I love Ayn as an author but also agree with and try to follow objectavisum aswell. I originally came by objectavisum and the work/philosophy of Ayn Rand via a slightly obscure route. I was recomended a book called "The Neotech Discovery" by a friend and managed firstly to find a copy and then to read through it (it's quite a heavy read) then on reserching further found it was based on objectavisum which led me to Ayn Rand. The first book I then read was "Atlas" which took me a while as reading isn't my forté now-a-days i'm trying to read as much of Ayn's work as I can. I've just read "The Virtue of Selfishness" and about to start another of her books, probably "Capatalisum" as I find the essay collections easy to read because they're sort of 'bite sized'. It's good to find other atheist/agnostics into AR aswell although it makes sense as objective reality and god just don't go together, lol

I think she was a talented dedicated writer. In terms of technical skill it is hard to name one writer as talented as she was. Read any random sentence of her work's and it fits perfectly with the chapter, page, and paragraph. Nothing is slapped on.

With that said I can't say I am a big fan of her philosophy.

Along with Nietzsche the Nazi and Wagner truly reprehensible. Individual with a capital 'I' makes no sense. We are socialized creatures that can never be completely seperated from our history, our culture, our past. What we do effects all around us and vice versa. If you ignore those connections and do whatever the fuck you want you are a self-aggrandizing prick (remind you of who's in the oval office? ) who deserves to be slapped down. Also capitalism's etiology is growth for the sake of growth. If that is not controlled then how is that any different from the rapaciousness of cancer? If capitalism is going to be our economic reality then it needs to be controlled. The only other institution powerful enough is government. I accept that businesses should be given the opportunity to thrive but take away the necessary restrictions to business and they will govern. The PEOPLE are supposed to govern. We have done the laissez-faire, leave business alone too often already with disastrous consequences. I don't want the tyranny of big government OR the tyranny of big business.

I’ve never read her writings.

on her throat maybe?

Philosophy is something of a black box to me...so let me see if I've got this right - A.R. believed religion was not a good thing and reason is best, that a person should do what is best for themselves with out reguard for others, agression should not be allowed but you must protect what is yours, and the government should keep its hands off business. In a nut shell - am I close?

Her opinions are just as valid (or invalid) as anyone else's.
Just another perspective.

Like the books, not a fan of what is being taken as her philosophy.