“Solitude vivifies; isolation kills.”(Roux, Joseph) The thought of being alone is a fear inherent to the human race. However, can not isolation also benefit humanity? After being exposed to multiple forms of media on the subject, one can not help but begin to believe that this is the case. Isolation forces people away from others and to be alone but, in doing so, gives the isolated the ability to break free of the dogmas thrust upon them by community by allowing them to think for and of themselves. In solitude, a man can enlighten himself and build upon an essential part of the human psyche: the Ego. It is the long history of humanity to create traditions and culture among their fellows. Through this practice, many peoples tend to create dogmas and lies that are taught through their community for generations. Through isolation, a man can gain independence and emancipate himself from the dogmas otherwise nurtured through society. In the study of ennui by the scholar John Eastwood, it is clearly stated that “... without boredom, [humanity] could not achieve [its] creative feats.”(Robson). Assuming that boredom stems from solitude, it would seem that being alone is necessary for most independent thinking. In the film The Island (Bay), the main character isolates himself from his community and discovers the lies hidden told to him from birth. Views that are outside of society can often help progress that same society. A lack of isolation destroys the ego, which is necessary for the human psyche to survive. The society in which the novella Anthem (Rand) is based is built upon the collective and unity among all people. The result of this lack and shunning of ego is a humanity that is no longer worth holding for its burden upon the beholder. The essay by Saul McLeod on the psycho-social psychologist, Erik Erikson, states that “...the ego develops as it successfully resolves crises that are distinctly social in nature.”(McLeod) im