Posted on 10/12/2001 4:02:51 AM PDT by Mr. Polish-hammer
Just read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. Here is my take:
I think we all agree on the basic tenet that capitalism is good, and anything else is bad. However, Ayn Rand seems to take this to a whole new level, one which I don't like. She places capitalism into her own moral egoist philosophy; capitalism is not a means to an end, but an end in itself, a moral one. Acting in ones self-interest is moral, altruism is immoral. So donating to charity, in her mind, is immoral. To me, donating to charity is perfectly moral. What is immoral is when the government, or any other third party, forces one to be charitable. Any action done on voluntary terms, or any deal, is perfectly moral, and to call it immoral is non-sensical, if not scary.
To Ayn Rand, the lazy and incompetent, those without ambition, are immoral. Even if they seek no harm, mind their own business, and violate no ones rights, they are still immoral. Their only sin is to not be productive, which only harms society as a whole. It seems that Ayn Rand deems immoral that which does not benefit her, her being part of society.
Another strange aspect to her writing is her animus toward religion. Religion takes a beating in "Atlas Shrugged", being accused of fostering socialist mentality. Paradoxically, she praised the USA, especially its first one hundred years, as being the closest to her ideal. If religion fosters socialism, how does she explain the religous founding, and continuing religous existence of the USA? Moreover, why is it that the strongly socialist countries (USSR, Sweden, etc.) are strongly atheist, or have governments that despise religion?
Many inconsistencies are present in her writing. I'd be interested in hearing her defense. I know there are many fans on this forum.
Speaking of "Atlas Shrugged", I truly love Ayn's philosophy in this book. Cold-blooded, cut and dry. She says it like it really is! Of course, my favorite character in it is Dagny Taggart.
I used to, until he sold out to Owens-Corning and became a flack fer batt insulation...some folks just have no principles!!
LOL & FReegards...MUD
Not sure what is meant by this.
LOL...these days, more kids recognize the Pink Panther for his commercials advertising fiberglas insulation than those who have actually seen the cartoon. Believe me, it goes no deeper than that...MUD
Obviously, your intake of National Football League games is far too low......
LOL and FReegards...MUD
I don't care much about watching football. I'd rather be playing it.
Sorry for the late comment, but just getting to this thread.
I agree with everything you said except the above. Ayn Rand never set out to be a philosopher. She desired to be a writer first, but knowing that to be one she must have a rational philosophy as a guide, and discovering there was not one, she devised her own. So far, it's the best there is, with all its warts and wrinkles.
By the way, far from being, "dry and boring," I find no subject in the world more interesting than philosophy. (Taste is subjective.)
Hank
The real reason you had to reject Ayn Rand is because you opted for subjectivism ("faith") and her epistemology makes mincemeat of nonsense such as the above.
Hank
I'm sorry for taking something from the 'distant past' and getting in your face with it, but that is (sigh) I won't insult. I'll just say there should be NO difference between moral reason and pleasure. Furthermore, if a child is given a meal, by loving hands, it doesn't make a difference what motive the man had, who dropped the money into the bucket at Christmastime. Sheesh.
The Lord loves a cheerful giver. The lord loved Ms. Rand, too, though she shrugged, a great, great mistake.
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