I think that equality does lose its values when done by force, because it only will force people to follow things, which would technincally be unequal, because equality is giving everyone a fair treatment, and ordering people to do so wouldn't be fair to everyone.
I think that a truly equal society wouldn't be like in the story, but more like a society where everyone is creative, everyone has their differences, which can be balanced out by other people, so that the society doesn't turn to a boring dystopia.
An equal, open society could equal giving everyone the same chance at something, because this would give everyone the same(fair) treatment, and whether they get to pursue the chance or not, it depends on themselves and not the whole of the society.
