though he got smashed by the hammers or council, he kept going on, and his ideas finely flourished into something because he persevered. This video also violates the norm in "Anthem" it violates creativity and new ideas and inventions, which is what the council showed as a terrible sin and would be sentenced to death if they dare stood out for what they were assigned to do. In "Anthem" the people value equality and no one is smarter or better than the other, but all are equal. And if anyone dares to go outside the norm they would be punished. If the character Equality saw "This too shall pass" or "White Knuckles" he would be quite impressed in how this band was this creative and used music and machines to awe everyone. The reason I believe equality would like these performances is because he says "I and my sons and my chosen friends. For the freedom of Man. For his rights. For his life. For his honor." This states that he is willing to fight for freedom and rights of man's life. Overall I loved these videos.
In both of the videos, it shows that if you keep going and everything works out, you'll go far and make great things happen to be successful. As long as you plan well and persevere. This is shown in the book where no matter what happened, Equality was different than his peers, but pushed through and made something good happen in the end, even though it was hard and he wasn't doing everything "the right way".
Anthem takes place in strict society with rules on what to think, do, and act like, and if you don’t do things the way the “Council” wants you to do them punishment follows. In the” Ok Go” videos everything is the exact opposite but yet similar, everything has to be in the right place at the right time otherwise nothing would work out but everything is so random and you never know what's going to happen next. I believe that Equality would enjoy these music videos and appreciate the creativity it took to make them because he himself has a creative and curious mind. Equality seems like the type of person that would ask how they accomplished such an intricate chain of events. “I am. I think. I will” (Rand 94). These are words of an innovator and believer, how could he no enjoy these videos?
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