For a long time, Equality 7-2521, but also others in the Home of the Students were taught to say

Do you think that Equality 7-2521 is selfish? In your answer, give examples from the story that support your answer. In what ways is Equality ‘s approach to life and to other characters in the story similar to or different from what we normally think of as “selfish”? What lessons do you draw from the story about what it means to pursue your own interests?

“It is a sign to write this”. “Anthem” begins with it. Rand's imagined society tells that men should not do or write anything unless Counsils permit them.
For a long time, Equality 7-2521, but also others in the Home of the Students were taught to say:
“We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen" as an anthem. It is mainly about this “we" who are one in all and all in one, invisible and forever.
It all began with the curiosity of Equality 7-2521, giving questions to themselves in the Home of the Scholars about their curse makes them seek they do not know what, ever and ever. However, when discovered new knowledge or experiment, they tried to hide because it has been prohibited to all to create or know something new.
I personally think that Equality 7-2521 is selfish to achieve his goals, ambitions, hunger to learn new things and create his own personal life for long-term target. He is more concerned with his own needs than well-being of others. It can be seen here, when they pulled at the grill and saw iron rings as steps leading down a shaft into a darkness without bottom, going down to it without permission of Counsil after a disagreement of International 4-8818:
“We shall go, none the less" confidently. Furthermore, stealing candles, manuscripts and so on from the Home of Street Sweepers and Scholars for their own purposes is a great offence or a transgression as we can see at that society. Regardless of what Equality 7-2521 has done, he has not got any fears to be ashamed or regret.
Equality 7-2521’s approach to life is quite different from other men. He wants to know more about his surroundings, to do research on the new things, collaborating with others so as to share information and ideas with each other and build a relationship with others (as it happened with Liberty 5-3000) . It can be seen in his sentences like these:
“No single one can possess greater wisdom than the many Scholars who are elected by all men for their wisdom. Yet we can. We do. We have fought against saying it, but now it is said. We do not care. We forget all men, all laws and all things save our metals and our wires. So much is still to be learned! So long a road lies before us, and what care we if we must travel it alone!”
What I mean by this is that he is absolutely ready to make his dreams come true and achieve his personal fulfillment. He even is not afraid of what other men think or say about him. If sayings of others interested him, he would not do such braveness that turned his life into another. As for the other men, they already used to do what the Council say to do with obeying and without any oppositions. In this society, toil is respected and regarded to be done by all. In one word, they are victims of this imagined society.
To draw conclusion from this captivating story, we are all humankind, should pursue our interests first rather than working for others. As said in “Alchemist":
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it".
Equality 77-2521’s approach to life makes me believe that I should always strive for my goals that I want to achieve. I came to this conclusion that there is not “we" at all, but “I". Fighting for my own dreams and targets does not mean “I am selfish all the time”. It works for me, my own fulfillment of mentally, physically and emotionally. That is called the freedom of Man. For my own rights. For my life. For my honor.