Quote 7
Remember, in The Wave you are all equals. No one is more important or more popular than anyone else and no one is to be excluded from the group. Community means equality within the group. (8.44)
This equality-for-all idea appeals to many of the students (duh!). They are tired of having to compete all the time, for grades, friends, popularity, and all the rest. But The Wave pretty quickly turns into another sort of competition. Loyalty to the group causes Wave members to feel like they are better than the rest of the school.
Quote 8
"[…] If our experiment has been successful […] you will have learned that we are all responsible for our own actions, and that you must always question what you do rather than blindly follow a leader, and that for the rest of your lives, you will never allow a group's will to usurp your individual rights." (17.39)
Ben wants his students to be independent thinkers. He wants them to question people in authority. He wants them to develop strong personal codes of ethics – of what is right and wrong. Ben is suggesting that the best way to be loyal to human beings in general is by first being loyal to ourselves.
Quote 9
"Now you will all have membership cards," Mr. Ross announced. "If you turn them over, you will find that some of them have been marked with a red X. If you have a red X you are to be a monitor, and you will report directly to me any members of The Wave who do not follow our rules." (8.31)
On top the symbol, motto, and salute, Ben now provides a more official way to identify as a Wave member. How does this affect the way students feel about The Wave?