Can someone concisely explain Objectivism for me?

[Key West]

Ayn Rand's objectivism... I've always been curious. I plan on reading Fountain Head, but I'd rather get into it with the clear understanding of author's doctrine. Frankly, I'm too retarded to accurately understand wiki's explanation.

1. What's objectivism in a sentence or two? (What is it, according to it- what is good, what is bad?)

2. The philosophy's strengths?

3. What are the flaws of objectivism?

Didn't Bioshock's plot dealt with objectivism? Thanks.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

1) Every man for himself.

2) Independence of action.

3) It's nuts, and as completely unworkable as pure Communism.

 

[Mucho]

It's a dog eat dog world, do it to them before they do it to you.

 

[SirStev0]

In my opinion, they pretty much believe certain people (the rich usually) are meant to lead and have power because they are born that way. Hippy's and Commies are using society to hold them back. They are libertarian who believe that because that they are awesome and therefore should be able to do whatever they want... Because they are inherently right.

I've always said that greatest argument against is right here:

From Book-a-minute
Various: Where have the industrialists gone? Industrialists: We quit. John Galt (To Dagny): Join us. Dagny Taggart: I can't, I'll lose my railroad. (Society collapses.) Dagny Taggart: OK, I'll join you now.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/150385/?tag=Ayn+Rand

 

[burr4392]

Those are all so far off. I have no idea where to begin.

 

[Farang]

Never so obviously has there been a DO YOUR OWN FUCKING HOMEWORK

 

[MotF Bane]

Just read the book. If you don't get it the first time, read it again.

 

[mmntech]

I have Atlas Shrugged but I haven't read it. Got a bit into the Fountainhead but never finished it. Rand makes some good points. Appeals to small government advocates like myself. Too close to anarchy though. Makes it an unobtainable goal.

 

[totalnoob]

Those are all so far off. I have no idea where to begin.

Exactly..sounds like a bunch of people who know nothing about Rand except for a few forum comments they've read over the years. The best summary I can give of Rand is that she is pro individual, anti-collectivism (the anti-Marx). She believes the rights to liberty and property (and the right to dispose of your property) are absolute rights, because they are the foundation of every other right imaginable. She supports free market capitalism because it is the only system that recognizes the nature of man and enshrines these rights. Unlike most defenders of liberty in the past, she doesn't argue in favor of these virtues on economic grounds or using a "for the greater good" argument. She makes a case for these ideas being good on their own terms..being good because they are inherently MORAL ideas, not merely because they tend to achieve economic growth. In the absence of force, a process based on liberty, property, and non-aggression is the ONLY method available for a rational man to create the values needed to sustain his life. This is the reason markets are inherently moral in her view. If you value life, you can't damn the life-sustaining process.

Rand came from a central planning hellhole in Russia, so there was already plenty of economic justification for free markets over collectivism. The reason the lefties really hate Rand because she was the first to offer a moral defense of individualism..and to show their utopian ideal for what it really was..destructive, anti-life, and evil.

 

[yhelothar]

1) Every man for himself.

2) Independence of action.

3) It's nuts, and as completely unworkable as pure Communism.

3) Explain.
Every man for himself, but he still has to contribute to society in order to take from society. It's not that everyone just mooches off society. Capitalism is a pure objectivist rationale. You take out what you put in.

 

[cKGunslinger]

The Fountainhead is awful - muddled and confused.

Atlas Shrugged is where Objectivity is fully defined and explored.

 

[totalnoob]

3) Explain.
Every man for himself, but he still has to contribute to society in order to take from society.

Stop thinking! Put your emotion cap on.. Sure, if someone wants something for himself, the only way to get it in a capitalist system is through voluntary trade with consenting adults..mutual exchange for mutual benefit..but this is evil because it all boils down to GREEEEED!! Horrible selfish greed...BOOOO!!!

The Fountainhead is awful - muddled and confused.

Atlas Shrugged is where Objectivity is fully defined and explored.

agree 1000%

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

It's a bunch of self-righteous people who think they're born to lead, but they all just follow Ayn Rand's characters' examples.

Edit: And this does sound a lot like you're supposed to read The Fountainhead for homework and answer an essay question, but you're too lazy. It's a good book - read it.

 

[CycloWizard]

It's a bunch of self-righteous people who think they're born to lead, but they all just follow Ayn Rand's characters' examples.

