Ayn Rand

[Sentama Lin]

I like to think of Rand's philosophies as an archetype of the extremely rugged individual to the fault. To follow her views to the dot would be entirely frustrating and unrealistic considering that society needs some essence of collectivism in order for society to even exist. Hence, I would agree with Omni and Tsuj that Rand is, as I said, a b*tch.

Still, it's a Romantic (if not faulty) thought to make Man heroic, not in the name of a country or religion or other things, but only in his own name.

To talk about the very alone comment though, one would assume that a person who fully follows Rand's teachings (I'd be scared to meet such a person) would sacrifice to take care of a child because he chose to take care of the child, and would love the child and friend and lover because he loves them. That is, he totally loves the friend and child and lover because he loves the beliefs and the virtues he has decided to follow for himself. I do hope that explanation made sense.  

[Trish the Stalker]

See, I disagree with her ******** up logic everywhere except for that strength should come from the individual instead of through faith.

I find it terribly lonely to believe that everyone is in everything solely for themselves. And I know of at least one psychological study that has proven otherwise.

But I guess I'm not truly familiar with Rand's ideals and understanding your comment, Lin, makes real sense. And it's a point many atheists make: living life for the sake of life, not an afterlife. And it would be loving for the sake of loving, not being loved in return, I suppose.

-Formerly La Belle Isolde-

 

[Sentama Lin]

I'm not claiming to be totally versed in Rand's thought. But I never got the image, when reading her works, that she meant living for one's self in the whole spectrum of literalness that that entails. Of course, it could be me adding my own bias.

As an example, the whole "everyone is in everything solely for themselves." I saw it as "make sure that the actions that you do is what you do because it's what you chose to do -- not because something made you do it." Ergo, I would choose to love someone (friend, lover, child, or otherwise) not because social norms tell me to or that I have to, but because I want to and I choose to. And the actions I choose to do is based on the grounds that I have made it a "code of ethics" of sorts to myself to love this other person.

If I betrayed a friend, lover, or child, it would break her thinking of ethical selfishness (essentially, do what you want so long as what you do does not jeopardise or use other individuals).