Recently I've been listening to Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" on audiobook from Audible.com (awesome site). It's amazing! I don't have much time to post on this site anymore (not that I've been real faithful) so I'm just going to recommend that everyone go read "Atlas Shrugged." It's a novel that does an outstanding job of explaining Rand's political philosophy in a story form. If you don't have time to read the book (it's huge), then I recommend going to youtube and looking up Ayn Rand interviews. There is one she did with Mike Wallace back in the '50s that is great and another one that she did with Phil Donahue in the early '80s. After you watch those, if you have any questions or if you think she's crazy, please post your thoughts here because I would like to see what others think of her.
Let me finish by saying that I think much of her philosophy is right on. However, she is a little short sighted and is missing the big picture, but she's so close! (and yet, so far) She has enlightened me.
2 comments:
Who is John Galt?
The short answer is that Galt is a market-worshiping atheist. While I agree with many of Rand's Capitalist theses, I cannot support Objectivism as a philosophy* because it necessitates that one reject God and religion in favor of reason, rugged individualism, and the supremacy of the market.
These concepts are not mutually exclusive, regardless of what secular humanists like Rand put forth. I do not consider Objectivism "so close" to anything that I believe.
*You refer to Rand's position as a political philosophy, but Objectivism is not really restricted to politics. The non-economic portions of Objectivism are quite problematic.
Yes, Rand is an atheist. However, Objectivism as set forth by Rand does not necessitate that one reject God and religion in favor of reason. It necessitates that our religious beliefs be governed by reason. I have always felt that mine are, so I don't see how that would interfere with my faith.
Rand's problem is that she failed to see reason in religion. Possibly because she never found the right religion. This is similar to many founding fathers who did not believe in Christ because the religions of the day could not justify his existence, through reason, to their satisfaction.
Yes, Objectivism extends beyond politics as any good philosophy should. What non-economic portions do you see as problematic?
BTW Chris, have you read "Atlas Shrugged?" Or are you just really familiar with it. I have to say, your broad knowledge of anything and everything always amazes me.
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