I read Ayn Rand 40 years ago and only remember that I didn't care for her obsessive hatred of all things communist, including socialism. I believe socialism has merits. But, given that the devil is in the details, it's always debatable. I reluctantly watched the first episode of Atlas Shrugged, and was repelled by the heavy-handed agitprop. Anyway, I came across this:
Rand described Objectivism as "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute".
Superficially, it sounds OK though overly romantic.
I have a problem with the notion of heroism and I'm not sure why.
The selfishness/anti-altruism of Rand remains potentially (probably) offensive when overdone.
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9 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.she was a dangerous person. A. Greenspan was a big fan of hers & as Fed head bailed out the financial mkts in 1987 with low interest rates. this was repeated in 2000 & 2008. the result has been a national debt which has gone parabolic which has increased wealth/income inequality to the biggest gap since the 1920s & all but assured the demise of the shrinking middle class.
callmedubious
Level 8
May 15, 2019
0
I was never a fan of hers. Whilst eschewing the extreme forms of socialism, which border on communism, I believe the Social Democratic model to be the best one we have seen to date. I think that quote by Rand demonstrates perfectly her philosophy of objectivism....it is egocentric and promotes self interest and selfishness. Trump is a prime example of this philosophy, and he is turning the USA into a protectionist State in his image. It is a very dangerous philosophy.
Marionville
Level 10
May 14, 2019
0
In her old age she drew social security, in her logic because she railed against this program she was justified. Its convoluted but one can get there. Using the same logic we are free to rape ,murder and pillage as long as we are adamently against it in principle.
Tooreen
Level 7
May 14, 2019
1
I hate Ayn Rand's belief in selfishness and greed at the expense of others and the environment.
LiterateHiker
Level 9
May 14, 2019
1
Ayn Rand is not a very nice person who doesn't have any experience on neither communism or socialism.
Jolanta
Level 9
May 14, 2019
2
THHA:
She was from Russia, and probably a shill, like Solzhenitsyn. Most Americans seem to think that just because a writer becomes popular here they are popular in Russia. I think that it is usually the shills who become the most popular here . . .
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