The problem, of course, with Objectivism is that it assumes virtue in the productive man. This was Rand’s capital mistake.
Christianity assumes Man is Fallen, and provides Restraint. Without quite meaning to, Rand falls into the trap that Nietzche fell into: the unaccountable Superman bound only by his own conscience and the clauses of Contract and free trade.
The real world, unfortunately, is filled with Gordon Gekkos. Christ recognized this. Rand was writing in a period in which 20th Century Progressivism was eclipsing Victorian Positivism and Nietzche was all the rage.
Objectivism is just another ideology for Supermen, but it’s one great strength is that it recognizes the virtue of free will and capitalism as virtues, not vices. Christianity’s strength is that it’s law’s recognize man’s fallen nature.
Objectivists don’t get this.
Best,
Chris
Could say more about myself but I better not.
Your post was very helpful and gives me some ideas for future reading.
Rand got collectivist/statist leaders dead to rights, but I found her case for her particular brand of individualism to be weak. Her justification for selfishness seems to be based on its salutary effect on society, but why would a truly selfish person care about society? An individual can thrive while society rots, even profit from it. Enlightened self interest is a weak argument.
Wrong. It assumes men are greedy and will work for their own rational best interest. That those who act unethically will either be starved out or killed outright for their crimes.