EXAMINING AYN RAND, HER LITERARY

WORK, AND THE MORAL PHILOSOPHY THAT WAS INSPIRED

BY HER WRITINGS

Objectivism

What is Objectivism?

Objectivism holds that reality exists as an absolute, independent of man's desires, wishes, and emotions.

Reason alone should be the only guiding principal behind man's perception of reality.

There is no higher purpose in life than to pursue one's self interest.

So, Who was Ayn Rand?

Ayn Rand (February 2, 1905 – March 6, 1982) was born and educated in Russia, and became a novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter.

Rand's political views, reflected in both her fiction and her theoretical work, emphasize individual rights and laissez-faire capitalism, enforced by a constitutionally limited government.

Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead

The Fountainhead – Rand’s 1st novel which illustrates the triumph of individualism over collectivism

Atlas Shrugged – Rand’s final novel explores a dystopian United States where leading innovators, ranging from industrialists to artists, refuse to be exploited by society.

“The Collective”

"The Collective" was Rand's private name for a group of close confidants, students, and proponents of Rand and Objectivism during the 1950s and '60s.

Among these individuals was Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Objectivism in Academia

Most academics have dismissed the Objectivist movement as cultish due to its devotion to Ayn Rand and her fictional characters as standard bearers for absolute morality.

While Objectivism has struggled to gain traction in formal academic studies of philosophy, it has enjoyed significant popularity among student groups at universities around the world.

Criticisms of Objectivism

Objectivism is often criticized for being cruel and dogmatic in its assertions.

Critics also point to the inherent crises present in the capitalist cycle that are caused by the over accumulation of goods, surplus of labor, and devalorization of capital in the built environment as a weakness of Objectivist ideology.