Erich Fromm was a German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. In Fromm’s essay ”Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem,” he discusses and compares the impact of human obedience and disobedience to ones self and to human society. While discussing both obedience and disobedience, Fromm opens his essay with “For centuries, kings, priests, feudal lords, industrial bosses, and parents have insisted that obedience is a virtue and that disobedience is a vice.” Immediately after this statement, he gives strong points of views opposing the statement of disobedience being a vice. In the “Anthem,” Ayn Rand tells a story about a place in unspecified future period, where people no longer have their own individual rights, and collectivism is leading the entire society. It's a dystopian sci-fi novella set in the future when mankind has entered another dark age as a result of the evils of society. She introduces a boy named Equality 7-2521 who is disobedient to the Council of Vocations and experiences self-growth and freedom. Disobedience is an act of courage, necessary for the individual to fight against the unreasonable demands of authority. Fromm writes, “Human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be, terminated by an act of obedience,” supporting his statement that obedience might as well “cause the end of human history.” He uses religious and mythological figures to demonstrate disobedience being the foundation to human progression. “Human history was ushered in by an act of disobedience according to the Hebrew and Greek myths,” says Fromm. This is relative to Adam and Eve disobeying the order and then being forced to leave the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve’s “act of disobedience broke the primary bond with nature and made them individuals.” Prometheus’s disobedience in stealing the fire from the gods “lays the foundation for the evolution of man.” Fromm states that there would be “no human history” without Prometheus’s disobedience. Prometheus said, “I would rather be chained to this rock than be the obedient servant of the gods.” While Fromm demonstrates his opinion that disobedience is necessary for human progression, he also states, “I do not mean to say that all disobedience is a virtue and all obedience is a vice.” In saying this, he believes that “an act of obedience to one principle is necessarily an act of disobedience to its counterpart,” further supporting his view on disobedience being an act of courage. In Ayn Rand’s dystopian sci-fi novella, we are introduced to Equality 7-2521 who is a male, twenty-one years of age and six feet tall. In the very beginning, he is already disobedient. “It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil,” says Equality 7-2521. He is writing a story alone, which is forbidden in by his community. He says, “Our name is Equality 7-2521,” “We are twenty-one years old,” and “We are six feet tall.” Immediately, it is apparent that Equality 7-2521 lives in a world where there is complete government control. If one was to speak the “Unspeakable Word,” they are “burned alive in the square of the city.” Equality 7-2521 breaks rules by leaving his town in the evening and entering a tunnel he found. He “loved the science of things,” and ultimately creates light and electricity. Once caught leaving town at night by Council of the House, he says “Take our brother Equality 7-2521 to the Palace of Corrective Detention. Lash them until they tell. "The first blow of the lash felt as if our spine had been cut in two,” Equality 7-2521 explains. He is then incarcerated and breaks out then returns to his tunnel to retrieve his creation to show the Council. “How dared you think that you could be of greater use to men than in sweeping the streets," screams Council. “It must be destroyed!” Equality 7-2521 seized his “light of the gods” and runs off into the forest with his love interest, a woman named Liberty 5-3000. They eventually find an empty house of the “Unmentionable times.” Equality 7-2521 proudly expresses his sense if freedom saying, “I am. I think. I will. My hands . . . My spirit . . . My sky . . . My forest . . . This earth of mine.” He is now no longer afraid to speak the “unspoken” words. Erich Fromm’s and Ayn Rand’s stories both strongly support that disobedience is an act of courage, necessary for the individual to fight against the unreasonable demands of authority. Adam, Eve, Prometheus, Equality 7-2521, and Liberty 5-3000 have all demonstrated acts of disobedience that has lead to self -growth and freedom. They had the courage to disobey authority and grew into individuals who have earned themselves freedom and satisfaction. If Adam and Eve had not left the garden, would any of us be here today? Prometheus stole the fire because he felt that humans could benefit from it. If Equality didn’t disobey the Council by going the tunnel, he would not have made the light, found love, or be able to feel the sense of freedom. Without a history of disobedience, the world today may have never existed.