The Horrors of an Ayn Rand World: Why We Must Fight for America's Soul

[robert l. bentham]

We need to understand the basis of her morality, not just its origins but where it doesn’t originate—the three great monotheistic religions, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the other writings and actions of the Founding Fathers. The words “capitalism,” “markets,” and “free enterprise” appear in none of the founding documents of America. The natural enemies of Ayn Rand are not only Lenin and Roosevelt but Jefferson, Rousseau, and Paine. The Founders were not defenders of oligarchy and selfishness. They sacrificed. They were altruists, and proud of it.​

My Objectivist friends are right that morality needs to become part of the national dialogue. However we feel about Rand, we need to ponder her views and think more philosophically. We need to evaluate our own core values, and understand the moral foundations of the social programs and government agencies that are targeted by the right. Why do we pay for medical care of the poor and elderly? Why do we regulate business? Why do we pave roads and maintain parks and build public schools? Why do we subsidize public radio, mass transit, family planning clinics, and a host of other programs that don’t always benefit ourselves?We may conclude that we shouldn’t do any of those things. Or we may conclude that we cherish those institutions and will sustain them, not because of the clout of special interest groups and the senior vote, not because we can do it if the Democrats control both houses of Congress, but because it’s the right thing to do.​

http://www.alternet.org/story/15470...:_why_we_must_fight_for_america's_soul?page=3​

 

[cecilia]

as an artist I found Rand's ideas "interesting" .
After all it's true that an artist must be very self motivated and even selfish on a certain level. That's because no one except the artist knows what's in their head. You have to keep focused on your view point, ideas, inspirations, etc. because no one else can help you with that.

However, the flaw in Rand's world is that I don't exist in a vacuum. I live with talented people who can do things that I need and I can't do myself. I live in a society and that means we all have to contribute and care for each other. I can be "selfish" sometimes but at other times I have to be Self Less and help out others.

When the Founding Fathers wrote that every human was born with the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness they meant the government (that's us) need to make sure all of us get the chance to be selfish without trampling on others chance to be selfish. That can get tricky but that's what laws are for. And if they fail it's because we get lazy and let them fail.

 

[cecilia]

this basically shows the result of Rand's veiws when taken to extreme:

Robert Greenwald on the New Film 'Koch Brothers Exposed' -- the 1% at Its Very Worst