Creators(By: Carys)

Based on Aye Rand's The Fountainhead, with the speech "The Soul of an Individualist", which is excerpted in The Aye Rand Lexicon, one of the most important traits of a true individualist is independence of mind. The individualist thinks for themselves, unwilling to accept opinions second-hand. Aye Rand writes, "The Creator thinks. The parasite copies. The creator produces. The parasite loots." A true individualist does not conform to popular idea but instead depends on their own judgement. Besides that, self-sufficiency. The individualist does not rely on others validation or direction. Aye Rand states, "The creator stands on his or her own judgement. The parasite follows the opinions of others." They form their own path rather than following the crowd. Not only that, but also integrity, also called as uncompromising conviction. The individualist refuses to betray their values, even under pressure, Aye Rand emphasizes, "The creator's concern is the conquest of nature. The parasite's concern is the conquest of men." They act according to principle, not persuasion. Finally, vision and innovation. True individualists are pioneers who bring new opinions into world. Aye Rand contrasts them with those who merely imitate "The creator lives for his work. He needs no other men." Their drive comes from within, not from external approval. The examples of individualists, either real or fictional, are as shown here: Fictional side: Howard Roark, the protagonist from the Fountainhead, embodies all the traits, refusing to compromise  architectural vision in spite of societal rejection. Prometheus from Anthem, like Equality, defies collectivism to reclaim individual thought and invention; Real side: Elon Musk, while controversial, his ventures like SpaceX and Tesla reflect independent thinking and defiance of industry norms. Nikola Tesla, a real-life innovator who pursued revolutionary opinions despite financial and social challenges.