Ayn Rand or Jesus?

I think Slightly Evil Doctor had a point when he said that we should judge philosophies based on their merits, not on their creators. Ayn Rand sounds terrible (from what I've read; I still haven't gotten to sit down with Atlas Shrugged—not looking forward to it but that's what happens when I decided to write Objectivist societies after playing Bioschock), but the philosophy can't be judged on it. Then again, as an extreme end of the political scale, it isn't much better. Still, I always felt that instead of choosing a philosophical label, things should be chosen based on what works. Rand did have a point when she asserted that trying to nationalize everything and equalize things would lead to stagnation since the profit/recognition motive is lost. The Soviet Union proved it, too...

Not that leaving everything to big business is much better, for that matter.

In relation to Jesus, I always like to assert that Jesus Was Way Cool, if not nearly perfect. It amuses me that the Republican Party is now seen as embodying two extreme ends of the political scale that are still opposed to each other despite being on the ends. I've seen tons of examples of Republican voters, and most are more of the "hates Democrat policy" than "likes Ayn Rand." Only a few I know are of the philosopher type, and they lean way towards Jesus.

I don't really think the Republican party is Randian (not currently, anyhow), or at least not all of it. I'd say it's composed of mostly middle class white people who don't like the left... and a very loud Vocal Minority that is either The Fundamentalist or a libertarian "hippie" as Rand would say. That's just my view of it though, since I live in an area with lots of Republican people...

I really think you ought to read Atlas Shrugged. My favorite part was when Rand went down a train one passenger compartment at a time and listed off the reasons why every single one of their occupants deserved to die.

Really? Wow. I know that I have to read The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged (Anthem is also on the list) since after Bioshock Objectivism has fascinated me. Most of the time I'm using it for dystopias, though, so I doubt Rand would appreciate it...

I found a discussion of Atlas Shrugged, and by extension Objectivism, in, of all places, The Penny Arcade fora.

Here's an excerpt which is relevant, because, guess what, Jesus never advocated this:

NO. First, this common argument assumes that the only motive is the profit/recognition one. Second, it assumes that social recognition in ways that aren't financial wouldn't occur in egalitarian societies, and that there aren't many other ways to keep people motivated and entertained fighting for power in other forms (as anyone who has dealt with, say, university politics could easily confirm). This betrays a lack of imagination and understanding of human nature.

And the Soviet Union only proved that totalitarian, bloody, brutally dictatorial, warmongerirng State Capitalism, where the State is the MegaCorp everyone works for, is apparently not very durable. It definitely wasn't a society where everything was equalized. There were tiers. And a dramatic differnece in lifestyle between the higher-ups and the lower-downs. The lack of a pattern in its fall and the fact that no-one saw it coming and everyone thought the USSR would last forever back then after decades of prognosticating this fall speaks against this proposition too.

Doublepost. Apologizes.

edited 6th Jul '11 6:02:45 AM by GoodGuyGreg

Very astute. I'm surprised to find someone saying that, it's not a very common idea at all.

Er... thanks, I guess.

edited 6th Jul '11 8:24:29 AM by GoodGuyGreg

As someone who used to drink the Objectivist Kool-Aid may I suggest you read Atlas Shrugged last, if at all. Her other novels have a fair amount of merit but AS is her worst written book. Of her non-fiction The Virtue of Selfishness is the only one I'd reccomend although her book on aesthetics has some amusement value as well.

What stopped you, if you don't mind me asking?