You missed the point. The "heroes" in Atlas Shrugged weren't born to lead: they were born to make money, which in turn betters the plight of every person who pays for their products and services. It doesn't have anything to do with leadership.

 

[Praxis1452]

If you ask others to research stuff for you, you're just asking horribly biased and distorted views. Just read wikipedia ffs. And, if you have specific questions, ask those to someone with a bit more authority.

 

[Zebo]

It's good shit if you're top dog.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

You missed the point. The "heroes" in Atlas Shrugged weren't born to lead: they were born to make money, which in turn betters the plight of every person who pays for their products and services. It doesn't have anything to do with leadership.

I only read The Fountainhead, which is more about not letting other people compromise your work and being on top of the world through your own awesomeness.

 

[CycloWizard]

I only read The Fountainhead, which is more about not letting other people compromise your work and being on top of the world through your own awesomeness.

I haven't read Fountainhead, but I highly recommend Atlas Shrugged.

 

[mjrpes3]

Objectivism holds that the only social system which fully recognizes individual rights is capitalism, specifically what Rand described as "full, pure, uncontrolled, unregulated laissez-faire capitalism."

Because those at the top would never think to rig the game.

 

[0roo0roo]

forget reading her fiction.
or put it off, her collection of essays gets to the core of her points without the aggravating aspie dialog/fiction fluff

 

[Born2bwire]

Just play Bioshock.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Stop thinking! Put your emotion cap on.. Sure, if someone wants something for himself, the only way to get it in a capitalist system is through voluntary trade with consenting adults..mutual exchange for mutual benefit..but this is evil because it all boils down to GREEEEED!! Horrible selfish greed...BOOOO!!!



agree 1000%

He who has the gold makes the rules. Therefore not only money but power is concentrated in the hands of the few, not the many. It would be a perfect example of an ecosystem where there are those who eat and those who are eaten. You can go to Dubai and effectively buy people. Why? Because when there are no restraints, there is no level to which some will descend.

She espouses a system which ironically would end up like real Marxist societies. It's just different people abusing others.

 

[CPA]

Exactly..sounds like a bunch of people who know nothing about Rand except for a few forum comments they've read over the years. The best summary I can give of Rand is that she is pro individual, anti-collectivism (the anti-Marx). She believes the rights to liberty and property (and the right to dispose of your property) are absolute rights, because they are the foundation of every other right imaginable. She supports free market capitalism because it is the only system that recognizes the nature of man and enshrines these rights. Unlike most defenders of liberty in the past, she doesn't argue in favor of these virtues on economic grounds or using a "for the greater good" argument. She makes a case for these ideas being good on their own terms..being good because they are inherently MORAL ideas, not merely because they tend to achieve economic growth. In the absence of force, a process based on liberty, property, and non-aggression is the ONLY method available for a rational man to create the values needed to sustain his life. This is the reason markets are inherently moral in her view. If you value life, you can't damn the life-sustaining process.

Rand came from a central planning hellhole in Russia, so there was already plenty of economic justification for free markets over collectivism. The reason the lefties really hate Rand because she was the first to offer a moral defense of individualism..and to show their utopian ideal for what it really was..destructive, anti-life, and evil.

Pretty good explanation.

 

[Matthew80]

The Fountainhead is a phenomenal book, I think. I'm not sure why people don't enjoy it. I would recommend it if you've ever wanted to achieve something great and/or want to see Ayn Rand's ethics practiced consistently by the hero of the book, Howard book. I'm curious as to why some people didn't enjoy it? Most people really like that book.

Clearly, Hayabusa and a couple other people don't know much about Objectivism. Here's Ayn Rand's one sentence synopsis of her philosophy she called Objectivism, which is quite different than what's been said here:

"My philosophy, in essence, is 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."

I would recommend going to the horse's mouth at http://aynrandlexicon.com/. Listen to what Ayn Rand herself said about hundreds of different topics.

You can also visit www.aynrand.org to learn more about Objectivism, including reading essays she wrote about ethics and politics, and watch videos giving commentary on contemporary issues from an Objectivist perspective.

Objectivism is a truly unique philosophy, and I hope you give it an independent appraisal instead of listening to some of the people on these threads.

Finally, read Atlas Shrugged.

 

[ScottyB]

Philosophy for retards.